Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students Research Articles

Mental Wellbeing of Students from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds: The Mediating Role of Resilience

An increasing number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students from migrant and refugee backgrounds are enrolling in schools in the West. These students are exposed to challenges that may influence their mental health and wellbeing. At the same time, schools tend to play a critical role in promoting these students’ social relatedness through a sense of support, connectedness, and an adaptation to the new setting. The aim of the study was to assess the role of social relatedness in promoting mental wellbeing. Resilience was hypothesized as a facilitator process enhancing the relationship between social relatedness and the mental wellbeing of CALD students. Recently arrived CALD students (N= 221) enrolled at a specialised high school in Australia completed a battery of measures assessing: social support, school connectedness, acculturation, resilience, and mental wellbeing. A series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the three social relatedness factors (social support, school connectedness, and acculturation) were related to mental wellbeing. However, their variance decreased when resilience was added. Mediation analyses indicated that resilience was a partial mediator for the relationship between each of the social relatedness elements and mental wellbeing. Resilience was also shown to play a significant role in the relationship between social relatedness and mental wellbeing. School-based mental health services for CALD students from migrant and refugee backgrounds may benefit by further understanding the unique factors that influence the mental wellbeing of children.

La evaluación psicopedagógica del alumnado cultural y lingüísticamente diverso: un estudio exploratorio sobre las prácticas de los orientadores

Consecuencia de los flujos migratorios que se han producido en la última década en gran parte de los países, las políticas educativas europeas han mostrado un creciente interés y preocupación por la respuesta educativa que recibe el alumnado cultural y lingüísticamente diverso (CLD). Al respecto, diversos informes y estudios han destacado la sobreidentificación del alumnado CLD en aulas de Educación Especial. Ello ha contribuido a cuestionar la validez de las prácticas diagnósticas, y de sus instrumentos, cuando se tiene que identificar las Necesidades Específicas de Apoyo Educativo de algún estudiante CLD. En España se desconocen estudios que hayan indagado sobre las prácticas diagnósticas que realizan los profesionales para identificar las necesidades educativas de estos estudiantes. La principal finalidad de este estudio fue explorar las prácticas de evaluación psicopedagógica que llevan a cabo los/as orientadores/as escolares cuando tienen que identificar las NEAE del alumnado CLD escolarizados en centros de Educación Primaria y Secundaria. La muestra estuvo formada por 64 orientadores/as, pertenecientes a 13 Equipos Psicopedagógicos de Tenerife, que trabajan en centros con alumnado CLD. Se diseñó un cuestionario ad hoc formado por 21 preguntas, agrupadas en cuatro dimensiones: I) Variables socio demográficas y experiencia profesional, II) Factores de la Evaluación psicopedagógica, III) Selección y uso de instrumentos diagnóstico y, IV) Evaluación de la competencia lingüística y el uso de intérpretes. Se presentan los resultados sobre las prácticas más frecuentes que utilizan los orientadores cuando realizan evaluaciones al alumnado CLD, con o sin dominio del idioma español, en relación a: factores a los que conceden importancia, evaluación de la competencia lingüística y del nivel de aculturación, selección y uso de instrumentos diagnósticos y experiencias con uso de intérpretes.

Culturally and linguistically diverse students in speech–language pathology courses: A platform for culturally responsive services

Purpose: Increasing the proportion of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students and providing intercultural learning opportunities for all students are two strategies identified to facilitate greater access to culturally responsive speech–language pathology services. To enact these strategies, more information is needed about student diversity. This study collected descriptive information about CALD speech–language pathology students in Australia.Method: Cultural and linguistic background information was collected through surveying 854 domestic and international speech-language pathology students from three Australian universities. Students were categorised according to defined or perceived CALD status, international student status, speaking English as an Additional Language (EAL), or speaking a Language Other than English at Home (LOTEH).Result: Overall, 32.1% of students were either defined or perceived CALD. A total of 14.9% spoke EAL and 25.7% identified speaking a LOTEH. CALD students were more likely to speak EAL or a LOTEH than non-CALD students, were prominently from Southern and South-Eastern Asian backgrounds and spoke related languages.Conclusion: Many students reported direct or indirect connections with their cultural heritage and/or contributed linguistic diversity. These students may represent broader acculturative experiences in communities. The sociocultural knowledge and experience of these students may provide intercultural learning opportunities for all students and promote culturally responsive practices.

