strategies to enhance achievement among culturally diverse students

Strategies to Strategies to Enhance Enhance Achievement Among Achievement Among Culturally Diverse Culturally Diverse Students Students

John L. Hall, PhD John L. Hall, PhD

Educational MissionEducational Mission

The mission of the Coatesville AreaThe mission of the Coatesville Area

School District, a learning community School District, a learning community

rich in diversity and committed to rich in diversity and committed to

excellence, is to educate all students by excellence, is to educate all students by

providing rigorous educational providing rigorous educational

opportunities to become responsible, opportunities to become responsible,

productive, life-long learners in a global productive, life-long learners in a global

society.society.

Multi-Cultural NeedsMulti-Cultural Needs

The number of school-aged children who The number of school-aged children who are culturally and linguistically different are culturally and linguistically different will continue to increase.will continue to increase.

Children from culturally and linguistically Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have not diverse backgrounds have not experienced high levels of academic experienced high levels of academic success.success.

(IES, 2006)(IES, 2006)

Achievement ChallengeAchievement Challenge

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Drop Out Rate

English

ESL/English

ESL/Minimal

(www.cencus.gov)(www.cencus.gov)

High School CompletionHigh School Completion

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1970 1980 1990 2000

Hispanic

Black

White

Achievement ChallengeAchievement Challenge

If we are to compete in the global If we are to compete in the global

knowledge economy the educational knowledge economy the educational

community must educate students to meet community must educate students to meet

the fast growing demand for high-level the fast growing demand for high-level

skills. skills.

Achievement ChallengeAchievement Challenge

High performance expectations requires High performance expectations requires

that every student be a successful learner. that every student be a successful learner.

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

List factors that affect student achievement. List factors that affect student achievement.

Start with student centered factors and Start with student centered factors and

then expand to school and district factors.then expand to school and district factors.

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

The quality of education cannot exceed The quality of education cannot exceed the quality of the teacher.the quality of the teacher.

Sanders & Rivers (1996)Sanders & Rivers (1996)

Teacher QualityTeacher Quality

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Age 8 Age 11

Low Perf

High Perf

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

The quality of education cannot exceed The quality of education cannot exceed the quality of the teacher.the quality of the teacher.

The only way to improve outcomes is to The only way to improve outcomes is to improve quality of teacher instruction.improve quality of teacher instruction.

(UK DoE)(UK DoE)

Improve Teacher QualityImprove Teacher Quality

55

60

65

70

75

1997 1998 1999 2000

% studentsliterate

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

The quality of education cannot exceed The quality of education cannot exceed the quality of the teacher.the quality of the teacher.

The only way to improve outcomes is to The only way to improve outcomes is to improve quality of teacher instruction.improve quality of teacher instruction.

To achieve high outcomes schools must To achieve high outcomes schools must ensure the delivery of high-quality ensure the delivery of high-quality instruction to every student independent instruction to every student independent of home background.of home background.

(PISA 2003)(PISA 2003)

Impact of Home FactorsImpact of Home Factors

0

5

10

15

20

Low Av Average High Av

Literacy

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

Role of cultureRole of culture

Role of Culture in Role of Culture in TeachingTeaching

Diverse cultural and linguistic Diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of all students are backgrounds of all students are important.important.

Learning and thinking are always Learning and thinking are always situatedsituated in a cultural setting and dependent upon in a cultural setting and dependent upon the utilization of cultural resources.the utilization of cultural resources.

Respect the different cultures and Respect the different cultures and languages represented in the classroom. languages represented in the classroom.

Role of Culture in TeachingRole of Culture in Teaching

Self-knowledgeSelf-knowledge Cultural knowledgeCultural knowledge Linguistic knowledge Linguistic knowledge Culturally informed teachingCulturally informed teaching Use of multi-cultural materials and Use of multi-cultural materials and

methodsmethods Knowledge of home-school relationshipsKnowledge of home-school relationships

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

Role of cultureRole of culture Developing literacyDeveloping literacy

(IES, 2006)(IES, 2006)

