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Multicultural education and high school English teachers: a teacher awareness study

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Date Issued:
2015
Summary:
Multicultural education has been mandated in the state of Florida as part of State Mandate 1003.42. In order for this mandate to be implemented, it is necessary for teachers to know what effective multicultural education is and how it is to be implemented. This study was designed to find out what English teachers know about the state mandate and multicultural education and how they use multicultural education in their classrooms. High school English teachers in one South Florida school district participated in an online survey, and 11 of those respondents also participated in a follow-up personal interview. According to multiple scholars, there are three categories for multicultural education: Recognition, Transformation, and Action, with Recognition serving to recognize and respect other cultures without any change to the mainstream curriculum and instruction, Transformation serving to transform the curriculum and instruction to reflect students and their various cultures while introducing them to others and meeting the various instructional needs of the students, and Action motivating students to take action to bring about social justice. Overall, high school English teachers’ understanding of effective multicultural education is on the Transformation level. The survey found that high school English teachers use multicultural education on the Action level; however, the follow-up interviews did not support that finding. Also based on the interviews, teachers are willing and eager to learn more and would like the district to implement their suggestions to help with their learning.
Title: Multicultural education and high school English teachers: a teacher awareness study.
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Name(s): Hamilton, Rebecca, author
Weber, Roberta K., Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
College of Education
Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2015
Date Issued: 2015
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 202 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Multicultural education has been mandated in the state of Florida as part of State Mandate 1003.42. In order for this mandate to be implemented, it is necessary for teachers to know what effective multicultural education is and how it is to be implemented. This study was designed to find out what English teachers know about the state mandate and multicultural education and how they use multicultural education in their classrooms. High school English teachers in one South Florida school district participated in an online survey, and 11 of those respondents also participated in a follow-up personal interview. According to multiple scholars, there are three categories for multicultural education: Recognition, Transformation, and Action, with Recognition serving to recognize and respect other cultures without any change to the mainstream curriculum and instruction, Transformation serving to transform the curriculum and instruction to reflect students and their various cultures while introducing them to others and meeting the various instructional needs of the students, and Action motivating students to take action to bring about social justice. Overall, high school English teachers’ understanding of effective multicultural education is on the Transformation level. The survey found that high school English teachers use multicultural education on the Action level; however, the follow-up interviews did not support that finding. Also based on the interviews, teachers are willing and eager to learn more and would like the district to implement their suggestions to help with their learning.
Identifier: FA00004376 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Cultural pluralism
Curriculum planning
Educational equalization
English language -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
English literature -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
Ethnicity -- Study and teaching
Multicultural education -- Case studies
Teachers, Training of
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Links: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004376
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004376
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.