Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students Research Articles

Using positioning theory to investigate the participation of culturally and linguistically diverse adolescent students in classroom discussion

AbstractTeachers have a critical opportunity to decide how to position transnational funds of knowledge of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Positioning theory investigates how views of self and others are applied in social interactions. This scoping literature review identified nine studies that used positioning theory to trace the participation of adolescent CLD students in classroom discussions. The review was limited to peer‐reviewed studies set in school and afterschool classes in the United States. The findings provide a variety of real‐world examples of students and teachers negotiating their identities and navigating participatory opportunities. In response to how the findings revealed the far‐reaching influence of the teacher, this article introduces a model illustrating the intersection of two key components of teaching style: teacher beliefs and positioning of transnational funds of knowledge. Four teacher profiles represent four stances: The Culturally Responsive Teacher, The Wide Net, The Silencer, and The Idealist.

Exploring educator perceptions and profiles in supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students integration in healthcare work environments – A cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe global shortage of healthcare workers, an ageing population, and increasing retirement within the healthcare workforce are causing social and healthcare systems to undergo significant internationalisation and cultural-linguistic diversification. Despite the crucial role educators play in imparting healthcare education and supporting the integration of professionals into these diverse environments, there is a lack of effective strategies and understanding to achieve this integration successfully. AimTo explore and understand how social and healthcare educators self-perceive their role in supporting the integration of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students into healthcare working environments, and to identify whether these perceptions can be categorised into specific educator profiles. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in the spring of 2022 in Finland, collecting observational data from 59 social and healthcare educators across 15 universities of applied sciences providing nurse education to CALD students. Four instruments were developed to measure educators' perceptions of supporting students in healthcare work environment integration. K-means clustering analysis identified two distinct educator profiles, and statistically significant differences between these profiles were analysed using t-tests, Chi-square tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests. ResultsEducators perceived their highest strengths as ensuring equality for students (mean 3.81), possessing suitable characteristics (mean 3.78), and being culturally sensitive and aware (mean 3.73). They felt least confident in knowing their institution's integration practices (mean score of 2.43) and personally supporting cultural diversity among students (mean 2.93). Educators were classified into two profiles: less confident educators (mean 2.27–3.66) and confident educators (mean 2.58–3.94). Confident educators, who more effectively support CALD students, have been more involved in continuous education. ConclusionsContinuous education is critical for enhancing educators' confidence and effectiveness in supporting CALD students. Improved training and resources focused on institutional integration practices and personal support for cultural diversity are needed to address areas where educators feel less confident.

Barriers to success for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) pre-registration nursing students in the UK

In 2019, the UK hosted approximately 460,000 culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students, with health professional courses ranking in the top ten fields of application. This review highlights the usual challenges faced by CALD students on pre-registration nursing programmes. Attrition rates are high and there is a clear and concerning awarding gap. The importance of attracting and retaining CALD student nurses is critical to improve care for increasing numbers of CALD patients accessing healthcare in the UK. Challenges due to cultural differences reflected in the literature suggested cultural and linguistically diverse determining factors of both academic and personal success in nursing careers. These challenges spanned language, academic experience, personal, and social factors and placed significant additional stress on students studying on programmes recognised for their physical and emotional demands and intensity. Institutional improvement strategies to support the growing number of CALD pre-registration nursing students is needed to address barriers to success, reduce attrition, support anti-racism guidance, and increase successful course completion.

Marginalization at the Intersection of Language, Culture, and Disability: Systemic Contradictions Perceived by Special Education Teachers in Serving Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students with Disabilities in South Korea

ABSTRACT In 2018, 13.3% of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families with international marriages had at least one child with a disability enrolled in South Korean public schools. Increasing school diversity requires special education teachers to bring new professional knowledge(s) and identities to meet the unique needs of CLD students with disabilities. Drawing on an interdisciplinary lens informed by disability critical race theory and cultural-historical activity theory, we conducted an instrumental case study to investigate the systemic contradictions that special education teachers experience in serving CLD students with disabilities. The results highlight how the intertwining of ethnicity-based racism, monolingualism, and patriarchal ideology shapes (in)visible deficit ideologies that mediate teachers’ everyday interpretation, pedagogical practices, evaluation, and communication. Coupled with harmful deficit ideologies, the lack of systemic support in special education policies and practices consolidates the interlocking marginalization of CLD students with disabilities and their families at the intersection of language, culture, and other identity badges.

