Read time 5 minutes
Published on Dec 21, 2022
Read time 5 minutes
Published on Dec 21, 2022
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
Multicultural education is not a new idea. In fact, it capitalizes on a centuries-old truth: The U.S. has always been a multicultural nation, filled with learners from different countries and of varying ethnicities, religions and cultures. Teachers of any grade level can enrich their students’ educations and lives by actively embracing the mindset and strategies of multicultural education.
Exactly what is multicultural education? Quite simply, multicultural education in the classroom is a recognition and a celebration of the vast diversity of humankind. Multicultural education is both a concept and a process. It embraces the idea that all of God’s children are valued and are worthy of social justice, equality and equity. It celebrates the rich diversity of people by recognizing their many different global perspectives, cultural traditions and heritages.
As a process or a strategy, multicultural education relies upon teachers who are culturally aware and who strive to proactively create a culturally responsive classroom. The culturally responsive teacher will actively strive to do the following:
As you work toward examining your own biases and becoming a more culturally responsive teacher, there are a few things you can do to promote multicultural education in the classroom.
If you’re a licensed teacher who is interested in enhancing your career qualifications and placing a greater emphasis on teaching within a culturally enriched classroom, consider earning your master’s in TESOL degree. A Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages degree would enable you to shift your professional focus to working within a multicultural setting and with a diverse student population. You could choose to remain in the U.S. while teaching English to students from non-English speaking countries. Alternatively, you might take your skills abroad to experience the joys of cultural immersion for yourself.
A master’s in TESOL degree is often available via online or on-campus evening classes. Depending on the university and program you choose, you can generally expect to study topics such as the following:
You can also expect to complete a practicum. This will require access to a PK-12 classroom with bilingual or English language learners.
The College of Education at Grand Canyon University strives to graduate teacher candidates who possess a keen sense of the diversity of global perspectives and the importance of welcoming and promoting multicultural education in all classrooms. We offer a number of undergraduate and graduate degree programs to help aspiring teachers succeed on their journeys, including the Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) degree. This advanced TESOL degree emphasizes the benefits of a diverse, culturally aware classroom for learners.
Approved by the Assistant Dean for the College of Education on Dec. 15, 2022.
Society is a rich patchwork quilt of people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, religions, perspectives, genders and ability levels. Students who learn within a culturally responsive classroom are better prepared to become good citizens within their communities. These children have the opportunity to grow up with the understanding that it’s important to welcome and celebrate the many differences among people, rather than to expect all people to look, think and behave exactly the same.
A multicultural education can offer the following benefits to students:
