Catering for cultural and linguistic diversity: Using teacher created information texts

Teachers in the Pacific region have often signalled the need for more locally produced information texts in both the vernacular and English, to engage their readers with local content and to support literacy development across the curriculum. The Information Text Awareness Project (ITAP), initially informed by the work of Nea Stewart-Dore, has provided a means to address this need through supporting local teachers to write their own information texts. The article reports on the impact of an ITAP workshop carried out in Nadi, Fiji in 2012. Nine teacher volunteers from the project trialled the use of the texts in their classrooms with positive results in relation to student learning and belief in themselves as writers.

Práctica educativa y diversidad lingüística = Educational practice and linguistic diversity

Los movimientos migratorios han crecido espectacularmente durante los últimos años y la escuela en nuestro país se ha visto afectada por los cambios demográficos ocurridos durante la última década. Una gran parte del alumnado presente en las aulas de nuestro sistema educativo está escolarizado en programas de cambio de lengua del hogar a la escuela que no cumplen los requisitos de la inmersión lingüística. Dada la gran diversidad de lenguas existentes, el sistema educativo no se puede organizar según los parámetros de la educación bilingüe. Esto no significa que dicho alumnado esté condenado al fracaso escolar: desde la práctica educativa y la modificación de la organización escolar existen soluciones para que todo el alumnado progrese a lo largo de la enseñanza obligatoria. El artículo analiza las condiciones implicadas en una práctica educativa que facilite el aprendizaje de la lengua de la escuela. Asimismo, sugerimos algunos criterios para la evaluación de este alumnado

Sustaining linguistic diversity within the global cultural economy: issues of language rights and linguistic possibilities

This paper draws on ethnographic case-study research conducted amongst a group of first and second generation immigrant children in six inner-city schools in London. It focuses on language attitudes and language choice in relation to cultural maintenance, on the one hand, and career aspirations on the other. It seeks to provide insight into some of the experiences and dilemmatic choices encountered and negotiations engaged in by transmigratory groups, how they define cultural capital, and the processes through which new meanings are shaped as part of the process of defining a space within the host society. Underlying this discussion is the assumption that alternative cultural spaces in which multiple identities and possibilities can be articulated already exist in the rich texture of everyday life amongst transmigratory groups. The argument that whilst the acquisition of 'world languages' is a key variable in accumulating cultural capital, the maintenance of linguistic diversity retains potent symbolic power in sustaining cohesive identities is a recurring theme.

Comparing genetic and linguistic diversity in African populations with a focus on the Khoisan of southern Africa

The interaction between disciplines in the study of human population history is of primary importance, profiting from the biological and cultural characteristics of humankind. In fact, data from genetics, linguistics, archaeology and cultural anthropology can be combined to allow for a broader research perspective. This multidisciplinary approach is here applied to the study of the prehistory of sub-Saharan African populations: in this continent, where Homo sapiens originally started his evolution and diversification, the understanding of the patterns of human variation has a crucial relevance. For this dissertation, molecular data is interpreted and complemented with a major contribution from linguistics: linguistic data are compared to the genetic data and the research questions are contextualized within a linguistic perspective. In the four articles proposed, we analyze Y chromosome SNPs and STRs profiles and full mtDNA genomes on a representative number of samples to investigate key questions of African human variability. Some of these questions address i) the amount of genetic variation on a continental scale and the effects of the widespread migration of Bantu speakers, ii) the extent of ancient population structure, which has been lost in present day populations, iii) the colonization of the southern edge of the continent together with the degree of population contact/replacement, and iv) the prehistory of the diverse Khoisan ethnolinguistic groups, who were traditionally understudied despite representing one of the most ancient divergences of modern human phylogeny. Our results uncover a deep level of genetic structure within the continent and a multilayered pattern of contact between populations. These case studies represent a valuable contribution to the debate on our prehistory and open up further research threads.

Acknowledging linguistic diversity in a multicultural society: the issue of indigenous languages in Colombia.