Latinx Teachers Engaging Students, Parents, and Families

ABSTRACT Classroom teachers and certified English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers struggle staying current with pedagogical approaches and strategies to work with diverse student populations. In order to support Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students’ success in the classroom, teachers must implement effective teaching strategies. Teaching without knowing the students’ background knowledge is problematic for all students. To this end, this study explored (a) how teachers who graduated from a federally funded bilingual and bicultural education program engage in justice agendas for their CLD students, (b) the things these in-service teachers attribute as barriers and support systems in their social justice work, and (c) the educational strategies the in-service Latinx teachers value in their role as advocates in their social justice work. Qualitative and Critical Qualitative Research (CQR) was our overarching framework to examine participants’ experiences regarding social justice. Latino/a Critical Race Theory/LatCrit was our theoretical framework with trenzas y mestizaje (braids and mixture) as the methodological framework. Data collection was based on testimonios collected through individual pláticas and group pláticas (formal and/or informal conversations) elicited by the use of tesoros (treasures). Data was analyzed and interpreted through Trenzas y Mestizaje and LatCrit. Specifically, data analysis was achieved through braiding the participants’ experiences and/or testimonios. The following prominent themes emerged: (a) Effective classroom strategies, (b) Parent and family involvement, (c) Relationships, (d) Barriers as pre-service and in-service teachers: Resilience. The findings of this study indicate that all participants described their effectiveness as teachers through the implementation of specific strategies, intrinsic motivation for teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students (CLDs), and the sense of commitment to being role models to their students. Additionally, the findings indicate how the participants were able to overcome barriers through resilience, support from colleagues, administrators, and family members. These participants/Latinx teachers have been teaching advocating, informing, and engaging their students, parent, and families for the past seventeen years, by providing them with resources and strategies to navigate the U.S. education system.

Language demands in undergraduate mathematics courses

This study examines language demands in undergraduate university mathematics classes with a view to better preparing and supporting international and other culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in the United States universities. We observed and analyzed the language demands of 13 entry-level mathematics classes across two large universities. Findings showed that mathematics instruction required extensive and varied listening skills requiring students to listen to long and uninterrupted stretches of sometimes fast paced speech. Technical vocabulary contributed to the language demands, but instructors used both academic and colloquial varieties of language in instruction, interweaving mathematical nouns with phrasal verbs to explain mathematical processes. We suggest a greater focus on development of academic listening skills in English language classes as well as potential collaboration with mathematics campus resources and faculty for additional student support for preparing CLD students for potential future discourse practices.

Teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students for the first time: a phenomenological inquiry into in-service teachers’ perceptions, lived experiences, and pedagogies

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore the perceptions, lived experiences, and pedagogies of in-service teachers who are teaching culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students for the first time through interpretive phenomenological analysis. Based on qualitative data, the findings revealed that teachers demonstrated no discrimination or stigmatisation against CLD students. They tended to hold imagined distress against teaching them, which was rooted in their concern about the language barrier, low-preparedness level, and being uninformed of their presence. Teachers’ initial negative perception evolved into positive following a fruitful teaching experience. Their pedagogies were informed by snap decisions instead of informed decisions. Instances of the limited conception of caring and culturally incongruent pedagogies were identified. Findings provided an initial knowledge base on some fundamental issues to be addressed in the journey of preparing culturally and linguistically responsive teachers in Türkiye.

