Cultural Diversity in New York City Classrooms

Selecting Efficient Instructional Techniques for Culturally

Diverse Classrooms

Svetlana Khvatikova and Marva Rudder Research 2 Spring 2012

Table of Contents Abstract(Slide 3) Introduction(Slide 4) Statement of the Problem (Slide 5) Supporting Theorists (Slide 6 and 7) Pros (Slide 8 ) Cons (Slide 9) Instructional Strategies: Storybooks (Slide 10 and 11) Statement of the Hypothesis (Slide 12) Methods (Slide 13) Research Design (Slide 14 ) Threats to Internal Validity (Slide 15) Threats to External Validity ( Slide 16) Data Analysis: Pre-Test and Post-Test Scores (Slide 17-18) Student Correlation (Slide 19-20) Bell Curve (Slide 21-24) Implications (Slide 25) Sample of Student Surveys (Slide 26) References (Slide 27-31)

Abstract• This research study compared African-American and Russian students’ cultural

knowledge and background in New York City classrooms. Over a four week period, twenty 5th grade students were given a pre-test in the beginning of the study and a post-test to assess and improve their knowledge of their cultures. A survey was created which consisted of student’s demographics including their race, gender, age, and ethnicity. The survey also included student’s attitudes, which focused on their likes and dislikes based on their culture, and the frequencies which involved student’s frequent intervals, measured by a four point scale. The independent variable followed the methods of creating a way for educators to be fully equipped with “the necessary skills to critically reflect on their own racial and cultural identities and to recognize how these identities coexist with the cultural compositions of their students.” (Howard, 2001). While the dependent variable involved intensive research on the topic of cultural relevance in pedagogy, a conclusion was made based on the statistical and researchable data. The findings conclude that there is limited research in the involvement of selecting effective instructional techniques for classrooms filled with students from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Introduction• We all derive from diverse backgrounds and cultures, where your cultural

norms may be completely different from those of your neighbors. We live in such a diverse society, yet we are all taught in one way in the classroom. This raises the question of: how can one teacher reach all of the students in the classroom and ensure that they are all learning the material sufficiently? How can the teacher conduct lessons in a productive manner where all of the students completely grasp the information being brought forth by the teacher? The answer might be to implicate student’s cultural aspects into the classroom curriculum, which will allow them to demonstrate their knowledge through their own individual approach.

Statement of the Problem•New York City is one of the most diverse

cities. All five boroughs are filled with children from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The need for teachers to relate to student’s cultural backgrounds is important (Meachum, 2001).Several studies have shown, that student’s culture plays a crucial role in the way they learn and view the world (Lanson-Billings, 1995).

Supporting Theorists• Lev Vygotsky :Affirms that learning does not take place in cognitive isolation,

but within the context of activities and social interaction likely informed by the day-to- day contingencies of culture.

Suggests school learning is largely informed by the interaction between the conceptual domains of the home and the school.

States that regardless of cultural background, the most effective school learning occurs when learning assumptions in the home or “spontaneous” conceptual domain, are meaningfully connected to the assumptions encountered in the school, the “schooled” conceptual domain.(Meacham 2001)

Supporting Theorists (continued)

• James A.Banks:James A. Banks points out that cultural diversity, “enriches a nation

by providing all citizens with rich opportunities to experience other cultures and thus to become more fulfilled as human beings. When individuals are able to participate in a variety cultures, they are more able to benefit from the total human experience” (Banks, 2008).

