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The integration of multicultural literature helps students to gain a deeper understanding of their own culture and the culture of others. Teachers intentionally include literature from diverse authors featuring a wide range of cultures, perspectives and experiences. This approach promotes critical thinking and empathy, leading to a more nuanced understanding of current world events (Dong, 2005). As students enhance their knowledge of diverse cultures, the value of respect and inclusivity is enhanced.

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Teachers can use case studies to embed multicultural education in the curriculum. For example, when discussing  a unit of the availability and benefits of clean water sources, teachers can ask students to contrast the effects of access in water-rich nations like the U.S. against regions like the Middle East and North Africa where access to clean water is scarce. Students would be able to explore how this concept impacts day-to-day culture and experiences, providing them with a better understanding of how a single issue can involve multiple perspectives.

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When instructing on historical events, teachers can integrate multicultural education by involving the students in exploring the events from multiple perspectives. For example, a unit on the Civil War could involve not only traditional viewpoints which center the experience of wealthy white males, but also those of enslaved people, indigenous populations, women, and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. This approach presents a more well-rounded view of history, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of the ramifications an historical legacy of an event.

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Teachers can interview students to gain a deeper understanding of their habits, values, and experiences. Teachers should take opportunities to pull students aside and ask them questions about themselves. Then, whenever possible, teachers have the ability to relate instructional concepts and themes to the perspectives and cultures of their students, promoting individualized learning that accesses each students personal experiences (Guido, 2021).

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Facilitating connections between the curriculum and students’ experiences, cultures, and perspectives helps to integrate multicultural knowledge and promote learning. Activating prior knowledge enhances comprehension, retention, and makes new information more meaningful (Ferlazzo, 2020). To effectively utilize links between new and old information, teachers must gain a genuine understanding of their students cultures and experiences so they can establish a starting point. In doing so, they can make relevant connections that enhance inclusivity and engagement with the curriculum.

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When students participate in partner or group work, they have an opportunity to interact and solve problems collaboratively. This strategy exposes the students to diverse ways of thinking and allows them to evaluate and apply their unique perspectives to achieving a common goal. Real-world problem solving frequently involves the efforts of many, so providing students with opportunities to practice promotes the development of valuable multicultural skills such as communication, collaboration, and respect for diversity.

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When teachers provide opportunities for students to critique and analyze social inequities, they demonstrate a value for culturally responsive teaching (Will & Najarro, 2022). For example, to discuss how language and interpretation factors into an understanding of the Declaration of Independence, a 5th Grade teacher asked her students to stand up. She then read the line “all men are created equal” and asked the students to step forward if they did not identify as male, white, and if their parents did not own their home. This exercise provided a resonant visual example of how women, people of color, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may have been excluded from historical protections. The exercise then led to a broader conversation on the distribution of power and the historical ramifications on the current composition of the U.S. branches of government.

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Teachers should provide students with multiple opportunities for classroom discussions. Teachers can facilitate and guide discussions around a topic or prompt, but the interaction and responses should ideally be student-driven. This approach allows students to share aspects of their own culture, as well as their personal experiences and perspectives. Students learn about attitudes, influences, differences, and similarities among their peers. This exposes students to the value and existence of diversity, which promotes respect and inclusion,

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Students respond differently to content based on culture, socialization, and individual needs (Guido, 2021). Therefore, teachers can improve learning outcomes and address the diverse needs of their students by setting up learning stations. Stations could involve playing a game, creating artwork, accessing technology, among many other options. What is most important is that each station uses a different method for teaching skills and concepts, allowing students to engage with content in ways that best fit their unique needs.

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Delivering content using relatable vocabulary can enhance engagement, comprehension, and lay the groundwork of understanding necessary before moving to more academic diction (Guido, 2021). This approach supports language inclusivity, particularly among ELL students and those culturally diverse language backgrounds. Students learn to respect language differences and understand that communication can be achieved through various means.

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Teachers show that they respect the diverse needs and preferences in their classrooms when they create classroom layouts that consider accessibility and comfort for all students. This could mean spacing classroom furniture so that all areas are accessible for students with disabilities who use auxiliary aids like wheelchairs. Teachers should also factor in individual needs when incorporating sections within their classroom such as quiet areas, activity centers, collaborative work areas. Effectively planning the layout of the classroom requires intentional consideration and support of the diverse needs of all learners.

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Assigning students a family tree can be an effective way for students to learn more about their familial cultures and experiences. This strategy gives parents and families the opportunity to pass on knowledge and perspectives that has helped to shape the current lives of their children. Teachers can ask the students to share their family tree with their classmates to further expose students to the different cultural identities and perspectives in the classroom.

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Teachers should consider bringing in speakers who can discuss curriculum content from a firsthand perspective. This approach helps to relate content to the real world and can offer students diverse perspectives on the material. When teachers involve guest speakers they also promote connections between the school and the community, exposing students to a wider range of cultural viewpoints as they share their experiences and expertise.

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Cultural festivals promote greater understanding of diversity, promote respect, and can lead to a greater sense of community. By organizing cultural festivals, schools demonstrate the value of equity and inclusion by developing relationships with families and the community, a core tenant of the  Model Code of Ethics for Educators (National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification, 2023). Students learn the value of diversity and community involvement as participants share aspects of the individual cultures.

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Hosting a Family Night in the classroom provides an opportunity for families to experience learning environments their students engage in each day. These events offer opportunities for teachers and families to engage in-person, facilitating a deeper understanding of the language, experience, cultures, and perspectives that influence students. When an environment of open communication is nurtures, teachers and families develop more trusting relationships that support the overall growth of students.

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Music, art, and video can have a powerful effect on the perceptions and understanding of other cultures. Students should be given relevant opportunities to explore content from a wide range of cultures, styles, and creators to nurture their respect for diversity and expand representation. Teachers should also involve opportunities for students to reflect on what they have learned and discuss their personal perspectives on the media they engage with. Through this approach students’ knowledge of the contributions and influences of various cultural media increases.