Social-Skill Interventions for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students with Disabilities: A Comprehensive Review

Teachers and researchers have considered social-skill interventions to be an essential component in the development and progress of students with disabilities. However, there is still relatively limited research on these interventions for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. This literature review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of social-skill interventions for CLD students with disabilities in school settings. Electronic database searches and a manual search were completed to identify studies published between 2000 and 2017 (February). Seven studies (n = 18 participants) were identified for inclusion in this review, and five types of social interventions were identified. Most participants were male, aged between 8 and 13 years old, were considered at risk for having developmental delay or had developmental delay, and were identified as African Americans. The majority of studies we reviewed utilized single-subject research designs and focused on social interactions as the goal for their individual interventions. Peer-mediated interventions and social story intervention were the most frequently used interventions. Findings suggest that, when exposed to the social-skill interventions, CLD children with disabilities improved their social behaviours and skills. Some children with disabilities maintained and generalized these behaviours across settings or playmates.

Representation of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students Among Students With Learning Disabilities

Ongoing research has demonstrated that culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students may be disproportionately represented among students with learning disabilities (LDs). The main aim of this research was to identify groups of CLD students at risk for LDs using the achievement criterion. To that end, 158 students participated in the current research: 78 Greeks and 80 Pontian Greeks from the former Soviet Union (Greek FSU-Pontian). Research findings indicated that the use of the achievement criterion alone is inadequate to accurately identify a student being at risk for LDs, given that CLD students’ language competence and achievement are low mainly due to their bilingualism and that language acquisition competence is positively associated to language achievement. Professional judgments based on psychoeducational evaluation data are used to classify a student as having a LD. Professional judgment is presented as a possible explanation for the disproportionate representation of CLD students among students with LDs.

A Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Framework for Improving Academic and Postsecondary Outcomes of Students with Moderate or Severe Intellectual Disability

The needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with moderate or severe intellectual disability (ID) are quite unique and complex. CLD students with moderate or severe ID face many of the same issues as their non-disabled CLD peers; however, due to the nature of their disability this may lead to even less access to the general curriculum, appropriate services, materials, and meaningful collaboration between families and educators. The purpose of this article is to provide a culturally responsive framework for facilitating academic instruction for CLD students with moderate or severe ID that also includes appropriate supports in an effort to increase access to postsecondary outcomes for this population. Suggestions for accessing the general curriculum and a discussion about increasing parental involvement and accessing appropriate adult agencies to further enhance these outcomes are provided.

Cultural Diversity and the Challenges of Teaching Multicultural Classes in the Twenty-First Century

This study is a meta-analysis of the recent literature on teaching culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Extant literature on this issue has shown that teaching students coming from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds seems to pose serious threats to teachers at different levels of education. Using a quantitative content analysis, this paper examines twenty studies and book chapters in the field of multicultural education so as to identify the major challenges of the multicultural classroom. The aim is also to identify and describe the most effective competencies that teachers need to be better equipped to survive in today’s “fast changing world”. The findings of this study show that teaching CLD students requires special training, extra competencies, and “culturally responsive” pedagogies. The findings can also be of help to university teachers as universities today are becoming more and more multicultural all over the world. Finally, the results can advance knowledge about the issue of teaching CLD students both in the university environment and in the field of research.

Cultural Diversity and the Challenges of Teaching Multicultural Classes in the Twenty-First Century

This study is a meta-analysis of the recent literature on teaching culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Extant literature on this issue has shown that teaching students coming from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds seems to pose serious threats to teachers at different levels of education. Using a quantitative content analysis, this paper examines twenty studies and book chapters in the field of multicultural education so as to identify the major challenges of the multicultural classroom. The aim is also to identify and describe the most effective competencies that teachers need to be better equipped to survive in today’s “fast changing world”. The findings of this study show that teaching CLD students requires special training, extra competencies, and “culturally responsive” pedagogies. The findings can also be of help to university teachers as universities today are becoming more and more multicultural all over the world. Finally, the results can advance knowledge about the issue of teaching CLD students both in the university environment and in the field of research.