Mentoring the mentor: Developing clinical instructor cross-cultural psychological capital to support culturally/linguistically diverse DPT students

Rationale: Cultural and social isolation, microaggressions, and few culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) mentors contribute to a lack of belonging on clinical education experiences (CEEs) for CLD Doctor of Physical Therapy students. The purpose was to investigate whether a multiple mentor model including a CLD learner, their clinical instructor (CI), and CLD mentor could develop CI cross-cultural psychological capital (CC PsyCap) and mentoring skills to support CLD learners on CEEs. Methods: Three CLD learners and their CIs were each matched with a CLD mentor. CIs completed online cross-cultural mentor training and met with the CLD student and mentor four times during the 10-week CEE. CIs completed the CC PsyCap survey to measure changes in CI cross-cultural self-efficacy before and after the CEE. Interview data from participants were thematically analyzed. Results: All CIs demonstrated an increase in CC PsyCap scores over the study period. CIs gained insight into the unique needs of CLD learners, often subjected to bias and discrimination, and developed strategies to proactively support learners. CLD learners faced challenges related to race in the CEE and pressure to assimilate. They valued CLD mentors who role-modeled persistence and success and CIs who celebrated diversity and created a welcoming environment. Clinical relevance: CIs play an important role in mentoring CLD learners on CEEs. This study highlighted that CI CC PsyCap can be developed through mentoring and coaching from CLD mentors, ultimately increasing support for CLD learners on CEEs.

Understanding and optimising support resources to facilitate CALD student and supervisor allied health fieldwork experiences.

Although fieldwork supervisors and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students can experience challenges during allied health placements, there is little holistic understanding of how they view and use support resources to address these challenges. This study sought to identify, codify, and map the perceived value attached to support resources used or sought by CALD students and fieldwork supervisors and to ascertain areas where they could be optimised and better presented to users. We conducted a thematic analysis to examine interview and open-ended survey responses from CALD students (n = 18) and fieldwork supervisors (n = 161) respectively. The six generated themes depicted different patterns of perceived value in university and non-university support resources and spanned three levels of specificity: general, discipline-contextualised, and individualised. Fieldwork supervisors valued a staged approach to support resource design and use for CALD students commencing with general level resources to build foundational language skills and socio-cultural familiarisation and moving on to include disciple-contextualised supports, preplacement mechanisms to monitor student readiness, and formalised mechanisms to enable tailoring of placements. CALD students, however, often undervalued institutional general resources relative to discipline-contextualised resources. The commonality of support resources valued and sought by supervisors from different fields suggests they could be optimised for delivery via an inter-professional community of practice. Identifying and mapping the perceived value attached to support resources provides actionable insights into how to enhance the 'fit' between resources and user needs. Drawing the often-fragmented support resources into a cohesive ecosystem focused around perceived value at different levels of specificity allows CALD students and educators to better conceptualise the types of benefits that can accrue from taking a broader and staged approach to fieldwork placement preparations. Knowing this ecosystem encapsulates what prior uses find of value may enhance perceptions of resource relevance in the minds of new users.

Early childhood teacher identity development for working with culturally and linguistically diverse students in Chile

This study investigates how three recently graduated early childhood educators in Chile construct teacher identities related to working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. This multiple case study analyzes written narratives and interviews. Findings show that participants construct teacher identities that position them as advocates for CLD students, grounded on their personal identities and previous experiences, and expanded during the teacher education program. In this article, I argue that whereas participants constructed an identity for working with CLD students despite having graduated from a program that did not include those contents, the development of pedagogical skills is still needed.

Dis-labeling the Ables: The Overrepresentation of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students Receiving Special Education Services

There are significant changes in the education system’s demographics due to the increased immigration into the United States. A growing demographic has unique characteristics and academic needs for educators to recognize. This lack of understanding often causes the misidentification of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students as having special educational needs. The present research examined the factors contributing to the overrepresentation of CLD students receiving special education services in an urban school district in the Midwestern United States. Through a qualitative phenomenological study of six CLD families regarding their perceptions of their children’s evaluation for special education services, three themes emerged: inaccurate screenings, grade retention, and parental lack of awareness of special education services. Based on these findings, this research calls for preparing teachers to provide culturally responsive services, carefully identifying culturally and linguistically diverse students, and educating CLD parents about special education services in their native language.