Literacy for ESL StudentsLiteracy for ESL Students

Teach key components of readingTeach key components of reading Oral proficiency in English is critical Oral proficiency in English is critical Oral proficiency and literacy in first Oral proficiency and literacy in first

language can facilitate English literacylanguage can facilitate English literacy Significant individual differences Significant individual differences

contribute significantly to English literacycontribute significantly to English literacy Assessments do a poor job assessingAssessments do a poor job assessing Individual strengths and weaknessesIndividual strengths and weaknesses Home language experience helpfulHome language experience helpful

Developing LiteracyDeveloping Literacy

Direct and indirect instruction to learn Direct and indirect instruction to learn new wordsnew words

Making texts meaningful is crucial to Making texts meaningful is crucial to reading comprehension and achievementreading comprehension and achievement

Focused discussions about curriculum Focused discussions about curriculum using summarization, questioning, using summarization, questioning, generating questions, and clarificationgenerating questions, and clarification

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

Role of culture Role of culture Developing literacyDeveloping literacy High expectationsHigh expectations

High Expectations High Expectations

What are the stereotypes for _______ ?:What are the stereotypes for _______ ?: GenderGender

High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

What are the stereotypes for _______ ?:What are the stereotypes for _______ ?: GenderGender EthnicityEthnicity

High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

What are the stereotypes for ______ ?:What are the stereotypes for ______ ?: GenderGender EthnicityEthnicity AppearancesAppearances

High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

What are the stereotypes for _______ ?:What are the stereotypes for _______ ?: GenderGender EthnicityEthnicity AppearancesAppearances Language patternsLanguage patterns

High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

What are the stereotypes for _______ ?:What are the stereotypes for _______ ?: GenderGender EthnicityEthnicity AppearancesAppearances Language patternsLanguage patterns ImmaturityImmaturity

High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

What are the stereotypes for _______ ?:What are the stereotypes for _______ ?: GenderGender EthnicityEthnicity AppearancesAppearances Language patternsLanguage patterns ImmaturityImmaturity PlacementPlacement

High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

Teacher expectations influence student Teacher expectations influence student behavior and performance.behavior and performance.

Teacher expectations need to note Teacher expectations need to note current student skills and motivation.current student skills and motivation.

Negative expectations lead to negative Negative expectations lead to negative student response.student response.

Sustained negative expectations limits Sustained negative expectations limits student learning. student learning.

High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

Low expectations lead to ___________ ?Low expectations lead to ___________ ?

Low Expectations Low Expectations

Fewer opportunities to be called onFewer opportunities to be called on Less time to answer in classLess time to answer in class Unwillingness to repeat or rephrase Unwillingness to repeat or rephrase

student responsesstudent responses Non-contingent reinforcementNon-contingent reinforcement Less positive responses with limited eye Less positive responses with limited eye

contactcontact Excessive criticismExcessive criticism

High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

Communicates success to all students Communicates success to all students Teach to the highest standardsTeach to the highest standards Use cooperative learning activities Use cooperative learning activities Emphasize that “Everyone is somebody”Emphasize that “Everyone is somebody” Extent warmth and encouragement Extent warmth and encouragement Give all students ample time to respondGive all students ample time to respond Emphasize useful content and progress Emphasize useful content and progress Breakdown task and re-teachBreakdown task and re-teach

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

Role of culture Role of culture Developing literacyDeveloping literacy High expectationsHigh expectations Effective assessmentEffective assessment

Effective AssessmentEffective Assessment

Regular feedback about student learning Regular feedback about student learning benefits students and teachersbenefits students and teachers

Current information about student Current information about student development can intervene effectivelydevelopment can intervene effectively

Student journals, written summaries of Student journals, written summaries of learning, and student-teacher learning, and student-teacher conferencesconferences

Regular formal graded assessments and Regular formal graded assessments and benchmark testingbenchmark testing

Effective AssessmentEffective Assessment

AnalyzeAchievement

Data

DetermineAchievement

Goals

AchievementImplementation

Effective AssessmentEffective Assessment

Explore some key assessment issues:Explore some key assessment issues:

AccountabilityAccountability Classroom PracticesClassroom Practices Using DataUsing Data Narrowing the GapNarrowing the Gap

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

Developing literacyDeveloping literacy High ExpectationsHigh Expectations Effective assessmentEffective assessment Active learningActive learning

Active LearningActive Learning

Develop thinking habits through open ended Develop thinking habits through open ended questions and student centered activities.questions and student centered activities.

