https://www.unesco.org/en/about-culture-education

Article: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/culture/cultural-competence/reduce-prejudice-racism/main

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/Kko8WLhxIuk?si=nsGFppbM40s9VJxv

Cultural and racial conflict arises when diverse cultural groups experience misunderstandings, discrimination, or systemic inequalities. In multicultural education, key concepts such as cultural pluralism, social justice, equity, and inclusivity help address these conflicts. Multicultural education promotes respect for diverse identities and encourages critical discussions about historical and structural racism.

Strategies to Reduce Racism and Prejudice

Culturally Responsive Teaching – Integrate diverse perspectives into the curriculum to represent different cultures and histories accurately.

Dialogue and Critical Discussions – Encourage open conversations about race, privilege, and bias to challenge stereotypes.

Inclusive School Policies – Establish anti-discrimination policies that promote equity in discipline, opportunities, and representation.

Collaborative Learning – Use cooperative learning strategies where students from diverse backgrounds work together, fostering mutual respect.

Community Engagement – Involve families and local cultural groups in school activities to create a more inclusive learning environment.

By embedding these strategies in education, schools can help foster an environment of mutual respect, reducing racism and prejudice.

Video for additional information:https: //youtu.be/7P0iP2Zm6a4?si=EK9WsFRkNrVO2cgN

1. Cultural Diversity:

Multicultural classrooms consist of students from diverse cultural backgrounds with unique languages, traditions, and worldviews.

2. Stereotypes and Bias:

Preconceived notions and stereotypes about specific cultural groups can lead to bias, discrimination, and conflict.

3. Communication Styles:

Different cultures have distinct communication norms—some may value direct communication, while others may prefer indirect approaches.

4. Identity and Belonging:

Students may struggle with balancing their cultural identity with the need to fit into the broader classroom culture.

5.Language Barriers:

Language differences can cause miscommunication, frustration, and exclusion. Students who are not fluent in the dominant classroom language may struggle to participate fully.

Summarise

LO6- Micro-culture, macro-culture and subcultures influence on teaching and learning

Macro-Culture: The Dominant Cultural Framework

Macro-culture refers to the overarching cultural system that influences an entire society.

Influence on Teaching and Learning:

Curriculum Design

Language of Instruction

Micro-Culture: Local and Community-Based Cultural Influences

Micro-culture consists of the specific cultural traits and practices of smaller groups within the larger society, such as ethnic communities, religious groups, or linguistic minorities.

Influence on Teaching and Learning:

Parental Expectations

Religious Beliefs and Practices

Subcultures: Diverse Social Groups within a Culture

Subcultures exist within both macro- and micro-cultures and include youth cultures, pop culture, and specific interest groups.

Influence on Teaching and Learning:

Peer Influence

Technology and Media

• ME addresses the needs of a society that contains more than one culture.

• Cultural Pluralism is a term used when smaller groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities and their values/practices are accepted by the wider culture. Basically, it is the harmonious coexistence of several sub-cultures in a diverse society.

-content integration

-the knowledge construction process

-prejudice reduction

-equity pedagogy

-an empowering school culture

• _{This approach is adopted in most schools.}

• _{The dominant group see the learners of the minority group as the ones who have to change and adapt to the school.}

2. A colour-blind approach:

• _{Educators claim to see “children not colour”.}

• _{They believe that newcomers are culturally inferior backgrounds and that changing the curriculum to meet their needs would mean lowering the standards.}

3. A contributionist approach:

• _{A very popular approach in most schools.}

• _{The curriculum does not change but instead they have a cultural day to recognise all the different cultures.}

• _{They may have a school song that comprises different languages.}

4. A multicultural approach:

• _{all cultures are equally valid and should be respected}

• _{school integration should not be confined to race but should address other prejudices such as ethnic narrow-mindedness or prejudice gender inequality, xenophobia and other intolerances}

There are 2 types of culture: Macro-culture and Microculture.

Macro-culture:

• It is the shared core culture (by all citizens) such as symbols (flag, protea flower, big 5, national anthem) and values (equality for all).

• It unifies members of a certain society and defines them to others.

  Examples: If you say you are a South African, you are describing yourself in a macro-culture.

  
  

  Microculture:

  • Smaller groups or subgroups that exist within the macro-culture.

  • Microculture distinguishes characteristics within that society.

  • E.g.: Religion, language, sports, socio-economic status.

    Examples: If you say you are a Christian (South African), you are describing yourself in a microculture.

