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Understanding Cultural Diversity and its Influence on Reading Comprehension "Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open." (J.K. Rowling)



The Importance of Understanding Cultural Diversity Cultural diversity….. So people come from a different country, speak another language….. We may even have visited that country….. What else do we need to know about? Having moved to the United States from my native country, I have often encountered a lack of understanding of and appreciation for my cultural background. And moving here was not at all what I expected it to be. I had visited here before, but we really do not know and understand a culture unless we actually live in it. How else can we come to understand the different customs and traditions? We often do not realize how many changes people who move to the United States go through. Although we may not have the opportunity to live in another culture for a while, we certainly can make an effort to learn more about them by talking to those who have moved here, becoming familiar with their backgrounds, and studying their cultures. When teachers, other school staff members and other students can learn about these differences that students from other countries go through, they will be much better able to understand them, work with them, help them and learn from them. All lives will be enriched and the English language learning students will feel so much more welcome and at home here, which greatly influences their learning and progress. Understanding the cultural diversity of English language learning students in the classroom is the very start of educating those students. Not only do the students benefit from being better understood, but those who learn to understand their background and many aspects of diversity gain cultural knowledge which leads to better understanding of self (Roland, 2010). Learning to understand other cultures is not a standard process, but rather is different for each person. It involves discussions for which we must have an open attitude, expecting the other person to have something important to say. According to Confucius, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Cultural Diversity Movie The following link will open a YouTube movie. This movie addresses the different aspects of culture shock that foreign students in the US schools experience. It is addressed to a class of students and begins by pointing out different stages in culture shock. After the initial confrontation, people go through shock, adjustment, reverse shock, and re-adjustment, or many ups and downs. Cultures are different because each society is different due to changes. The movie talks about the differences in non-verbal and verbal communication in different cultures. There are many different dialects of English, and also of other languages. This makes communication in another culture even more difficult. But what it ultimately comes down to is that we should not say that one culture is better than another. Cultures are different, not better or worse. People need to be humble, fair, happy and peaceful.

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Teachers and Cultural Diversity The attitude of teachers towards minority students and their cultures is crucial in teaching students to appreciate cultural diversity. The desire to learn about the cultural diversity of the students leads to an appreciation for their cultural background, which in turn helps teachers improve their teaching of those students and increase their desire to work with them. Zaytoun (2005) has explained that 'as we transform our understanding of learning, we transform ourselves and the world around us (Joseph and Southcott, 2009). As teachers develop a better understanding of the cultural diversity of the English language learners in the classroom and the role language plays in their language acquisition in school, they will be better able to facilitate learning opportunities for those students. If those students are in an English-only school and classroom environment, they will encounter more barriers to overcome in their language acquisition process, which results in lower academic achievement. When, however, those students are surrounded by an acknowledgement and understanding of their cultural background, their academic skills can improve at a faster rate (Mays, 2008). Teachers also benefit from a culture rich classroom environment, which encourages learning through building on the languages and cultures of their students. Teachers need to understand their personal cultural background in order to learn and understand about other cultures. They need to realize the meaning behind answers students give and things they say, by discussing why the students gave a certain answer or made a comment. Understanding the cultural backgrounds of the students helps teachers to modify their teaching (Mays, 2008). Helping Students Understand Cultural Diversity

A classroom curriculum should be rich in cultural diversity to encourage native students to learn and appreciate others and to help English language learners feel appreciated. One way teachers can help students become more familiar with other cultures is through the words of music. Music is often connected to other cultures and students are often interested in music, which can be used to teach them cultural diversity. The words of a traditional song can help students learn to appreciate cultural diversity and the people who created the music. When students come to realize the different forms of music and the power that music has to express things, they will increase their understanding, acceptance and respect for other cultures (Joseph and Southcott, 2009)

Cultural Music Activity __Materials__: Construction paper and crayons for all students, cultural music cd(s). <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__Procedures__: Give each student several large pieces of construction paper and crayons. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Play the cd. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Ask students to create whatever artwork the music makes them think of. Tell them there is no right or wrong way to do this assignment. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Piece the different papers together to make a large patchwork quilt to display within the classroom.