• The goal of multicultural education is:To help individuals gain greater self-understanding by viewing

themselves from the perspectives of other cultures.To assume that with acquaintance and understanding respect may

fellow.To provide students with cultural, ethnic, and language alternatives. (Banks, 2008)

Pros Culturally relevant pedagogy has been defined:

as a means to use students’ cultures and strengths to bridge school achievement ( 2008; Singer 2010; Blake 1997; Jones 1985;Vijaker 2001;Wurzel, Holt 1991; McClean 1996).

to recognize students’ home cultures, promote collaboration among peers, hold high standards, and connect home life with school experiences (Young 2010;Chisholm 1994; Montgomery 2010)

Siwatu (2007) stipulated that there is general agreement among culturally responsive pedagogues insofar as how the theory is used.(Ladson-Billings 1995; Silva , Langhout 2011;Morrison, Robbins 2008)

ConsHow multicultural classroom instruction is undermining our

children's ability to read, write, and reason, multiculturalism is quite the norm in America's elementary schools.

(Hymowitz, 1999; Morgan 2010; Zhang 2001; Schultz 2010). James A. Banks, argues that multicultural education is damaging and

unimportant to the students’ growth and development (Banks, 2008). Sleeter, argues that we should focus our attention on other “pressing

concerns, such as increasing students’ test scores (Sleeter, 2000). Hymowitz mentioned that Sandra Stotsky, a well-known

multiculturalists and author of a book entitled, Losing Our Language, that instead of focusing on cultural diversity, which is “dull and preachy” we should help students with “vocabulary building” (Hymowitz, 1999).

Instructional Strategies: Storybooks 

• According to Greif, Kim, and Klein (2006), the increasing diversity in the U.S. school system has led to a growing body of scholarly literature on ways that counselors can effectively meet the culture-related challenges posed by this change. • Baghban (2007) indicated that many immigrant

children face dilemmas when they move to a new country. She added that “classroom materials relevant to the social and cultural experiences generate interest in and enthusiasm about learning.” (Baghban, 2007).

Examples of Storybooks• Used as instructional strategies for the implementation of cultural

relevant pedagogy into the curriculum.

Statement of the Hypothesis•HR¹:To implement multicultural literacy

instruction to twenty fifth grade students, for 45 minutes per day in the morning over a 4 week period. This will increase student’s knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity as measured by a comprehensive social studies test.

Methods• ParticipantsStudents will be chosen from two different ethnic groups consisting of African-

Americans and Russians from two different New York City public schools in Brooklyn, N.Y. One of the schools is located in a low- income neighborhood in Bedford Stuyvesant, with a population of 78.8% African-Americans. The other school is located in a middle class neighborhood near Brighton Beach, with a European population of 72.7% of students in attendance.

• Instruments Student’s assessments will be measured according to their responses to

assignments without their cultural information included, and conducting similar assignments by incorporating student’s cultural aspects into them. This will consist of conducting a pretest, post-test, and surveys to measure and monitor student’s progress and achievements. In addition, consent forms will be utilized to ensure that the students are granted permission to participate in this study from their parents, teachers, principals, and administrators.  

Research DesignResearch Design: Quasi-Experimental design Nonequivalent Control Group DesignSymbolic Design : O X1 O

O X2 OO - Pre-testX1 - Treatment for Group 1X2 - Treatment for Group 2 O - Post-test

Threats to Internal Validity

• Maturation• Mortality• History• Statistical Regression• Selection-Maturation

Threats to External Validity• Ecological• Generalizable Conditions• Specificity of Variables• Multiple Treatments• Experimenter Effects

Data Analysis: Pre-test and Post-test Scores

Students March April

Student 1 75 78Student 2 45 70Student 3 66 91Student 4 78 95Student 5 67 99Student 6 54 79Student 7 49 70Student 8 72 89Student 9 45 87Student 10 76 96Student 11 55 89Student 12 75 89Student 13 73 92Student 14 78 90Student 15 78 89Student 16 80 89Student 17 80 97Student 18 67 77Student 19 73 89Student 20 54 79

