Using flexible grouping instruction to create culturally relevant PK-12 learning communities for culturally and linguistically diverse learners with exceptionalities

In this article, two instructional practices, Numbered Heads Together (NHT) and Carousel Brainstorming (CB), are discussed to guide instructors through the intentional practice of incorporating flexible groupings (CEC, HLP 17) in their daily instruction for the purpose of creating Culturally Relevant PK-12 Learning Communities for CLD Learners with Exceptionalities. Although NHT and CB are not the only approaches for implementing cooperative learning groups as an effective instructional tool, it is the authors’ premise that both practices successfully promote academic achievement and provide a positive, culturally relevant design for diverse learners, as well as a practitioner-friendly framework that is easily implemented. NHT and CB also serve as a means to provide students with a voice for their learning and to promote positive student behaviors. Regardless of the setting or identified disability, when facilitated with foresight and careful planning, evidence-based instructional best practices are supported, and inclusive course content is attained through the use of NHT and CB. Example lesson plans to intentionally incorporate both strategies are included within the article.

Teacher Candidates Fostering Cultural and Linguistic Identities Through Arts Integration

Designing culturally and linguistically relevant and sustaining programs is needed at all levels. Specifically including this approach in teacher education programs is a crucial goal, as what is learned turns into a multiplicative process through new teachers' implementation of this approach in their future classes. This chapter introduces the conceptualization and work of the Teacher Education Collaborative in Language Diversity and Arts Integration (TECLA) program designed to support the development of Elementary Education Teacher Candidates' readiness to teach and work with culturally and linguistically diverse learners through Arts-Integration. This chapter describes five focus areas of the program model in relation to a main event in the program, the Oral History Classroom Museums and we discuss how this process contributed the Teacher Candidates' Identity as Teachers as well as to nurture their pedagogical practices. Examples of each area and affordances and challenges faced in this program are discussed.

Speech Acts and Cross-Cultural Pragmatics

Linguistically diverse learners tend to first relate the pragmatic ability they already possess in their first or more dominant language (L1) to act in the L2; as a result, miscommunication and misunderstandings are frequent and common. Teachers can help learners develop awareness about L2 pragmatic norms by making visible how speech acts are performed in the L2 community of speakers while providing opportunities to engage in role-playing or real interactions involving the accomplishment of selected speech acts. This chapter offers an overview of the importance of context in cross-cultural interactions, a brief survey of the theories of speech acts, and concrete pedagogical ideas for teachers to develop linguistically diverse learners' pragmatic awareness and ability while celebrating and promoting linguistic and cultural diversity.

Discourse Analysis

This chapter introduces discourse analysis as a sub-discipline of linguistics. Relevant concepts from pragmatics, another closely-related sub-discipline, are also discussed within the context of discourse analysis. The chapter begins by explaining the relationship between pragmatics and discourse analysis, and key terms such as “text” and “discourse.” It then examines the distinctions between linguistic and non-linguistic contexts, and situational and sociocultural contexts. To help readers understand the importance of culture in using language to make meanings, the introduced concepts are illustrated with sample authentic texts as well as examples from English and a few other languages. Placing discourse at the core of language teaching and learning, the chapter recommends a discourse-based approach to help ELLs develop not only communicative competence but also intercultural communicative competence. The chapter provides ESOL teachers with knowledge of discourse analysis and the implications of this knowledge for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse learners of English.

Syntax Rules and (Un)Grammaticality

This chapter deals with syntax rules and grammaticality judgments in the teaching and learning of English as a second and foreign language for linguistically diverse learners. Grammaticality judgment tasks are used in linguistic research to probe speakers' implicit knowledge about the syntactic rules of language. This chapter discusses grammaticality judgment tasks in educational contexts and proposes a method for teaching syntactic rules of English based on the grammaticality judgments of second and foreign language learners of English. The chapter also attempts to raise grammatical consciousness for teaching of English as a second or foreign language as well as illustrating how various media can be used to design and present grammaticality judgment tasks to support language learning and learner engagement, participation, and motivation.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners in Special Education: English Learners

The multidimensional issue of the representation of diverse students in special education has been a persistent and challenging concern for decades. Overwhelmingly, research outlining racial and ethnic disproportionality data have historically demonstrated stability in the overrepresentation of students of color in special education. However, the growing number of culturally and linguistically diverse learners also requires an examination of the representation of English learners in special education as well. This article provides an overview of trends and issues in both underrepresentation and overrepresentation of English learners in special education. Contributing factors for variability, as well as recommendations for future research and improved practice are provided.