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Multicultural Literature with Visual Supports

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Multicultural Literature with Visual Supports

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Incorporate books and tales of children of varying racial, ethnic, culture, and language groups, and of children who are neurodivergent or disabled children. Use visual aids (images, photos, characters) and social narratives for students with autism to relate.

Example: Last Stop on Market Street (diversity & empathy).

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Case Studies / Biographies of Diverse Individuals

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Case Studies / Biographies of Diverse Individuals

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Highlight stories of diverse persons (including disability advocates). Describe their achievement, challenges, and role in promoting social justice and inclusion. Helen Keller

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Learn history through Indigenous, immigrant, and minority accounts like MLKJr. Include multiple perspectives when covering history or social studies, highlighting how cultural groups experienced events differently.

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Culturally Sustaining / Relevant Projects

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Culturally Sustaining / Relevant Projects

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Projects allow students to apply their culture to learning by bringing in sharing of traditions, language, art, or music, linked into core classes like math and science.

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Consider students with autism to possess assets of detail observation, commitment, honesty, and visual learning. Using something a student is interested in (e.g., trains or dinosaurs), incorporate it into work and discussion in hopes of motivation and engagement.

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Differentiated Instruction & Universal Design for Learning

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Differentiated Instruction & Universal Design for Learning

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Utilize varied presentation and interaction methods, for example, visual schedules, hands-on, movement breaks, and alternate assessments (oral, visual, drawing).

In reading, provide text, audio, and images; enable autistic students to respond in video or drawing, not merely in writing.

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Teaching of Social, Communication, and Cultural Norms

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Teaching of Social, Communication, and Cultural Norms

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Students with autism may need direct training of Communication and culture norms of taking a turn, greeting, and eye contact. Use social stories, role-playing, and modeling.

Make a social story regarding greeting around the world or how children raise hands or communication in small groups.

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Reflective Teaching & Bias Recognition

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Reflective Teaching & Bias Recognition

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As teachers we should examine our own cultural heritage, bias, and presuppositions (including disability, autism, race/ethnicity) and pursue professional growth. Maintaining a reflective journal: after lessons, note where students seemed disengaged, any cultural or communication misunderstandings; adjust next time. Also, attend workshops or use GCU’s library to find literature on culturally responsive pedagogy in autism / special ed (e.g. A Phenomenological Study of Culturally Responsiveness in Special Education,

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Classroom Organization & Visual Culture

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Classroom Organization & Visual Culture

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Exhibit content and artwork celebrating diversity: children of varying skin tones, nontraditional families, children who possess special needs, and sensory-friendly spaces.

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Validate students’ home languages and communication styles rather than correct them. Teach appropriate language use and avoid microaggressions. Encourage the children to share words and greetings.

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Respect & Understanding Rules & Agreements

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Respect & Understanding Rules & Agreements

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Created class expectations with families and students to respect culture, discuss treating differences, and how to respond when misunderstandings happen. Use story circles, personal disclosure, and empathy education by examining points of view, from a neurodivergent perspective.

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Pair or group Autistic and General students to help and learn each other’s backgrounds and strengths. Autistic students benefit from peer models.

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When creating social goals, ask the family members about valued greetings and interaction at home or in the neighborhood. Make home visits or virtual interviews to learn their priorities. Engage families in IEP goal-setting for congruence with cultural values.

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Schedule field trips, guest lecturers, and service learning in different cultures.

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Integrate the curriculum with cultural holidays, heritage months, and disability awareness days, student-driven. Host a “multicultural/autism awareness day” for students to share traditions, clothing, food, or music, integrated with subjects like writing and geography

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Ongoing Communication and Resource Sharing with Families

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Ongoing Communication and Resource Sharing with Families

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Make use of technologies appropriately.

Send photos of culture activities back home for family preparation; plan workshops for parents on culturally responsive teaching and autism, using the library materials of GCU.