Cultural Diversity in New York City Classrooms

1. Cultural Diversity in New York City Classrooms Selecting Efficient Instructional Techniques for Culturally Diverse Classrooms • Svetlana Khvatikova and Marva Rudder • Research 2 • Spring 2012

2. 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)

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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).

6. 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)

7. 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)

8. 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)

9. Cons • How 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).

10. 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).

11. Examples of Storybooks • Used as instructional strategies for the implementation of cultural relevant pedagogy into the curriculum.

12. 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.

13. Methods • Participants • Students 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.  

14. Research Design Research Design: Quasi-Experimental design • Nonequivalent Control Group Design • Symbolic Design : O X1 O O X2 O O - Pre-test X1 - Treatment for Group 1 X2 - Treatment for Group 2 O - Post-test

15. Threats to Internal Validity • Maturation • Mortality • History • Statistical Regression • Selection-Maturation

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

17. Data Analysis: Pre-test and Post-test Scores Ratio Data: 19.70%

18. Pre-test and Post-test Ratio Data: 24.75%

19. Correlation :African- American Students 30% of the African-American students disagreed to not liking to read books from their native country. Thereis 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.

20. Correlation: Russian Students 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. Thereis a strong correlation between students who like reading books from their native land and the pre-test scores. The rxy coefficient is 0.67.

21. African-American Students Pre-Test Bell Curve 80 80 78 78 78 76 75 75 73 73 67 72 67 66 55 54 49 54 45 45 30.7 42.8 54.9 67 79.10 91.20 103.3 Mean: 67 Standard Deviation: 12.10 Variance: 146.42

22. African-American Students Post-Test Bell Curve 99 61.74 70.16 78 .58 87 95.42 103.84 112.26 Mean: 87 Standard Deviation: 8.42 Variance 70.96 97 96 95 92 91 90 89 89 89 89 89 89 87 79 79 78 70 77 70

23. Russian Students Pre-Test Bell Curve 80 73 73 72 71 70 70 70 69 67 66 65 61 60 59 57 55 52 52 47 37.96 46.64 55.32 64 72.68 81.36 90.04 Mean: 64 Standard Deviation: 8.68 Variance : 75.31

24. Russian Students Post-Test Bell Curve 98 9898 77.71 81.54 85.37 89.20 93.03 96.86 100.69 Mean: 89 Standard Deviation: 3.83 Variance 14.69 93 92 91 91 91 91 90 90 89 89 89 89 89 89 88 88 86 81 80

25. 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.

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