Preservice teachers developing humanizing intercultural competence during field-based interactions: Opportunities and challenges

To promote equity in education, teacher educators must prepare teachers to connect with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in critical and humanizing ways. This study examines how pre-service teachers (PSTs) who engaged in a field-based experience made sense of and strove to develop humanizing, intercultural competence (HICC). Findings reveal that through interactions with CLD students, PSTs used discursive tools to build trusting relationships, engage in dialogic learning, and begin confronting systemic inequities in their process of becoming more culturally and linguistically responsive. We discuss implications for preparing teachers to work with students in critical and humanizing ways.

Using Technology to Coach Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families in the Behavior Intervention Plan Process: Embedding Funds of Knowledge

The COVID-19 pandemic made the use of technology across K-12 schools mandatory and ubiquitous. This sudden shift in teaching and learning highlighted educational disparities and created service disruptions for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with disabilities. One disruption, in particular, is the provision of behavioral interventions for CLD students with emotional and behavioral needs while learning at home. Unfortunately, families are often not equipped with the skills and knowledge to implement these interventions, and CLD families need coaching that is responsive to their cultural and linguistic needs. Therefore, in this article, we describe a process that includes (a) funds of knowledge as a framework to challenge teacher perceptions of CLD families by highlighting their cultural and cognitive resources, (b) family coaching using funds of knowledge framework and online tools, (c) key components prior to behavior intervention plan (BIP) development, and (d) a step-by-step description of how the BIP can be developed and implemented at home with CLD families using this coaching model.

‘Yes, but you were born in France’: Practiced language policies with culturally and linguistically diverse students in an elementary classroom in France

This case study investigated the practiced language policies of a French elementary school educator, Catherine, as she implemented the French National Cycle of instruction for the early elementary grades with a culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) class of students. The findings revealed that macro-level policies—such as curriculum and teaching practices perpetuated monolingual ideologies and an overall republican goal of integration—limited Catherine’s practices in her work with CLD students. The study highlights the critical need for continuing reform in practices in teacher education and development in France, as well as in the ways that CLD students are served in French public schools.

Centering Teacher Narratives for Equitable Teaching of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

This study explores the use of teacher narrative sketches in a graduate level course titled, Language Diversity and Literacy Instruction. The narrative assignment asked students to write stories of their own experiences with language diversity in literacy or other content areas. The shared teacher narratives, which drew on their teacher knowledge, allowed the teachers to reflect on their personal experiences as multilinguals or while working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. This reflection spurred conversations and strategies for how they could support CLD students better in the future through the creation of caring and supportive classroom environments to promote social justice.

Life, learning, and legacy: retired Black educators and the quest for education

Abstract Students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds face negative perceptions about their academic potential (Smith, C. A. (2005). School factors that contribute to the underachievement of students of color and what culturally competent school leaders can do. Educational Leadership and Administration: Teaching and Program Development, 17, 21–32). They are more often tracked into special education classes, and receive harsher punishments than their White peers (Shores, K., Kim, H. E., & Still, M. (2020). Categorical inequalities between Black and White students are common in US schools—but they don’t have to be. Brookings Center Chalkboard. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2020/02/21/categorical-inequalities-between-black-and-white-students-are-common-in-us-schools-but-they-dont-have-to-be/). Further, changing student demographics across the United States makes it imperative that students’ experiences within the classroom are positive, affirming, and reflective of their cultures and realities (Ladson-Billings, G. (2021). I’m here for the hard re-set: Post pandemic pedagogy to preserve our culture. Equity & Excellence in Education, 54(1), 68–78). While research in education has focused on the various teaching and leadership experiences of CLD educators, there are only a few which have specifically explored those of Black educators who taught in the era after the Great Migration. Unearthing such stories would be instructive for informing and improving current pedagogical practices for Blacks and other CLD students. Further, centering Black educators’ narratives is a way to disrupt the pervasive hegemonic narratives that typically focus on the experiences of White educators. Consequently, this small-scale study sought, through qualitative inquiry, to explore the perspectives of Black educational leaders and educators who attended segregated schools and then taught in more integrated settings after the Great Migration. Data collected through semi-structured interviews revealed three main themes: boundaries, community, and enhanced education. Importantly, the findings also revealed that as these Black educators shared their teaching and leadership experiences after migrating, they somehow could not escape the physical or psychological burden associated with being Black. The study has implications for how current educators interface with Black and CLD students to help them navigate a system that is still marked by anti-Black racism.

