African-American By Talene and Madalyn

Cultural Values Strong kinship bonds Adaptable family roles Use informal support network – church or community Take care of their own Don’t like to admit they need help – strong sense of pride ~Seniors are highly respected – aging represents respect, authority and wisdom ~Tend to keep things hidden within the family system – fear being disgraced or family being disgraced

Characteristics of Society African Americans are a resilient people who have withstood enslavement and discrimination to lead productive lives and build vibrant communities. Strong social, religious, and family connections have helped many African Americans Overcome adversity

Stereotypes/ Bias Don’t use “street slang” – this may be interpreted as ridicule Decision-maker is usually the eldest adult child Do not like to be asked questions about finances and past relationships, whether married or not

Learning Styles Ask yourself this question: Do students of the culture have common learning style patterns and characteristics? Cultural differences in children's learning styles may develop through their early experience Based on these research, students prefer: 1) conformity; 2) peer-oriented learning; 3) kinesthetic instructional resources; 4) a high degree of structure 5) a field-dependent cognitive style.

Instructional Strategies Show respect at all times – history of racism and sense of powerlessness impacts interactions Prolonged eye contact may be perceived as staring – interpreted as confrontational/aggressive May have limited education – written and spoken words should be adapted to level of understanding Address the “gorilla in the room”. Because of so much equality attention, students know and can pick up on these things. Talk about cultural differences.

Resources 5/120/Culturally%20Responsive%20Differientiat ed%20Instruction.pdf 5/120/Culturally%20Responsive%20Differientiat ed%20Instruction.pdf ebQuest/Neely.pdf

Work Cited ptc.org/training/materials/Rutgers/SSW_SchoolSocW krs/CulturalImpact%20Synopsis.pdf ptc.org/training/materials/Rutgers/SSW_SchoolSocW krs/CulturalImpact%20Synopsis.pdf leadership/may94/vol51/num08/The- Culture~Learning-Style-Connection.aspx leadership/may94/vol51/num08/The- Culture~Learning-Style-Connection.aspxhttp://library.educationworld.net/a12/a html