A systematic review of assessment and intervention strategies for effective clinical communication in culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students often experience difficulties with the clinical communication skills that are essential for successful interactions in the workplace. However, there is little evidence on the effectiveness of assessment and intervention strategies for this population. The two aims of this study were: to evaluate the effectiveness of assessment tools in identifying and describing the clinical communication difficulties of CALD health care students; and to determine whether communication programmes improved their clinical communication skills. Systematic review based on the Cochrane protocol. Articles were identified through a search of established databases using MeSH and key search terms. Studies published in English from 1990 to March 2015 were included if they described assessment strategies or a training programme for communication skills of CALD students. Studies were excluded if they did not describe implementation of a specific assessment or intervention programme. Data were extracted independently by the first author and verified by the second author. Quality was measured by the Best Evidence Medical Education guide and the Educational Interventions Critical Appraisal Tool. The Kirkpatrick hierarchy was used to measure impact. Meta-analysis was not conducted because of the heterogeneity of programme design and outcome measures. One hundred and twenty-nine articles met the criteria for full text review. Eighty-six articles were excluded. Thirteen articles addressing assessment and 30 articles reporting on communication training programmes were included in this review. Assessment tools used rubrics and rating scales effectively. Intervention studies focused on speech and language skills (n=20), interpersonal skills (n=7) and faculty-level support (n=5). Although 17 studies reported positive findings on student satisfaction, only eight reported improved skills post-training. The development of effective assessment and intervention programmes should have an integrated design and include specific outcome measures to increase educational impact.

Culturally inclusive science teaching (CIST) model for teachers of culturally and linguistically diverse students

PurposeThis study aims to design and measure the effects of the culturally inclusive science teaching (CIST) model on 30 teacher candidates to teach science to culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students.Design/methodology/approachThe CIST model for culturally inclusive science lessons included six sessions: inquiring, questioning, interacting (online with international students who were at the beginning level of English proficiency), interacting (face-to-face with international internship students who were at the middle level of English proficiency), interacting (face-to-face with international students on campus who were at the advanced level of English proficiency) and developing lessons.FindingsThe pre- and post-self-efficacy tests, the culturally inclusive lessons and the final essay reflection resulted in an increase in teacher candidates’ confidence in teaching science to culturally diverse students and improvement in their skills to create culturally inclusive lessons.Originality/valueThrough the model, the teacher candidates interracted with international students with various levels of English proficiency and developed lessons for culturally diverse students. The CIST model is a prospective teaching strategy for teachers to support CLD students’ achievement in science by providing meaningful science in the context of their personal lived experiences.

Using Learning Labs for Culturally Responsive Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

Culturally responsive positive behavioral interventions and supports (CRPBIS) is a statewide research project designed to renovate behavioral support systems to become more inclusive, adaptive, and supportive for all. The CRPBIS methodology, called learning lab, provides a research-based process to bring together local stakeholders and facilitates their authentic participation in problem solving. Learning lab addresses the outcome disparities for youth from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds and strategically includes CLD families and students and representatives from community-based organizations. Learning labs were found to successfully create and sustain productive partnerships among local stakeholders that renovated their school discipline systems. The purpose of this article is to provide specific guidelines and key considerations for practitioners on how to implement learning labs to facilitate authentic and productive family–school–community collaboration and systemic transformation in schools.

Preparing culturally and linguistically diverse preservice Early Childhood teachers for field experience

This article reports on an action research project focussed on preparing culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) preservice early childhood teachers for field experience. A series of targeted workshops delivered over one semester was designed to support the students to develop intercultural competence in relation to knowledge, attitude, skills and behaviours that contribute to success on field placement. Findings indicate that short-term initiatives targeted specifically to students’ identified needs and strengths can help to build intercultural competence for both students and teacher educators. For the participants, access to communication strategies, opportunities for rehearsal of teaching practice, and peer and academic support contributed to shifts in attitude, and the development of skills and new knowledge. New learnings for the teacher educators included challenging assumptions about CALD students’ sense of community and belonging in the university context.

