New Voices/Nuevas Voces Program:

Addressing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Early Childhood

Education and Intervention

Betsy AyankoyaDina Castro

Christina Kasprzak

May 2010

A Mexican Mother’s Story

Diversity and Developmentally Appropriate Practices

• a historical perspective on DAP• responding to linguistic and cultural diversity• integrating socio-cultural knowledge into DAP

NAEYC’S POSITION “For the optimal development and learning in all children, educators (or providers) must accept the legitimacy of the children’s home language, respect (hold in high regard) and value (esteem, appreciate) the home culture, and promote and encourage the active involvement and support of all families, including extended and nontraditional family units”

Diversity and DAP

Based on the knowledge of typical development of children

Based on an understanding of individual’s children’s growth patterns, strengths, interests, and experiences

Age Appropriate Individually Appropriate

Based on knowledge of the cultural and societal environment in which the children and their parents live.

Socio-Cultural Appropriateness

Multicultural Education

• defining multicultural education• principles and values• compatibility with other programs’ values• application for very young children

Multicultural Education

Multicultural education is an idea, an educational reform movement, and a process whose major goal is to change the structure of educational institutions so that male and female students, exceptional students, and students who are members of diverse racial, ethnic, language, and cultural groups will have an equal chance to achieve academically in school. (Banks & Banks, 2001, p. 1)

• To teach children to respect others’ cultures and values as well as their own.

• To help all children learn to function successfully in a multicultural and multiracial society.

• To develop a positive self-concept in those children who are the targets of racism.

• To help all children experience in positive ways both their differences and their similarities.

• To allow children to experience people of diverse cultures working together as unique parts of a whole community.   

5 Primary Goals of Multicultural Education

Dimensions of Multicultural Education

• Content integration

• Knowledge construction process

• Prejudice reduction

• Equity pedagogy

• Empowering school culture and social structure

Myths about Multicultural PracticesMyths about Multicultural PracticesMYTH#1= Multicultural practices emphasize how other cultures are different from the dominant culture.

MYTH#2= Bilingualism is a liability.

MYTH#3= Multicultural practices are only relevant in environments with children from diverse cultural andlinguistic backgrounds.

MYTH#4= Random and sporadic cultural activities make good multicultural practices 

A Diversity Rich Environment

helps children develop their ideas about themselves and others

creates conditions for the child to initiate conversations about differences

provides adults with a setting for introducing activities about diversity

Activity: Starting Small

Implementing Multicultural Education

• interactions with each individual child and his/her family members

• activities for classroom and home-based services to engage the children

• physical environment

• program or school culture and structure

Interactions with Child and

Family demonstrate respect and inclusion of all children and their families

learn about your own culture and beliefs; learn about the language, culture and beliefs of the children and families you serve

build partnerships with families; involve them in their child’s learning

be aware of values that are promoted by activities; be open to integrating new activities (that promote multiculturalism) into your services

Activities to Engage Children regularly examine the activities you use to see that they support a multicultural approach

implement activities that promote racial, cultural and disability awareness, e.g.

• implement an activity where children explore skin colors or hair textures• invite someone with a disabilities to talk about their disability, their work, talents, and home life

incorporate diversity into all your activities

Physical Environment

Choose displays and other materials that represent diversity in race, culture, language, family styles, abilities, etc.

Recognize and avoid materials that have bias or promote stereotypes.

Make sure that spatial organization, materials, and activities enable all children to participate actively

Bring language diversity into the classroom through books, labels, music, or other materials.

School/Program Culture

Identify and promote change of policies and procedures that create inequalities

Encourage school/program mission statement and values that embrace multiculturalism

Support others in creating an environment that welcomes all children and families, and gives them an equal opportunity to succeed

Make sure all families have a voice in creating and sustaining a culture of acceptance and learning

Reflecting and Getting Ready for Change

• What strategies have you learned that you can use to bring a multicultural approach to your services/teaching?

• How might you build ongoing assessment of the physical environment, activities and interactions with children and families into your work?

• How will you change your behaviors and what activities will you incorporate into your practices to ensure that you are providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services to children and families?

• How might you take action to assess and then improve the culture of the school or program that you work in?

New Voices/ Nuevas VocesModule 1: Foundations of Cultural Diversity

Module 2: Cross-cultural communication

Module 3: Understanding Diverse Families and their Roles

Module 4: Supporting Language development in Young English Learners

Module 5: Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children