<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">The world we live in is bringing people, especially young students, closer together than ever through traveling, literature, e-mail, messaging, online games, and other forms of communication through technology. English is often the language of communication across the world. Teachers need to know how to teach language skills like reading and writing and use those skills to develop an appreciation and deeper understanding of cultural diversity. They can use technology, reading and writing as tools when teaching students about other cultures. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Students can learn to understand there are values, ways of understanding the world, and use of literature that are the same across cultures. Just because communication is taking place in English, this does not mean what is being said or written has the same meaning as the person listening or reading would put to it. Someone in another country may be able to express things in English, but his or her native culture will influence the true meaning behind the expression. <span style="background-color: #ffd100; color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Understanding Cultural Differences and Reading



<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Everyone wants others to hear and understand them and be able to express their feelings and needs to others. Writing and reading helps connect people, even when their cultural backgrounds are different (//B. Williams//, 2008). Teachers can build on this by having discussions with students about how they can better communicate with and learn to understand people from different cultures. At the same time this can help English language learners in the classroom improve their English language proficiency. As other students learn to better understand them, it will become easier for them to express their feelings and experiences in their speaking and writing. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> For English learners in the classroom it is possible to understand the words in a text without understanding the true meaning of sentences and paragraphs of that text. Different cultures influence how language is used, the way writers and readers think, the way they reflect their background and express their ideas. The better the reader understands the culture of the writer, the easier it is to comprehend what is written. On the other hand, understanding cultural differences will help English language learners with language acquisition. Their native language and cultural background influence their thoughts and with that their writing patterns, as well as their understanding of written text. Writing can be seen as an echo of reading and as there is a cultural variation in writing their also is a cultural difference in reading (//Sharp//, 2010). Kintsch (1998) has said that understanding a text involves forming connections between ideas that are expressed and prior knowledge. Some comprehension takes place before reading, while other comprehension develops after reading. The way people write is influenced by the way the writer and reader view the world and their language and culture (//Sharp//, 2010). <span style="background-color: #ffd100; color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Cultural Reading Materials in the Classroom



<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">There are many materials and resources teachers can use in reading to represent a variety of cultures. There are bilingual books, maps, and activities that all students can relate to, which represent their cultures and languages and allow them to make connections between their personal cultures and the school culture. This will ultimately close the achievement gap and allow all students to express their thoughts and ideas in speaking and writing and understand the thoughts and ideas of others through reading. When teacher and students learn to truly understand cultural differences and the influence on reading comprehension, both native English speaking students and English language learners will benefit and learn from each other.

<span style="background-color: #ffd100; color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Cultural Reading Websites <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0000ff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">[] <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">This site offers ideas for using Picture Books to teach cultural diversity. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">It contains suggestions for choosing books. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">[] <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">This site provides links to listings of multicultural children’s books and reviews. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">It also provides guidelines for choosing children’s multicultural books. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">[] <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">This site provides links to bibliographies of children’s multicultural books for Grades K – 6. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">It offers lists of books by type, like realistic fiction, information (non0fiction), traditional literature, biography, historical fiction, poetry, and fantasy. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Books are categorized by genre: realistic fiction, information (non-fiction), traditional literature, biography, historical fiction, poetry, and fantasy. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">[] <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">This site offers several ideas for teaching young children about cultural diversity through stories. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">It also provides a list of illustrated and narrated children’s books for ages 3-6. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">It encourages parents to spend time with their children while reading the stories online.

<span style="background-color: #ffd100; color: #000080; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Cultural Diversity Reading Activities