Exploring how Korean teacher’s attitudes and self-efficacy for using inquiry and language based teaching practices impacts learning for culturally and linguistically diverse students: Implications for science teacher education

Demographic trends in Korea indicate that the student population is becoming more diverse with regards to culture, ethnicity and language. These changes have implications for science classrooms where inquiry-based, student-centered activities require culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students to connect with their peers and successfully navigate both everyday and content specific language. This study introduces the K-TASILT (Korean Teachers’ Attitudes and Self-efficacy for Inquiry and Language based Teaching) questionnaire, which we designed to investigate Korean teachers’ conceptions of diversity, inquiry teaching, and language education to help explore attitudes and self-efficacy towards teaching inquiry and language skills to CLD students. An analysis of 144 primary and secondary schools teachers’ responses revealed that they have fairly positive attitudes towards CLD students and positive self-efficacy for teaching inquiry, but they also have limited self-efficacy for implementing effective language teaching supports for using inquiry teaching with CLD students. We raise questions about the ways in which teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about inquiry teaching and language acquisition could shape teaching practices that limit or afford opportunities for CLD students to participate in school science. We offer implications for science teacher education programs in Korea focused on enhancing diversity and content specific strategies for supporting language learning.

Drawing Upon Lessons Learned

Javits Gifted and Talented Education Program has provided a wealth of knowledge on culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) gifted learners and how to support teachers in their work with CLD students. This study examined five impactful Javits projects through qualitative inquiry centered on how innovative practice takes root or not. Using grounded theory tradition, examination of Javits project participation enabled insight into how educators act and react to innovation as well as their perceptions of CLD student impacts. Data sources (documents, conversations with principal investigators, and interviews with 14 educators) provide evidence for what sustains effective, research-based practices and explores continued student benefits. Major findings are (a) context matters in sustaining innovation, (b) powerful curriculum and instruction can transform teaching and teachers, and (c) student impacts continue. Data point to leadership as an underlying element in sustaining innovation. Leaders ensure that innovation extends from broad-based goals; they develop innovation through scale-up and involvement of others; they purposefully track results. Growing effective approaches is critical to access and opportunity and CLD-gifted learners’ talent development.

Developing a Scale to Investigate In-Service Special Education Teacher Efficacy for Serving Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of the scale designed to investigate special education teachers’ perceptions of their culturally responsive teaching (CRT) efficacy for teaching students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. The scale includes three components: collective teacher efficacy, CRT self-efficacy, and CRT outcome-efficacy. Data were gathered and performed the following analyses: descriptive analysis, factor analysis, and Person’s r corrections. The results of Cronbach’s alpha for all three scales were considered adequate. The three-factor loading for CTE, the three-factor loading for CRT self-efficacy, and the two-factor loading for CRT outcome-expectancy were found. This newly developed scale of factor-loading findings were not consistent with previous studies because of differences in items, target populations, and focus of the current study. The findings of factor loadings for three scales Increases in special education teachers’ ratings of the school’s ability to provide adequate service for CLD students with disabilities were associated with increases in their perceptions of their ability to provide CRT instruction, and their perceptions about the connection between CRT practices and students’ learning outcomes, although these correlations were low (r = .24, .16, respectively)

School Psychologists and the Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

In recent years, school psychologists have increasingly recognized the importance of using valid and reliable methods to assess culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students for special education eligibility. However, little is known about their assessment practices or preparation in this area. To address these questions, a Web-based survey was developed and sent to practicing school psychologists. This article presents the survey results (n = 140) and implications for the effective assessment of CLD children and adolescents. Participants reported conducting comprehensive assessments to determine eligibility for special education among CLD students. Over half of the respondents reported using interpreters to assist with assessment; however, only a small percentage felt their interpreters were “well” or “very well” trained. The majority of the participants reportedly received training on assessing CLD students at the graduate school level; a practice that holds promise for the increased preparation of future practitioners. The results also highlight a continued need for training in selecting appropriate assessment instruments. Recommendations for graduate trainers and practicing school psychologists are provided.

Supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students during clinical placement: strategies from both sides of the table.

