Students as Experts: Tapping the Cultural and Linguistic Diversity of the Classroom

Authors

  • Martha S. Bean San José State University Author
  • B. Kumaravadivelu San José State University Author
  • Peter H. Lowenberg San José State University Author

Abstract

The challenges of the increasingly diverse U.S. college class room may at first seem problematic. However, when educators become aware of the broad range of cultural and linguistic behaviors that can inform their particular classroom culture, areas in which students are expert, they can not only defuse incipient tensions but also experience such diversity as a rich resource for alternative modes of teaching and learning. The dynamics of the culturally diverse classroom are outlined, and strategies are proposed for reducing miscommunication and expanding understanding of different educational practices and varieties of English that may emerge in the classroom.

Published

2024-03-22