While the values of students may affect day to day life in the community in which they live, there is no evidence that these bear on learning in academic settings.
Considerations related to differences in cultural backgrounds of students that are relevant to reading instruction are (a) diversities in value systems, and (b) differences in concept development based on experiences.
Most schools promote views consistent with middle-class values of hard work, delayed gratification, achievement orientation, and meeting one's responsibilities on time. On the other hand, some cultures whose children are educated in these schools hold beliefs that value anonymity over recognition, working for the good of the group rather than for individual attainment, experiencing the joys of life daily rather than at a later time, and an unhurried approach to meeting commitments rather than an approach based on making every minute productive. Problems can arise if teachers are insensitive to the traditions of students they teach.
When attempting to respect students' cultural differences, teachers should remember that there are differences among members of the same group or subgroup as well, for instance, between urban and rural low socioeconomic African Americans, among different Native American peoples, or among various Asiatic or Hispanic groups.
Quick Reply