BackgroundIncreasing proportions of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) students within health professional courses at universities creates challenges in delivering inclusive training and education. Clinical placements are a core component of most health care degrees as they allow for applied learning opportunities. A research gap has been identified in regard to understanding challenges and strategies for CALD students in health professional placements.MethodsA key stakeholder approach was used to examine barriers and enablers experienced by CALD students in clinical placement. Semi-structured focus groups with healthcare students (n = 13) and clinical placement supervisors (n = 12) were employed. The focus groups were analysed using open coding and thematic analysis.ResultsThree main barrier areas were identified: placement planning and preparation; teaching, assessment and feedback; and cultural and language issues. Potential solutions included addressing placement planning and preparation barriers, appropriate student placement preparation, pre-placement identification of higher risk CALD students, and diversity training for supervisors. For the barrier of teaching, assessment & feedback, addressing strategies were to: adapt student caseloads, encourage regular casual supervisor-student conversations, develop supportive placement delivery modes and structures, set expectations early, model the constructive feedback process, use visual aids, and tailor the learning environment to individual student needs. The enablers for cultural & language issues were to: build language and practical approaches for communication, raise awareness of the healthcare system (how it interacts with healthcare professions and how patients access it), and initiate mentoring programs.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that teaching and learning strategies should be student-centred, aiming to promote awareness of difference and its impacts then develop appropriate responses by both student and teacher. Universities and partnering agencies, such as clinical training providers, need to provide an inclusive learning environment for students from multiple cultural backgrounds.

Supervising culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) nursing students: A challenge for clinical educators

This paper presents and discusses the challenges faced by a group of clinical educators in teaching and assessing nursing students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Australian English-speaking hospitals. A questionnaire was administered to eight university-appointed clinical educators external to the clinical venues in order to find out what issues they had experienced with CALD students and how they had responded to them. The educators' responses were contextualised with the perspectives of 19 CALD students who responded to a student questionnaire, and analysed using Yoder's (1996) framework of instructional responses to ethnically diverse students. It was found that the clinical educators encountered difficulties in responding to CALD students with an instructional response that was not patronising, assimilationist or demeaning for the students. The findings suggest that most educators would have benefitted from targeted support by the school of nursing to develop a pedagogically appropriate approach to interacting with CALD students. This study points to the need for continuing education in cross-cultural communication for nurses working in clinical education roles and provides ideas to this respect that build on CALD students' strengths and participants' suggestions.

Culturally Responsive Positive Behavior Supports: Considerations for Practice

Classrooms are not culturally neutral terrains, but rather are constructed around sets of norms, values, and expected behaviors that are culturally bound. Low tolerance levels and expectations are an indication of the incongruence between the education strategies utilized by teachers and the cultural and linguistic differences of students that are served in an educational system in which they are required to perform based on standards that are not similar to their own. Combining Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) with cultural and linguistic variables will help to enhance positive behavior of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. This paper describes Culturally Responsive Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (CRPBIS) as a system that specifically acknowledges the presence of CLD students and the need for them to find relevant connections among themselves and with the behavioral goals and objectives that schools ask them to perform. Suggestions are offered that support the infusion of culturally responsive practices throughout the implementation of PBIS.

Teachers' Dispositions and Beliefs about Cultural and Linguistic Diversity

Teachers' beliefs towards their students' cultural backgrounds and languages affect all aspects of learning. Critical consciousness of attitudes and beliefs about the increasing culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student population is necessary for aligning individual beliefs with effective teaching practices. Rethinking how to work with diverse students is central to how future teachers will impact academic outcomes of the increasing CLD student presence in schools. There is paucity in current literature that informs us about the dispositions that may have a positive correlation with affirming attitudes toward working in a more diverse schools system. Additionally, it appears to be a lack of a systematic analysis of the various factors and characteristics of teachers and their attitudinal beliefs about language and cultural diversity in the schools. Consequently, there is a need to identify the efficacy of the integrated and infused ideas related to diversity especially in the attitudes toward CLD students. This study attempted to find factors that may influence beliefs, dispositions, and teaching practices when encountering CLD students among teachers from school districts in a tri-county area in southwest Florida. The information is based on responses provided by 425 participants to the