Crossing the Cultural Bridge:

Crossing the Cultural Bridge:Meeting the educational needsof Multicultural NewcomersEnglish Language LearnersLook beyond language acquisitionDifferences in approach to learningComplex multicultural interactionSignificance of topic Personal motivation

The ChallengeWhat works?

Mobility

Growth in numbers

Young field of researchInstructional strategies

Personal learning styles

Multicultural setting

Ignore language issuesSome TerminologyContent integration

Cultural capital

ELL

Interventions

NewcomerResearch Questions1. What works for newcomers?

2. What works for Latino newcomers?

3. What works for Asian newcomers?

4. Are there cultural differences in the responses? Theory BasisLearning

Memory

Motivation

Learning Styles7Newcomer TacticsCooperation

Collaboration

Community

CognitionCultural DifferencesIndividual/group

Time

Part-to-whole / Whole-to-part

Ideals

Latino IdealsInterdependence

Apprenticeship

Shared interaction

Concept integration

Divergent thinking

Asian IdealsGroup dynamics

Social hierarchy

Responsibility

Consensus

Incongruity of home/school cultureAll NewcomersSorting the volume of informationOrdered body of knowledgePersonal meaningSocial conventionsAdapt and assimilate

Content integrationNetworks of meaningTransfer learningDichotomiesNeed QualityServed low-level demands

High value placed on educationMisplaced attribution

Cooperative learning goalsLatinoScaffoldCompletion

AsianCommunal learningLatino NewcomersDissonance of home / school culturesCultural capitalExtrinsic / intrinsic motivationCommunity / individualismLow-level thinkingDivergent and inductive reasoningAsian NewcomersDissonance present but confrontedCultural capitalIntrinsic motivationCommunity / individualismHierarchical social orderEmergent Themes1. Cultural dissonance exists2. Newcomers sort a large volume of information including social cues3. Content integration is necessary4. High quality education is necessary5. Attribution and effort yield good grades

6. Need to correct attribution7. Need drive to succeed8. Need to connect positive aspects of home and school culture 9. Cooperative / collaborative education seems to be a central keyConclusions1. Latino newcomers need high quality instructionCognitive techniquesGrappling with conceptsHigh-level thinking2. Latino newcomers need exposure to cooperative learningPeer instructionShared workloadJigsaw tactics3. Latino newcomers need to focus on correct attributionPersonal effort equals positive results4. Asian newcomers need instruction on attributionPersonal effort equals self-actualization

5. Asian newcomers need exposure to cooperative learningPeer instructionIndividual responsibilityHarmonious interactionSelf developmentReferencesBanks, J. A. (2007). Multicultural education: Characteristics and goals. In J. A. Banks, & C. A. M. Banks (Eds.), Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives (6th ed.) (pp. 3-30). Danvers, MA: John Wiley & Sons.Bransford, J. D., Brown, J. D., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school (Expanded ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.Chien, W. W., & Banerjee, L. (2002). Caught between cultures: The young Asian American in therapy. In E. Davis-Russell (Ed.), The California school of professional psychology handbook of multicultural education, research, intervention, and training. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Davis-Russell, E. (2002). Religiosity and racial identity attitudes: Clinically relevant factors in psychotherapy with African Americans. In E. Davis-Russell (Ed.), The California school of professional psychology handbook for multicultural education, research, intervention, and training (pp. 263-276). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

References (continued)Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Teachers College Press.Hernndez, H. (2001). Multicultural education: A teachers guide to linking context, process, and content. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.Hidalgo, N. M., Siu, S.-F., & Epstein, J. L. (2004). Research on families, schools, and communities. In J. A. Banks & C. A. M. Banks (Eds.). Handbook of research on multicultural education (2nd ed.) (pp. 631-655). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Hoffman, L., & Sable, J. (2006). Public elementary and secondary students, staff, schools, and school districts: School year 2003-04 (NCES 2006-07). Washington, D. C.: National Center for Educational Statistics.Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

References (continued)Maslow, A. H. (1999). Some basic propositions of a growth and self-actualization psychology. In H. J. Freiberg (Ed.), Perceiving, behaving, becoming: Lessons learned (pp. 73-90). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (Original work published 1962).National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (2008). NCELA Glossary. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/expert/ glossary.html#ENieto, S. (1999). The light in their eyes: Creating multicultural learning communities. New York: Teachers College Press.Olson, S. (2010). Crossing the cultural bridge: Instructional interventions contributing to effective transfer learning with newcomers. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest LLC. (UMI No. 3411980) Ormrod, J. E. (2004). Learning theory and the educational process (custom edition for Capella University). Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing.

References (continued)Schunk, D. H. (2004). Learning theories: An educational perspective (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.Sousa, D. A. (2001). How the brain learns: A classroom teacher's guide (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.Surez-Orozco, C., Surez-Orozco, M., & Todorova, I. (2008). Learning a new land: Immigrant students in American society. Cambridge, MA: Belnap Press.Tileston, D. W. (2004). What every teacher should know about learning, memory, and the brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.