Multicultural Classroom

A math teacher asks the following on his exam: "What measurement is the most appropriate for measuring a football field: feet, yards, inches, or miles?" All of the non-ELL students answered this question correctly, while 50% of the ELL students answered it incorrectly. What is the most likely reason for this? A The question is structured in a way that could be difficult for ELL students to understand. B The question displays cultural bias. C The non-ELL students are better at math. D The ELL students didn't have any background knowledge about measurements.

B The question displays cultural bias. There is a clear cultural bias in this question, as football is an American sport that ELL students might not know anything about.

Which of the following is the best way to prepare for potentially challenging situations with students throughout the school year? A schedule parent/teacher conferences after the first grading period B establish positive relationships by getting to know students and their families at the start of the school year C send home a copy of the class rules to parents in addition to posting them in the classroom D make sure students and parents know the learning objectives for each unit of study

B establish positive relationships by getting to know students and their families at the start of the school year This is the best way to be proactive for any situations that may arise throughout the school year. Parents will be much more receptive to hear from teachers about challenges if it is not the first communication they receive from them. Parents want to feel like their children are known and valued by their teachers.

When selecting a text for ELL students, an ESOL teacher should consider all of the following except: A the appropriateness of the subject matter. B how well the text translates into students' native languages. C whether any cultural bias exists in the text. D the linguistic difficulty of the text.

B how well the text translates into students' native languages. The text should not be directly translated into the student's native language, so this doesn't need to be considered.

Mr. Thompson has a class of ELL students from various cultural backgrounds. A group of students in his class are experiencing difficulty working together on the first step of a long-term assignment. The rest of the groups have moved on to the next steps, but this group remains stuck on step one and has ceased communicating with each other. Mr. Thompson's first thought in trying to help the group move on should be: A one group's communication style is too polarizing to the other group. B the students' home cultures may have different views on conflict resolution. C the students do not have experience in problem solving with others. D the students' personalities are too different to expect them to get along.

B the students' home cultures may have different views on conflict resolution. This is a factor that may arise when students from varying cultural groups work together. The teacher can help the students be aware of and understand the differences in order to work through them.

Halfway through the school year, Mr. Hernandez's fourth-grade class has a new student join the class. The student is from Argentina and, although he can speak English, does not appear to be making friends with his classmates. Which of the following classroom activities would be the most likely to promote an understanding and appreciation of different cultures among the students? A Have Mr. Hernandez create a slideshow presentation for the class about various cultures and then have students break into small groups to discuss the presentation. B Ask local community members to come speak to the class about their ancestors' cultures. C Have students research their own backgrounds and give a class presentation about their ancestors' cultures. D Have students research the culture of Argentina and make a presentation to the class about their findings.

C Have students research their own backgrounds and give a class presentation about their ancestors' cultures. This is the best option because it allows students to focus on their own backgrounds and present them to the class.

Oliver has recently moved to the US from the UK. Despite speaking English as his native language, he sometimes struggles to understand some words and phrases in American English. His teacher didn't understand when he asked to go to the "loo" (the British term for bathroom), and Oliver didn't know what his friend meant when she mentioned falling on the "sidewalk" (termed "pavement" in British English). Which of the following statements describes Oliver? A Oliver is in the acceptance stage of culture shock. B Oliver is experiencing the consequences of cultural appropriation. C Oliver is undergoing the process of acculturation to American society. D Oliver speaks the same vernacular as his classmates.

C Oliver is undergoing the process of acculturation to American society. Acculturation is the process of adjusting to a new cultural environment. Despite speaking the same language, understanding specific words and phrases can be an adjustment for someone immigrating to the US from the UK.

At the beginning of the year, Mrs. Gleason is informed she will have several English language learners from different countries. She is excited about the opportunity and wants to help them acquire the English language by creating a positive environment in her class. Which of the following would be the best strategy? A Have the class bring food dishes of the English language learner students' cultures. B Introduce the three English language learners to the class and let the class know to be patient in speaking with the students as they are new to the English language. C Have the English language learners give a presentation of their native cultures. D Create a scavenger hunt that requires learning about every student's culture or background

D Create a scavenger hunt that requires learning about every student's culture or background. A social activity to get to know one another promotes a community in the classroom that is conducive to learning.

Which of the following advocacy strategies is recommended for increasing family and community involvement with ELLs? A Asking students to have their parents sign all of their assessments so their parents are aware of how they are performing. B Encouraging parents to learn English and offering them free or discounted language classes. C Encouraging parents to join their child for a week of school to gain an understanding of the school system. D Encouraging parents to read and tell stories to their children in their native language.

D Encouraging parents to read and tell stories to their children in their native language. Bilingualism should be supported and encouraged, rather than viewed as a hindrance to learning English.

A 6th-grade social studies teacher is teaching her class about the Middle Ages. As part of the unit, she prepares a list of analogies to assess her students' vocabulary knowledge. She presents the following analogy: KNIGHTS : ARMOR :: astronauts : rockets football players : helmets chefs : knives The students are familiar with analogies, and the teacher is sure that most of her students know what knights and armor are, but most of the ELLs in the class answer this question incorrectly. Which of the following can explain why the ELLs struggled with this question? A Analogies are harder for ELLs. B The question is subjective. C There is no connection between knights and armor. D The question has a cultural bias.

D The question has a cultural bias. This question contains a cultural bias because football is an American sport, so students might not know that helmets protect football players like armor protects knights.