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We [teachers] tend to perceive classroom as a homogeneous venue consisting of homogeneous individuals. It's not! The presentation aims to make us [teachers] aware that classroom is a complex discourse which shapes the identity of learners and that teachers have 'power' to manage/direct the discourse.
Citation preview
Classroom or Clashroom?Learners’ diversity and construction of learners
Ardian Setiawan
What do you think?
17, 508 islands
234 million people
300 distinct native ethnic groups
742 languages and dialects
Classroom – learners’ diversity
• 45% of Australian were born or have at least one parent born overseas.
• from more than 200 countries – speak almost 300 different languages (including 50 indigenous languages)
• Various customs (and religious practices)
(Commonwealth of Australia 2009)
It’s likely that you will teach diverse classes – individuals
Challenge ---> Inclusive teaching?
Classroom
Clash of civilization (Huntington, 1992)
the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural
Culture as a source of conflict or ‘clash’
Culture in classroom? What else?
Classroom or Clashroom?
1. Classroom as a complex venue/discourse – shaping learners’ identity
2. What is identity? Learners’ identity?3. Gender --- related issues and pedagogical considerations4. Ethnicity5. Religion6. Race --- subtle7. Socioeconomic background8. Cultural background
Outline
Classrooms – ‘complex social systems’ (Cazden, 2001, p. 54)
Gender Ethnicity Religion Race Socioeconomic background Cultural backgrounds …. Literacy? Intellectuality?
Classroom - complexity
Classroom is:
the site of various forms of dialogical interaction. Taken together, engagement in such dialogues results in experiences for students that can impact positively or negatively on their personal and social identities. (Stables, 2003, p. 1)
classroom shapes learners’ identity
Classroom - identity
Do we [teachers] have the ‘power’ to manage classroom?
A miniature of the society: teachers --- power
‘To describe the difference in the bluntest terms, teachers have the right to speak at any time and to any person; they can fill any silence or interrupt any speaker; they can speak to a student anywhere in the room and in any volume or tone of voice. And no one has any right to object’ (Cazden, 2001, p. 54).
Classroom - teachers
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IdentitySocial Science
Citation Index – SSCI Journal
HOWEVER
The concept of identity
not clearly defined(Beijaard, Meijer, & Verloop, 2004;
Beauchamp & Thomas, 2009; Mockler, 2011)
from social psychology:
WHO ARE YOU? WHO AM I?(Vignoles, Schwartz, & Luyckx, 2011)
Sense of self – which includes self-esteem
Nature --- Identity is both personal and social (relational and collective)
Identity
Learners’ identity? Students’ sense of themselves
Similarly, it is both personal and social.
Constructed by the learners themselves and the society (others in the society) ---- peer students and teachers
… and classroom [but teachers have power]
Leaners’ identity
Gender bias
There exists a widespread assumption that the transmission of knowledge is, by and large, free of gender bias and that therefore in coeducational institutions of learning girls and boys receive equal education. (Abraham & Sommerkorn, 1995)
We [teachers] sometimes/often make assumptions regarding behaviours, abilities, or preferences of students based on their gender.
Treating students differently? No…
Gender - Classroom
Gender Inequalities in the College Classroom (Colombia University)
A large body of research shows that instructors: Call on male students more frequently than female students.
Are more likely to use male students’ names when calling upon students and in attributing ideas advanced in discussion.
Ask male students more abstract questions and female students more factual questions.
Are less likely to elaborate upon points made by female students.
Gender - Classroom
What to do?
Pedagogical level
Content – selection of materialsProcess – activities
Be sensitive to the gender dynamics in the classroom.
Gender - Classroom
Ethnicity - Classroom
300 ethnic groups
Ethnicity - Classroom
300 ethnic groups
Case – example: teaching Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian Language) – a compulsory subject in the national curriculum.
Different ethnic groups --- different ethnic languagesWe use and speak Bahasa Indonesia differently
Teaching religion – teaching about religion
If religion is discussed in classroom, address minority and majority religions.
The Discussion should be sensitive to the beliefs of students Get accurate information about different religions Different religions, different religious practices – respect
Religion - Classroom
What’s race?
race - an intricate concept
‘an imagined/social construct imposed upon individuals’ (Liggett, 2009).
In everyday discourse, race is usually thought as physically observable human characteristics such as skin colour, hair colour, facial characteristics, etc. (Kubota & Lin, 2009).
Race - Classroom
Racism in the class --- Subtle… problematicWhat is the effect?
The Doll test
Ms. Jane Elliott's "brown eyes, blue eyes" experiment (1970)
Race - Classroom
Racial stereotypes
Florida is ‘lowering the bar’ for students of particular racial backgrounds.
Race - Classroom
Students are socioeconomically diverse.Can we hide/avoid it?
Case – the white-yellow uniform
Socioeconomic Bg. - Classroom
Socioeconomic Bg. - Classroom
Case – the white-yellow uniform
Culturally diverse
Cultural Bg. - Classroom
On a school level: Schools --- ‘agents for social cohesion within the
community’ (Burridge & Chodkiewicz, 2007, p. 6) Promoting greater understanding of cultural
diversity among students.
On a pedagogical/class level: this is our job! Teachers must meet the learning needs of
students from diverse backgrounds.
Addressing diversity
Classroom is a complex venue. The discourse shapes learners’ identity.
To deliver inclusive teaching practices, teachers must be sensitive to --- various aspects such as gender, ethnicity, religion, race, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. --- etc.
Conclusion
Thank you