Inquiry-based learning and hands-on active Inquiry-based learning and hands-on active learning lead to future success.learning lead to future success.

Students actively make observations, collect, Students actively make observations, collect, analyze, and synthesize information, and analyze, and synthesize information, and draw conclusions develop useful problem-draw conclusions develop useful problem-solving skills. solving skills.

Active LearningActive Learning

Think about how you might use active Think about how you might use active learning strategies in your classroom.learning strategies in your classroom.

Turn to a partner and discuss.Turn to a partner and discuss.

Share your ideas with the large group.Share your ideas with the large group.

Active Learning RiskActive Learning Risk

Active/Low RiskActive/Low RiskStructured small group discussionStructured small group discussion

DemonstrationsDemonstrations

Self-assessment activitiesSelf-assessment activities

Library lessonsLibrary lessons

Active/High RiskActive/High RiskRole playingRole playing

Small group presentationsSmall group presentations

Brainstorming activitiesBrainstorming activities

Unstructured small group discussionUnstructured small group discussion

Inactive/Lower RiskInactive/Lower RiskFilm for entire classFilm for entire class

Lecture presentation without discussionLecture presentation without discussion

Inactive/High RiskInactive/High RiskSubstitute without lesson plansSubstitute without lesson plans

Reading silently from textReading silently from text

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

Developing literacyDeveloping literacy High expectationsHigh expectations Effective assessmentEffective assessment Active learning strategiesActive learning strategies Critical thinkingCritical thinking

Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking

Build understanding with self-monitoringBuild understanding with self-monitoring Seek new understanding when knowledge is Seek new understanding when knowledge is

incompleteincomplete Interpret and analyze texts through Interpret and analyze texts through

dissectiondissection Use recalling and imagining; classifying and Use recalling and imagining; classifying and

generalizing; comparing and evaluating; generalizing; comparing and evaluating; analyzing and synthesizing; and deducing analyzing and synthesizing; and deducing and inferringand inferring

Develop critical thinking unique to each Develop critical thinking unique to each academic subjectacademic subject

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

Role of cultureRole of culture Developing literacyDeveloping literacy High expectationsHigh expectations Effective assessmentEffective assessment Active learningActive learning Critical thinking Critical thinking Student motivationStudent motivation

Student MotivationStudent Motivation

Students monitor their own learning and Students monitor their own learning and information seekinginformation seeking

Use prior knowledge as a basis for Use prior knowledge as a basis for understandingunderstanding

Use of self-selected learning materials Use of self-selected learning materials from diverse knowledge sources (i.e. from diverse knowledge sources (i.e. electronic or visual media)electronic or visual media)

Student MotivationStudent Motivation

Take a minute to come up with one Take a minute to come up with one question about what we have learned.question about what we have learned.

Then turn to your partner to see if you can Then turn to your partner to see if you can stump them with your question.stump them with your question.

Achievement FactorsAchievement Factors

Role of CultureRole of Culture Developing literacyDeveloping literacy High ExpectationsHigh Expectations Use assessment-based approachesUse assessment-based approaches Active learning strategiesActive learning strategies Increase student motivationIncrease student motivation Support critical thinkingSupport critical thinking Learn by understandingLearn by understanding

Learn by UnderstandingLearn by Understanding

Take a few minutes to compare notes with Take a few minutes to compare notes with a partner.a partner.

Identify and clarify take home messages.Identify and clarify take home messages.

Summarize the most important points.Summarize the most important points.

Learn by UnderstandingLearn by Understanding

Constructing relationships between ideasConstructing relationships between ideas Extending and applying academic Extending and applying academic

knowledgeknowledge Reflecting about experiencesReflecting about experiences Articulating knowledgeArticulating knowledge Making academic knowledge part of a Making academic knowledge part of a

community activitycommunity activity

Strategies to Strategies to Enhance Enhance Achievement Among Achievement Among Culturally Diverse Culturally Diverse StudentsStudentshallj@coatesville.k12.pa.ushallj@coatesville.k12.pa.us