The document summarizes a presentation about cultural diversity in Tennessee schools. It discusses trends showing increasing racial and ethnic diversity among students. It also examines concepts like culture, language, and literacy in an educational context. The presentation argues that global education is important and proposes developing "metacultural competence" to appreciate diverse perspectives in education. It concludes by taking questions from the audience.

1. FOX CONFERENCE 2008 Presentation Gregory P. Meyjes Middle Tennessee State University & Solidaris Intercultural Services LLC

2. A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE:

3. Preface

5. INTRODUCTION

6. TN & Davidson County: Some Recent SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS http://www.state.tn.us/education/reportcard

7. TN Students: White vs. Other (‘94-’04)

8. TN: Ethno-Racial Student Trends (‘94-’04)

9. TN “Hispanic” Student Population

10. Davidson: ELL Students (’99-’04)

11. Economically Disadvantaged Students (Davidson, ’99 –’04)

12. Davidson County: Sample Elemen. Schools Meeting AYP Standards & Econ. Disadv. Amqui Elementary Charlotte Park Elementary Cole Elementary Haywood Elementary Henry Maxwell Elementary Mt. View Elementary Tom Joy Elementary Una Elementary

13. MTSU grad student Diversity Survey 2007

14. Informants by Gender

15. Informants by Race

16. Exposure to Other Cultural Groups

17. Relevance of Global Education

18. The Challenge of Cultural Diversity

19. Some Results by Race How relevant are global issues African American - Caucasian - Cultural diversity is rising in TN's public schools. African American - Caucasian: - How well do you believe public African American - Caucasian: - to public education in TN? 75% : somewhat or much. 79% : somewhat or much. How challenging do you think it is? 75% : somewhat or much 93% : somewhat or much schools in TN succeed cross-culturally? 75% : not much 28% : not much

20. “ CULTURE ”

21. What do we mean by “ culture ?”

22. Question to the audience: “what comes to mind when you think of ‘culture’?” Answers: “ Different values,” “Belief systems,” “Personal perspectives & life experiences,” “Generational learning,” “Traditions & Customs,” “Material possessions,” “Social rules,” “Dress & appearance,” “Architecture,” “Agriculture,” “Environmental relations”

23. “ working definition ” The set of values, customs, institutions and commodities that most characterizes a people’s identity, i.e. its “spirit” or “genius”, that which distinguishes it from others. We can distinguish material, social, and ideational factors of culture. Though different, cultures are a necessary, largely subconscious part of our humanity, of our needs. (See Sapir, 1949: 308-331)

24. LANGUAGE

25. Let’s talk about language…

26. Some Key Concepts

27. INNATENESS COGNITION: Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis POWER APPROPRIATENESS POLICIES: Education

28. Language Dialect Standard Variety Non-Standard Variety Regional Dialect Social Dialect Prestige Covert Prestige Style Register Pidgin Creole World English Ebonics/B.E.V./A.A.E.V. Multilingualism Multiculturalism

29. Question from the audience : “ Please explain .. ‘ Prestige vs. Covert Prestige’?”

30. Question from the audience: What is ‘B.E.V.’?

31. LITERACY

32. What literacy?

33. EDUCATION & CULTURAL DIVERSITY

34. GLOBAL EDUCATION

35. Does global education matter ?

36. CONCLUSION: “ Metacultural Competence ”

37. Towards a Definition of Metacultural Competence in Education “ A metacultural approach to teaching is not a top-down formula for promoting learning that ignores or negates different forms of knowing, doing, and valuing that exist in society …

38. Rather, it is a pedagogical stance that actively and creatively seeks a) to continually assess the cultural specificity of the learning content, expectations, and process, and b) to adapt these to an evolving appreciation for the existence and a-priori validity of the diverse cultural realities in society at large.” Copyright © 2007 by Gregory Paul P. Meyjes

39. Audience Question “ How many languages do you speak and what made you choose the ones you learned? ”

40. Audience Question “ How do we increase the teaching of foreign languages in schools?”

41. Audience Question “ Is there an optimum age to learn or introduce a 2nd language?”

42. Audience Question “ How do we encourage parents to also learn new foreign languages?”

43. Audience Question “ Can children acquire multiple, (more than 2), languages at once – or is that counter productive?”

44. FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Information Training Opportunities… www.intersolidaris.com Click on “ Fox Conference 2008 ”

45. T H A N K Y O U !