Nonverbal communication and culture. Identity, stereotypes and prejudices, страница 69

Grouping.Although many teachers believe that grouping students by ability can lower the self-esteem of the less academically advanced students, a strategy of using selected assignments or activities based on this grouping may be helpful. These groupings allow students to work as quickly or slowly as they are capable. Thus, children who previously were not academically challenged can move ahead, and children who need to focus longer on a concept have that opportunity. Those who previously were bored can expand their curiosity, and those who were struggling may be relieved not to be with students who always know the answers.

Finally, it is important to remember that children have the capacity to make rapid adaptations across vastly different cultural and linguistic systems. When teachers and students work together, learning is facilitated.

Multicultural Teaching Competencies. In addition to the adoption of the teaching perspectives discussed above, multicultural classroom teachers must develop several important competencies appropriate for the multicultural education process. These competencies include (1) understanding diversity,(2)  understanding the self, (3) assessing acculturation, (4) building dialog, and (5) empathy.

Understanding Diversity. First, it is important to know as much about the cultural backgrounds of the students as possible. This includes a familiarity with the educational structure of the students' cultural heritages, as well as their particular learning style preferences, linguistic rules, nonverbal behaviors, and gender role expectations. Although this knowledge acquisition places an initial burden on the instructor, such knowledge will facilitate understanding and learning in the classroom.

Understanding the Self. Teachers should be aware of what they "bring" to the classroom. An honest, straightforward evaluation can be very helpful in promoting the learning of all students. Teachers might ask themselves questions such as, What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? How can I enhance my strengths and compensate for my weaknesses? Do I have any ethnic or gender biases? How do these biases manifest themselves in the classroom? Does my own ethnic or gender identification affect the classroom? Am I prepared to handle attacks on my racial background or those of my students? What new knowledge or experiences can I seek to assist in these issues?⁹

Assessing Acculturation. Development of the ability of assessing students' acculturation levels will help teachers determine how much their students are involved in their own culture as well as the predominant culture. Educators can choose from a wide selection of formal assessment procedures for evaluating students' acculturation levels. Teachers also can determine acculturation levels by observing students' behavior—which students they socialize with, the language they prefer, how they identify themselves, how they dress, their reaction to ethnic holidays, and the like. Teachers can further interview students or consult with colleagues who are familiar with students' backgrounds.

Building Dialogue. Teachers must maintain an open dialogue with their students. This is not to imply that the students should be in charge of the learning environment. Instead, it means that teachers and students need to discuss and negotiate learning styles, communication patterns, and expectations. This requires students to make connections between course content and their preferred method of learning. Students' voices should be routinely honored in the classroom through open discussion or teacher/student dialogues. In this way, teachers and students can achieve shared understanding and common communication codes.