Student 1

Student 3

Student 5

Student 7

Student 9

Student 1

1

Student 1

3

Student 1

5

Student 1

7

Student 1

90

20

40

60

80

100

120

African- American Students: Pre-test & Post-test scores

March Pre-test

April Post-Test

March April DifferencesPre-test Post-test

Mean 67 87 20Range 35 29 6

Ratio Data: 19.70%

Pre-test and Post-testStudents March April

Student 1 70 86Student 2 55 89Student 3 67 90Student 4 47 81Student 5 52 80Student 6 65 91Student 7 66 91Student 8 52 89Student 9 57 90Student 10 60 91Student 11 59 88Student 12 61 88Student 13 70 89Student 14 73 93Student 15 69 89Student 16 73 91Student 17 70 89Student 18 71 89Student 19 72 92Student 20 80 98

March April Difference

Pre-test Post-test

Mean 64 89 25

Range 33 18 15

Stude

nt 1

Stude

nt 3

Stude

nt 5

Stude

nt 7

Studen

t 9

Stude

nt 11

Stude

nt 13

Stude

nt 15

Stude

nt 17

Stude

nt 19

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Russian Students: Pre-test & Post-test Scores

March Pre-test

April Post- Test

Ratio Data: 24.75%

Correlation :African- American Students

0 2 460

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

yLinear (y)

I like to read books from my native country1-Strongly Disagree/2-Disagree

Pre-

test

scor

es

2.8 3 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.8 4 4.20

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

yLinear (y)

I like to read books from my native country4-Strongly Agree/3-Agree

Pre-

test

scor

es

30% of the African-American students disagreed to not liking to read books from their native country. There is little or no correlation between students who don’t like to read books from their country and pre-test scores. The rxy coefficient is 0.09.

70% of the African-American students agreed that they like reading books from their native country. There’s a fair correlation between students who like reading books from their native country and the pre-test scores. The rxy coefficient is 0.55.

Correlation: Russian Students

0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.20

1020304050607080

yLinear (y)

I like to read books from my native country1-Strongly Disagree/2-Disagree

Pre-

test

scor

es

2.8 3 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.8 4 4.20

102030405060708090

Series1Linear (Series1)

I like to read books from my native country4-Strongly Agree/3-Agree

Pre-

test

scor

es

30% of the Russian students disagreed to not liking to read books from their native country. There is no correlation between students who don’t like to read books from their native country and the pre-test scores. The rxy coefficient is 0.07.

70% of the Russian students agreed to like reading books from their native country. There is a strong correlation between students who like reading books from their native land and the pre-test scores. The rxy coefficient is 0.67.

African-American Students Pre-Test Bell Curve

30.7 42.8 54.9 67 79.10 91.20 103.3 

4545

49 54

55

54

66 67

7273 73

7575

767878

8080

78

67

Mean: 67Standard Deviation: 12.10 Variance: 146.42

African-American Students Post-Test Bell Curve

    61.74 70.16 78 .58 87 95.42 103.84 112.26Mean: 87 Standard Deviation: 8.42Variance 70.96

   

                               

7070

77 787979

87

89 89 89

 89  89 89

9091

9295 9697

99

Russian Students Pre-Test Bell Curve

37.96 46.64 55.32 64 72.68 81.36 90.04 Mean: 64Standard Deviation: 8.68Variance : 75.31 

47 5252

5557

5960

61 656667

6970707071

7373

80

72

Russian Students Post-Test Bell Curve

    9898

 77.71 81.54 85.37 89.20 93.03 96.86 100.69

Mean: 89Standard Deviation: 3.83Variance 14.69

80 81 

868888 89

89898989

89

9090 91

9191

9298

9193

Implications• Based on the research conducted in this study, both

African-American and Russian students showed significantly higher success rates when their cultural aspects were embedded into the curriculum. Upon completion of this study the researchers are under the implication that further research should be conducted and more studies are needed to validate and prove the result of cultural relevancy in a diverse classroom setting.

     Sample: Student Surveys• DemographicsQuestion :Were you born in this country?(1) (2)Yes No AttitudesQuestion: I love to eat food from my native country. (1) (2) (3) (4) Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree

FrequenciesHow many times have you visited your county? (1) (2) (3) (4)0 times 1-4 times 5-9 times 10 or more times

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