Methods & Materials for Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students

1. Methods & Materials for Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students Elsie Goldtooth Marie Max Marjorie Nez Leslie Tallsalt

2. Outline • Introduction • Strategies • Dine Philosophy • Thematic Unit: The Goat in the Rug • Mathematics-Geometric Designs • Social Studies-Navajo Weaving • Language Arts-Narrative Writing • Science-Plants/Vegetal Dyes • Closing

3. Children from culturally & linguistically diverse backgrounds comprise a large percentage of a school’s population. 1997 Reauthorization of IDEA, Congress stated that the Federal Government must be responsive to the growing need of an increasingly more diverse society. Introduction

4. Strategies Become familiar with and respect the different cultures and languages. Value the students’ background and experiences. Develop a culturally relevant curriculum. Adapt instruction to student learning styles. Build upon the students’ strengths. Work with parents in the community.

6. Dine Philosophy and Pedagogy • The proper development of the mind. • Skills that will enable survival. • Understanding and appreciation of positive relationships. • Understanding and relating to one’s home and environment.

7. Principles of Knowledge • The individual’s mental needs are met with knowledge associated with the dawn- “that which gives direction to life;” • One’s physical needs are met by knowledge associated with the blue twilight- “sustenance”. • One’s emotional needs are met with the yellow evening twilight- “the gathering of families”; and finally, • One’s needs for understanding and relating to one’s physical home and environment are met with the knowledge associated with the darkness- “respect and reverence for all creations.”

8. The Goat in the Rug As told to Charles L. Blood & Martin Link by Geraldine

10. “Don’t teach me my culture,use my culture to teach me.” Anonymous