Nowadays, modern society is gradually becoming multicultural. However, only in the last few years awareness on its importance has been raised. In the case of Colombia, multiculturalism has existed since the pre-Columbian period and today there are more than 80 ethnic groups and 65 indigenous languages in the country. The aim of this work is to illustrate the status of indigenous languages in Colombia and to enlighten about the importance of recognizing, protecting and strengthening the use of these native languages. Subsequent to this, it will be point out that linguistic diversity should be considered a resource and not a barrier to achieve unity in diversity. Finally, ethno-education will be presented as an adequate educational program that may guarantee an equal linguistic representation in the country.

Complexities in Context: Pathways to Preparing Teachers for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

A virtual environment for cultural and linguistic inclusivity teaching in a global environment

The Deakin University (Melbourne, Australia) operational policy on 'International and Culturally Inclusive Curricula' states that Deakin will incorporate international/intercultural perspectives and inclusive pedagogies into its courses in order to prepare all students to perform capably, ethically and sensitively in international, multicultural, professional and social contexts.

This paper is about a specific project to internationalise the teacher education curriculum through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This project is scoped in the context of the UNESCO thrust of 'Education for All' in agreeing that inclusive societies begin with inclusive education practices. In our view current strategies have been insufficient to ensure that marginalized and excluded children receive access to their right to education.

The project aims to operationalise part of the UNESCO Dakar Framework for high quality learning environments by responding to ‘…the diverse needs and circumstances of learners and giving appropriate weight to the abilities, skills and knowledge they bring to the teaching and learning process’ by minimising language acquisition barriers that can otherwise impede effective communication and learning.

In addition, we need to be mindful of the marginalisation of people from non-English speaking backgrounds and therefore, in this initiative we use ICT to bridge the 'tyranny of distance' and offer a curriculum that values cultural and linguistic diversity.

In this paper we will discuss how we intend to develop these project principles. In particular we will indicate our plans to use relatively low cost, accessible software to develop a virtual environment where students can enter text in their native language, view foreign language text in their native language, hear text in their own language and automatically encode text into MP3 files and attach the files to messages.

Developing a participatory impact assessment approach and action research culture within a communication for social change organisation in Nepal

Developing an effective impact evaluation framework, managing and conducting rigorous impact evaluations, and developing a strong research and evaluation culture within development communication organisations presents many challenges. This is especially so when both the community and organisational context is continually changing and the outcomes of programs are complex and difficult to clearly identify.----- This paper presents a case study from a research project being conducted from 2007-2010 that aims to address these challenges and issues, entitled Assessing Communication for Social Change: A New Agenda in Impact Assessment. Building on previous development communication projects which used ethnographic action research, this project is developing, trailing and rigorously evaluating a participatory impact assessment methodology for assessing the social change impacts of community radio programs in Nepal. This project is a collaboration between Equal Access – Nepal (EAN), Equal Access – International, local stakeholders and listeners, a network of trained community researchers, and a research team from two Australian universities. A key element of the project is the establishment of an organisational culture within EAN that values and supports the impact assessment process being developed, which is based on continuous action learning and improvement. The paper describes the situation related to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and impact assessment before the project began, in which EAN was often reliant on time-bound studies and ‘success stories’ derived from listener letters and feedback. We then outline the various strategies used in an effort to develop stronger and more effective impact assessment and M&E systems, and the gradual changes that have occurred to date. These changes include a greater understanding of the value of adopting a participatory, holistic, evidence-based approach to impact assessment. We also critically review the many challenges experienced in this process, including:----- • Tension between the pressure from donors to ‘prove’ impacts and the adoption of a bottom-up, participatory approach based on ‘improving’ programs in ways that meet community needs and aspirations.----- • Resistance from the content teams to changing their existing M&E practices and to the perceived complexity of the approach.----- • Lack of meaningful connection between the M&E and content teams.----- • Human resource problems and lack of capacity in analysing qualitative data and reporting results.----- • The contextual challenges, including extreme poverty, wide cultural and linguistic diversity, poor transport and communications infrastructure, and political instability.----- • A general lack of acceptance of the importance of evaluation within Nepal due to accepting everything as fate or ‘natural’ rather than requiring investigation into a problem.