Diversity In English Class

At 1:00 p.m. I entered into Evoline C. West Elementary school on Thursday, July 12 2012 for an interview with Mrs. Yolanda Lawrence. As I entered the classroom, I was greeted by Mrs. Lawrence, the head teacher in this classroom. Mrs. Lawrence has no assistant at this present because of it being in the summer. After I entered into the classroom, the entire class welcomed me with “hello Ms. Flournoy”. It made my day to see all of those smiley faces greeting me. This was a 2nd grade classroom which consisted of 17 students of which 8 were girls and 9 were boys. This interview and observation was a total of 2

Diversity of English is forever adapting and advancing across the world and within the classroom over the centuries. As year digress and new influences are introduced completely changing the way linguistic skills develop and how socially we use different devices and skills passed on from different generations older or younger. Establishing so many variations of English’s ,different cultures have quickly developed from each generation with a more adapted vocabulary having been influenced from different forms of behaviour and social practices. The impact on Englishes rather than English today and understanding Multi-literacies rather than Literacy, how quickly its developed to the 21st century and how it’s brought into the classrooms by teachers implicating different learning practices for the new generations of students to understand and learn from.

The increase in classroom diversity has continued to be in the forefront of not only in regular education settings but also in the church classroom settings across America. Of course, living in California we have one of the highest percentages of multi-ethnic student classrooms along with the most crucial of problems when it comes to multilanguage households. For example in Northern California where I live, as well as Southern California- Los Angeles area, there is an extreme need for bilingual teachers and educators in our school systems. I work for the school district as a transportation coordinator and feel the effects of this enormous, and sometimes overwhelming task of making sure that our students are getting the best chance at an education.

Additionally, teachers need to promote diversity in the classroom by teaching children that everyone is different and special in a unique way. Addressing cultural diversity in school will prepare students for the real world, as it provides the chance to experience different opportunities outside of what they normally used to. According to the article in figure 1and 2 Zhou illustrate the Asian youth generation achieve higher level of education compared to other groups such as Hispanic because the Asian child population is less dominant in metropolitan areas, which allows them to experience many different cultures and many opportunities are available to them. That relates to a class I observed, a teacher make sure his class reflects diversity

As a teacher in a diverse classroom, I would never want my students to feel left out or feel they need to abandon their culture to participate within my room. I would encourage my students to be proud of their culture by inviting them to bring in special items from home that represents their own country, and share the items with the class. I would also read stories that pertained to their culture. By reading books that reflect the different cultures within my classroom, I am not only including and encouraging my ELL students, but I am also teaching my other students about different cultures which is very important in this culturally diverse age. One of my favorite ideas for including my diverse students, in my classroom, is to host a special culture night where the entire class can be involved and show something about their different cultures. Our textbook talks about this saying, “Teachers can help students develop a sense of pride in family heritage by inviting family members as guest speakers, encouraging family demonstrations of traditional customs, and including activities that involve ethnic foods, clothing, and music” (Vacca, et al., 2015, p. 69). In addition, I would encourage those learning English, by making picture cards for them with both the English and their language on them so they would understand what the words mean. I would first start slowly with easy class words, but then as they progressed throughout the year I would continually add new words used in

The English language is constantly changing and adapting. There are so many different forms, dialects, and accents etc. The way that they have evolved and become what they are currently is perhaps the most interesting thing, even moreso that wondering what they might potentially become as they continue to adapt to fit the time. I took a class this semester called “Diversity” and in this class we discussed the idea of accents as way to stereotype people. We hear the way that one person speaks and use that to determine things about them that we absolutely shouldn’t. For example assuming that someone with an accent you don’t recognize or is hard for you to understand is less educated or has less money. In that class we looked into more regional accents

The American ethnic makeup of its population is evolving as immigrants across the globe seek refuge and residency here in the United States. The change in the diversity can be seen firsthand in the public school system across the states as the children of immigrants are being integrated in the classrooms (Choi, 2011). This increase in multicultural students has been able to influence public policy and syllabus changes to reach the educational needs of students regardless of their ethnicity (Choi, 2011). Hence, the goal of a multicultural education is to provide a level playing ground for all students (Choi, 2011). Furthermore, educators are adapting to the ethnic change in the classroom and are restructuring

Meg is different than most people her age. She doesn’t have any friends at school. She gets into fights a lot, and corrects her teachers all the time. Many think she is stupid, even though she is more brilliant than most of them. You can say Meg tries her best at times, but others she has problems with.

