Teaching Diverse Students Chapter 3

Student Diversity Socioeconomic differences Cultural differences Gender differences Developmental differences Learning style differences Learning ability difference Attention differences

Socioeconomic Differences Poor children are more likely to: Be born outside of marriage Live in one-parent, female-headed household Live in rental housing or be homeless Have a working mother Have medical and dental problems Engage in sexual activity early Become more involved in crime, violence, and drug abuse

Socioeconomic Differences Children in poverty are more educationally disadvantaged Live in communities and states that spend less on education Live in places where teachers are paid less Perform more poorly academically Are more often identified as retarded Drop out at a higher rate Enter school with experiential deficits

Teaching Low-SES Youth 3 things fundamental to helping children of low socioeconomic status living in poverty Early intervention by communities and schools Efforts must be made to generate a sense of efficacy Promote the achievement of low-SES

Promoting the Achievement of Low-SES Students Hold high expectations that children can and will learn Respect each student’s background, culture, and language style Help students understand what they are learning Teach thinking and problem-solving skills Plan interesting and engaging learning experiences Set & maintain high standards of behavior Maximize heterogeneous academic grouping Provide individual help

Cultural Differences Culture: when a group of people have many things in common (language, values, traditions, and behaviors) Problems occur when minorities encounter schools run on the culture of the majority

Teaching Minority Students Teaching the Culturally Different Human Relationships Single-Group Studies Multicultural Education

Gender Difference Gender roles Efforts should be made to avoid perpetuating encouragement of girls to be dependent and passive and boys to be aggressive and reluctant to show emotion Gender differences Exist but are not great

Gender Differences in Classroom Behavior Boys Speak in class more often Receive more disapproval and blame Receive more animated feedback Receive coaching Receive encouragement in academic striving and accomplishment Girls Speak less in class Tend to be punished more promptly for aggressive behavior Receive blander feedback Receive complex task completion Receive encouragement in grooming and manners

Developmental Differences Psychosocial Development/Self-esteem Cognitive Development Moral Development

Facilitating Development Children should not be shamed Provide children with activities that foster initiative without censoring questions Present elementary school students with tasks they can accomplish, rewarding efforts Encourage secondary students to accept themselves, their appearance and sex roles, and explore and confirm their occupational choice Allow young children more free play and guided experimentation

Cognitive Development Piaget’s Stages of Development Sensorimotor Stage Preoperational/prelogical Stage Concrete Operational Stage Formal Operational Stage

Moral Development Morality of constraint Morality of cooperation Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Reasoning

Children with Exceptional Needs Describes children with special physical, social, emotional, and mental qualities “Least restrictive” or “most inclusive” classroom placement Individualized Educational Program (IEP)

Learning Style Differences Conceptual tempo Field-sensitive or Field-independent learners Convergent/divergent thinking Perceptual modality preferences/ strengths

Learning Ability Differences Student Aptitude Multiple Intelligences Emotional Intelligence Student Attention Differences ADD ADHD