THE SOUTHEASTERN EQUITY CENTER1401 E. Broward Boulevard, Suite 304

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301Telephone: (954) 765-3553

Fax: (954) 523-3340

Tery J. Medina, Associate DirectorEmail: tjmedina@se-equity.org

Website: se-equity.org

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

“Culturally & Linguistically Responsive Education”

Presented at:Lee Co, NC

ELL SymposiumJuly 23, 2014

Culturally & Linguistic Relevant

(responsive & reciprocal)

Education

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

There is a stark contrast between the demographics of the teaching force and the student populationGrowth of a more diverse student population

continuesTeaching force has not experienced a

concomitant growth in racial and ethnic minorities

The number of students of color in public schools is expected to increase, the percentage of teachers of color is not expected to rise

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Report from the National Collaborative on Diversity in the Teaching Force: “Assessment of Diversity in America’s Teaching Force,”Nationally, about 17 percent of public

school students are African American and 6 percent of teachers are African American. Likewise, about 17 percent of public school students are Hispanic and 5 percent of teachers are Hispanic.

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

In more than one-third (38 percent) of America’s public schools, there is not a single teacher of color on staff.

Students of color tend to perform better-academically, personally and socially – when taught by teachers from their own ethnic/racial groups.

In most instances, fewer than 50 percent of African Americans pass teacher entrance exams. This pattern prevails across time, location and types of tests.

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

MINORITY = marginal, sectional, smaller, lesser, subgroup, sector, interest group, small part,1) A part of a population differing from others

in some characteristics and often subjected to differential treatment

2) The smaller in number of two groups constituting a whole; specifically: a group having less than the number of votes necessary for control.(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Understanding Equity & EqualityEQUITYo Something that is being just, impartial and

fairo Just behavior or treatmento The administration of law or some other

authority according to the principles of just behavior and treatment

o To treat or represent someone “with due fairness.”

o __ fair, just, justice, justness, non-discrimination __Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity

Center

Understanding Equity & Equality(cont’d)

Equitableo Implying justice dictated by reason,

conscience, and a natural sense of what is fair to all

o Impartial or reasonable in judgment or dispensation

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

The “Right Stuff”

Research tells us about the right stuff needed to teach what Sonia Nieto calls the “new majority” of public school students: students of color who are poor and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

“The Right Stuff” (continued)

Effective teachers who increase achievement for these and other students:

Know the content they are teachingHave pedagogical skills and ability to teach in multiple

waysKnow how to motivate, engage, and assess diverse

studentsNurture strong relationships with parents and

community membersTeach in culturally compatible, responsive, relevant

ways – (significant, important to the student)Have experience … flexibility Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity

Center

Writing Prompt

In the Gettysburg address, Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote?

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Cultural Knowledge:Familiarization with selected cultural characteristics, history, values, belief systems, and behaviors for the members of another ethnic group.

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Cultural AwarenessDeveloping sensitivity and understanding of another ethnic group. This usually involves internal changes in terms of attitudes and values. Awareness and sensitivity also refer to the qualities of openness and flexibility that people develop in relation to others. Cultural awareness must be supplemented with cultural knowledge.

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Cultural Sensitivity

Knowing that cultural differences as well as similarities exist, without assigning values, i.e., better or worse, right or wrong, to those cultural differences.

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Cultural Competence

A set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enables that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Cultural Competence(cont’d)Operationally defined, cultural competence is the integration and transformation of knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies, practices, and attitudes used in appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality and effectiveness of education; it goes beyond awareness & sensitivity.

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

Cultural Competence(cont’d)Cultural competency emphasizes the idea of effectively operating in different cultural contexts. Knowledge, sensitivity, and awareness do not include this concept.

Tery J. Medina, Associate Director, SE-Equity Center

THE SOUTHEASTERN EQUITY CENTER1401 E. Broward Boulevard, Suite 304

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301Telephone: (954) 765-3553

Fax: (954) 523-3340

Tery J. Medina, Associate DirectorEmail: tjmedina@se-equity.org

Website: se-equity.org