We started the first day of sixth grade with a lot of butterflies in our stomach? What if we don’t get to class in time? What if we go to the wrong place? What if we forget about TA or lunch? What if our chromebook dies? Just a lot of unneeded nerves. Now going to first hour I had comm, but I didn’t really know anyone well or even a little in that class. Mrs. Robinson was nice and was a fun teacher. People may say she is strict, but it's all part of good

Quiet, nothing comes out of my mouth as I watch my two best friends giggling with their so-called “new friend”. I watch as I stand next to my rusting faded blue locker squeaking as I shut it. Her blonde hair, tan skin, and short posture resembles mine as she walks down the cluttered 7th grade hallway. Jadyn, my friend joyfully runs to me with a delighted smile, it’s hard to miss her when she’s wearing her favorite bright neon green shirt. Her almond hair is all over her face from her voyage over to me while getting pushed around like a ball in a pinball machine. She then tells me in a ecstatic voice how Ali is going to be in my class. My heart drops as I stare into the emerald eyes of my best friend since kindergarten hoping it’s a joke. Of course she is in all of my classes I think as my hands sweat from nerves, my first day of 7th grade is already scary enough, I don’t want to deal with her too.

Starting the first day of school, or mine, if you ask. Coming back after New Year’s, 2nd grade, I must fit in, and not be alone. Wearing my coordinated outfit, a red plaid sleeved shirt topped with a black graphic shirt, matching along with a plaid (black) skirt, and red plaid leggings. The awaitning of walking into the school, the dirastic of changes in my routine. The feeling of being alone with no friends to confort, but a fresh start awaits for me into a new life, only 30 minutes away form my old home. Can’t bear to enter the curious and trntorouse place that lays there waiting for me. Standing outside my classroom door. Not able to meet my teacher because of a person problem the week before starting, I was confused and nervous. With my parents beside me, the feelin g of my teacher, mrs. Kruis, walking up to the door. Welcoming me in, with clessmates glazing at me there being, 36 fresh and judging new eyes, waiting to get to know me or waiting to curopte me into something I am not. My paretns telling me good bye, as I walk deeper into my class. Taking my seat behind a kid named, keegan a boy wearing pink socks, sat their looking straight as his seat could not see mine, he was facing he rbaord.

The year was 2010 and it was the first day of first grade. The thought of leaving my mom everyday terrified me. My brother and sister were already in the car ready to go, as I whined to my mom about how it wasn’t any fun. We argued back and forth, until I eventually gave in and got in the car. We approached the school, and I held onto my mom’s hand as tight as I could. We walked through the two doors, and my stomach lurched at the site of all the people. I hated school last year. The only good thing was being able to see my best friend from kindergarten, Liberty, and Mrs. Obrien, which I called Mrs. Oreo. We stood in the back, and listened to the principle of the school welcome us back. The bell rang, and we walked through the hall with all the other dozens of people. We turned the corner and I saw her. She had a brown with blond streaks bob cut, and she was an average height, but she wore a scowl on her face.

I entered the classroom of Mrs. Green promptly at 7:55am right before the 8:00am bell. I adored Mrs. Green and her classroom, it always looked extremely organized and smelled like freshly sharpened pencils. “Good Morning,” said Mrs. Green, “today we will be getting a new student in our class. He will be coming shortly.” Suddenly, each one of my classmates’ faces became overwhelmed with eagerness and curiosity about the new student. After waiting anxiously for thirty minutes, the principal came into our classroom and said, “Good morning boys and girls. This is your new classmate Jonathan! He is not new to this school but he is new to your class, so remember to be kind to him. Have a great day.” After that quick introduction she left and Jonathan looked for a desk to sit at. The only open desk left in the classroom happened to be right next to me. Most of the day Jonathan and I did not talk to each other, but at recess all of that

Soon my first day of school arrived but still feeling the grief of having left so much behind, I lacked the ability to show any enthusiasm. I reluctantly entered the classroom, my stomach was rumbling like a washing machine (I hadn’t been able to stomach breakfast) and all the eyes were on fixed on me- the new-kid. For about five minutes it was like being celebrity who was walking down the red carpet but along with the gawking came the quiet conversations and whispers. I knew they were about me.

I finally stepped into my new school, in an unfamiliar town. I had just turned seven years old and I was unsure about what life is going to be like from there on out. Loaded down with pencils, paper, and pages one to one hundred of the supplies from the Crayola catalog, I wandered into the towering brown building and down the pale blue halls to find what would be my classroom for the next nine months. I stumbled upon the room labeled 2E to find a score of other children talking about their summer adventures and where they went on vacation. I had nothing to discuss with them. My summer was spent stooped on the curb, watching my brother and mother unload a UHaul truck. As I stood there, eyes the size of saucers, a petite young teacher walked