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Alike and Different (Thumbprints)** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__Materials__: White 3" x 5" cards, a black ink pad, a pen, and a magnifying glass. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__Procedures__: Ask the students to make prints of their thumbs by pressing them on the ink pad and then on the cards. Label each print with the child's name. Let students use the magnifying glass to see how the prints are alike and different. Point out that everyone has patterns on the skin of their fingers and each person's fingerprints are different from anyone else's.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Listening and Carving** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__Materials__: Sandstone for all students (available in art supply stores). Sandstone is a rock made of compressed sand. It can easily be carved by rubbing the sand off with a plastic knife. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__Procedures__: Tell the students that some people from other cultures enjoy carving things from stone. For example, some Inuit artists carve animals out of stone. They pick out a stone and sit with it, spending time with the stone and getting to know it. They listen to the stone, and when they know the stone well, they find the shape or animal that the stone wants to become. Then they begin carving the stone in that shape. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Show the children pictures of some of these carved animals if you can find them in an encyclopedia or at the library. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Give each child a piece of sandstone. Encourage the children to carry the stone with them all morning or afternoon. Tell them that after lunch or the next day they can carve their stone into any shape they want. Encourage them to listen to their stone. Maybe it will tell them what shape it wants to become. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Have children carve their stones with plastic knives.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Proverbs and Traditions** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__Procedures__: Ask students to talk with their families about sayings that are common in their culture or traditions that they have in their families. Choose one main topic, such as love, birthdays, holidays, or time. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Mark the responses on a chart to see how different cultures express similar ideas. Ask students to compare the different names they use for their grandparents. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Focus on students’ comments that can lead to discoveries about each other.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Multicultural Games** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> __Materials__: Construction paper, crayons, glue for all students. __Procedures__: Give students a list of some of the different cultures that are represented within the classroom and allow them to work in groups. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Ask students to research children games from their own cultures. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Students will pick a game from a different culture and prepare different elements of the game, such as game pieces and instructions. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Have each group share its game with the class. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Have students prepare a short report on the game's history and significance to its specific culture.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Classroom Rules** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__Procedures__: Ask students to sit in a large circle in the center of the room. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Go around the room and ask students to give suggestions on classroom rules that deal with diversity. These rules can center on tolerance, respect and boundaries.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">** Saying "Hello" ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__ Procedures __ : Explain to the students that they will learn how to say "hello" in different languages. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Create flash cards or a sheet so that the students can along as the teachers says each of the phrases. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">When the students can say all of the greetings, have them go around to each other and say "hello" in their favorite languages.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__ Materials __ : Construction paper for each student, magazines with many pictures, glue, crayons, scissors. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__ Procedures __ : Have students fold the paper in half to make a table tent. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Have students write their name in the center of the table tent. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Have students use drawings and cut-outs from the magazines to tell about themselves, including some things most people do not know about them. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Ask students to share their tents and explain them to his or her groups.
 * Who I Am **

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Accepting Others** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__ Materials __ : Paper circles, string, construction paper, scissors. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">__ Procedures __ : Take a small group of students aside and give them paper circles to wear around their necks. Tell them to walk through the room, pretending to have fun, and not talk to the other students. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Have the small group of students stand in front of the class and discuss how everyone felt. Ask them if they think it is fair for some students to have fun without allowing the others to join in. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Have the small group of students turn in their circles. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Give every student construction paper and string and have them create their own shapes out of paper to wear.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">References

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Metro-Roland, D. (2010). Hip Hop Hermeneutics and Multicultural Education: A Theory of Cross-Cultural Understanding. //Educational Studies//, //46//(6), 560-578. doi:10.1080/00131946.2010.524682

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Joseph, D., & Southcott, J. (2009). 'Opening the doors to multiculturalism': Australian pre-service music teacher education students' understandings of cultural diversity. //Music Education Research//, //11//(4), 457-472. doi:10.1080/14613800903390758

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Mays, L. (2008). The Cultural Divide of Discourse: Understanding How English-Language Learners' Primary Discourse Influences Acquisition of Literacy. //Reading Teacher//, //61//(5), 415-418. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Williams, B. T. (2008). Around the block and around the world: Teaching literacy across cultures. //Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy//, //51//(6), 510-514. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Sharp, A. (2010). Intercultural Rhetoric and Reading Comprehension in a Second Language. //Reading Psychology//, //31//(5), 472-491. doi:10.1080/02702710903054949

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Multicultural Diversity Activities retrieved April 9, 2012 from []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Diverse Cultural Activities retrieved April 9, 2012 from []

<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Cultural Diversity Game retrieved April 19, 2012 from [] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Diversity Game retrieved April 19, 2012 from [] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Tolerance Activity retrieved April 19, 2012 from []