    We can be part of many microcultures. Example: He is a middle class, Jewish South African that speaks Afrikaans.

  
  

• This is the process of learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society.

• It is the process through which our society teaches us about its values.

• It is the process through which we learn what our society thinks is right or wrong.

• (everyone is brought up differently. Everyone has different views about what is right or wrong and this can be expressed in the classroom)

  Communication:

• Some learners have a different first language and this can affect their learning in class.

• Non-verbal communication is interpreted differently in different cultures.

  Learning Preference:

• Most people learn in different ways and have a style/preference to help them acquire new knowledge. What suits one learner might not suit another.

• AS A TEACHER YOU NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR LEARNERS’ PREFERENCES ARE, THEN YOU CAN ADAPT YOUR APPROACHES TO SUIT THEM.

  Social values:

• People learn values as they are growing up.

• Guides our behaviour in many ways.

• People don’t always share the same values.

• Values may not be understood and conflict may arise.

• This can have a negative effect on teaching and learning.

  World view:

• Refers to the way a cultural group perceives people and events.

• It is the way a person sees and understands the world, especially regarding politics, philosophy and religion.

• Culture can be seen as the beliefs, customs, knowledge and attitudes shared by a particular group of people.

• These characteristics of culture can influence and even skew a person’s worldview which can lead to misunderstandings (see p. 28 for example).

if these cultural factors are not considered in the classroom, it can lead to:

• Cultural isolation – being alone or separated from others

• Cultural erosion – losing your culture over time because it’s not being recognised by the teacher (e.g. not being able to wear a head scarf)

• Learning problems

• Behaviour problems

• Breakdown in communication.

Racism:

• It is the belief in the superiority of one race over another.

• The term race refers to dividing the human species according to physical characteristics such as skin colour.

• So racism is believing that one race is superior to another because of this physical characteristics.

Stereotypes:

• Any time you group individuals together and make a judgement about them without knowing them, this is an example of a stereotype.

  Examples:

  • girls are not good at sports;

  • boys are messy and unclean;

  • all Arabs are terrorists)

    Prejudice:

  • It is an unfair or unreasonable opinion or feeling about a person or thing, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge.

  • A person may have unfair feelings towards others because of their sex, gender, beliefs, values, religion, social class, etc.

    Xenophobia:

  • The fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers.

  • It often leads to violence and abuse of all types.

Racial and cultural prejudice in children

• Misconception- young children not aware of cultural and racial differences.

• At the age of two and a half- aware of racial differences

• At age 3-4 – basic concept of race

• Develop different attitudes

Sources of prejudice

• Negative racial attitudes in children- absorb prejudices of those around them: Parents, school, classmates, siblings and the media.

We treat them all the same

• Teachers- claim not to notice colour and treat all the same

• Dilemma; Aim not to exploit cultural differences in a discriminatory way but to ignore race and culture is to deny a child’s cultural identity and heritage

• Colour blind approach: degree of assimilation

• Ignoring cultural and racial differences may result in perpetuating ethnocentrism, stereotypes and prejudices in the educational process.

-processes of social and human interactions

-created by people

-change continuously over time

-shared and learned

-influence the way people think, feel and behave

Dimensions - PM1, pg. 5

-content integration

-the knowledge construction process

-prejudice reduction

-equity pedagogy

-an empowering school culture

• GENDER: Gender roles are the patterns of behaviours, attitudes, feelings and thoughts associated with being either male or female. Boys and girls have different interests. (the teacher must be aware of this and plan lessons that will interest both males and females. Boys prefer sports, etc)

• BARRIERS TO LEARNING: You may have learners with physical disabilities such as hearing problems, poor eyesight, or a broken leg. (The teacher must make seating adjustments and adapt the curriculum to suit their abilities.)

• SOCIO-ECONOMIC CLASS: Learners can be from a lower-class, middle-class or upper-class. You as a teacher need to know how people from each class behave, think and live. (for example, if the teacher comes from an upper-class background, he/she must be able to understand all the problems the students from a lower socio-economic background home has to face – time to travel home via Taxi)

• LANGUAGE: Most schools only teach in one language which is English. You may have learners in your class that have a different first language such as Afrikaans or Zulu. (those learners may not understand certain words/instructions thus affecting their learning)

• FAMILY STRUCTURE: The family structure at home may be different for all your learners. Some may be part of a small nuclear family, some part of an extended family, some with a single-parent, etc. (Irrespective of the family structure, the teacher must treat all learners in the same way)