Assessing Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices to Differentiate Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students in Secondary Classrooms

This study examined self-reports and instructional videos provided by 25 preservice teachers to demonstrate differentiated instruction in meeting the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students (CLDS) in the United States. Self-reported journals were thematically analyzed and compared with corresponding instructional videos. The results revealed a mismatch between perceptions and practices of differentiation. Clearly, additional efforts must be taken to prepare preservice teachers to differentiate their instruction for CLDS in the areas of content, process, product, and environment. Teacher preparation programs must invest time and resources to adequately prepare preservice teachers for the challenge of differentiating instruction for CLDS.

Moving beyond the classroom: Pre- and in-service teachers’ self-efficacy for working with culturally and linguistically diverse students

ABSTRACT As the number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students increases, teachers need to leverage their professional capacity to be responsive and inclusive in their teaching. However, many teachers feel unprepared to work effectively with CLD students. In our study, we present evidence for a self-efficacy scale that measures teachers’ confidence in enacting culturally and linguistically relevant pedagogy (CLRP). We then explore the relative contributions of teachers’ self-efficacy to enact CLRP. The results suggest that CLRP self-efficacy positively predicted teachers’ advocacy for and engagement with families and community, and teachers’ teaching and assessment of CLD students.

Educating culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities in inclusive settings: beyond debates

Abstract Inclusive and equitable education is the ultimate tool to develop students, communities, and the general society. And, special education is an added tool to help atypical and vulnerable students to be productive citizens in a thriving society. Ceteris paribus, for many culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with disabilities, being educated in an inclusive environment should be the ideal policy. However, it is not! Inclusion has continued to be debatable, challenged, and controversial, making this ideal goal implausible and unrealistic. Coupled with their disabilities, CLD students experience the loaded problems of discrimination, racism, and xenophobia in the multidimensional forms of misidentification, misassessment, mislabeling/miscategorization, misplacement, and misinstruction. These multiple problems make it easy for general and special education professionals and service providers to (a) view placement as instruction, (b) focus on unidimensional and narrow confines, and (b) intentionally, unintentionally, or inaccurately judge CLD students’ capabilities and willingness to maximize their fullest potential. The question then is, since the goal is to increase “normalcy” in the lives of CLD students with disabilities, is it not important to equitably educate them with their “normal” peers in inclusive settings? This article responds to this question.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Cultural Competence to Teach Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

ABSTRACT Culturally competent teachers are in high demand as the English learner (EL), culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student population increases in the U.S. However, the teaching force continues to be predominantly female, White, and monolingual, inexperienced in dealing with diverse populations. Typically, teacher preparation to teach ELs and CLD students consist mainly of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses that teach pre-service teachers to become linguistically competent and earn their ESOL endorsement certifications but do not ensure that they will be prepared to be culturally competent and responsive in their practices. In this study, an instrument was designed in Qualtrics to measure pre-service teachers’ perceptions of cultural competence in teaching CLD students. On the one hand, the results indicated pre-service teachers’ high disposition, openness, and comfort levels when learning about different cultures and languages and their students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds. On the other hand, the respondents acknowledged having limited training to prepare them to teach and interact with diverse student populations and having limited experiences interacting with them. The study reinforces the importance of providing pre-service teachers with ongoing opportunities during their teacher preparation programs to develop cultural competence and culturally responsive teaching skills before graduating.