Multicultural Diversity: 
A Challenge to Global 
Teachers
Diversity of Learners in 
Multicultural Classrooms 
• Color of the skin 
• Ethnic group 
• Languages 
• Socio-economic backgrounds
Multicultural Education 
→ enables teachers and educators to give 
values to the differences in knowledge 
and experiences of the learners
Fraser-Abner (2001) 
Suggestions: 
1. Be sensitive and aware 
2. Never make assumptions 
3. Avoid stereotyping 
4. Get to know each student 
5. Look into your own conscious 
6. Plan your activities 
7. Infuse multicultural instructional materials 
8. Collaboration and cooperation
Guiding Principles: 
1. Pre-Service teacher education programs 
2. Equitable opportunities 
3. Social skills 
4. School Curriculum 
5. Eliminate stereotyping 
6. Values
Some of basic assumptions that 
enhance Teacher Development: 
1. No two learners are exactly the same. 
2. Children in all classrooms are heterogeneous 
3. Strategies that work with one learner may not 
work with another 
4. Student’s background and experiences should be 
considered 
5. Community members can assist teachers in facing 
issues
Reflection! 
Mrs. Rosa Rose a teacher and raised in 
Visayas married a Tausog in Jolo,Sulu. The 
marriage necessitated her to transfer teaching 
in the place of her husband who is also a 
teacher. 
Coming from a different family 
background in terms of religion, ethnic origin, 
social background. Mrs.Rose has to adjust to 
her present relocated residence. 
She was accepted to teach in one of the 
elementary schools in the area where a 
mixture of different ethnic groups are enrolled.
Visiting International Faculty 
Program (VIF) 
• Largest cultural exchange program for teachers and 
school 
• Dedicated to transforming lives through international 
exchange of teachers 
• Offers highly qualified teachers from around the 
world serving as teachers and cultural ambassadors 
in the United States.
VIF Purposes and Beliefs 
1. All schools should have at least one international 
exchange teacher 
2. All students should be exposed to a variety of 
exchange teachers during their academic careers 
3. All communities should have an equal opportunity 
to develop globally literate citizens to help build a 
foundation for success in the global marketplace.
History of VIF 
• It was founded in 1987 
• Kindergarten up to grade 12 in 1989 
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction 
• In 1996 VIF was asked to recruit teachers in other 
subject areas 
• Expanded areas including the states of South Carolina, 
Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, and California 
• International teachers are coming from more than 50 
countries of the world such as, Australia, Canada, Chile, 
New Zealand, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain and Philippines
Fullbright Teacher Exchange 
Program 
• Promote mutual understanding between the 
United States and countries around the world. 
• Involves a year or semester direct exchange 
with a counterpart in another country 
teaching the same subject at the same level
Inter-African Teacher 
Exchanges 
• To provide opportunity for teachers to learn from 
teaching environment in other African countries 
• To extend experiences and widen the horizon of 
African teachers by encouraging exchange visits 
to countries outside Africa 
• To create cultural awareness and tolerance of 
developments in different African education 
environments
Activities: 
• Be stationed at one school for one week and 
another for another week 
• Observe teaching in the said teacher’s subject 
• Guest teach using ICTs at the schools that the 
teacher is visiting 
• Discussions with teachers in another school 
• Write a journal of their exchange visit
Canadian Educators Exchange 
• Non-profit foundation which handles both 
student and educator exchanges 
• Educators and students have an opportunity 
to broaden their understanding of one 
another’s cultures, customs, and languages
Two kinds of Professional 
Development Experiences: 
1. One Year Exchange – enables teachers in 
Alberta to swap their jobs (and homes) with 
teachers in countries Australia, New Zealand, 
UK, Germany and US for a period of one year. 
During this time, teachers continues to be paid 
by his or her school board in Alberta.
2. Short-Term Exchange – occurs during spring 
and summer holidays, enables teachers and 
administrators to job shadow with the 
counterpart in another country
Global Teachers Millennium 
Awards 
• This program is limited only to participating 
countries, it is important to learn that the 
Global Exchange program contributes to the 
quality of teachers worldwide.
This program aims to: 
• Change the lives of UK educators, personally 
and professionally by encouraging them to 
fulfill their aspiration and use their talents in 
innovative ways; 
• Ensure benefits for staff and pupils of UK 
schools and their local communities through 
the dissemination of innovative development 
education;
This program aims to: 
• Support the aims and activities of Link’s 
educational programs in South Africa, Ghana 
and Uganda; 
• Set a standard and develop a model for other 
similar scheme
Intention of the Program: 
• Increased knowledge of people and life in 
developing countries 
• Better understanding of how UK is linked with 
other countries 
• More positive attitudes towards people and life in 
developing countries-challenging stereotypes and 
beliefs in shared humanity 
• More positive attitudes towards multicultural 
nature of UK society-challenging of stereotypes 
and embracing of diversity
A Global teacher in this 
program is: 
• Thinks and acts both locally and globally 
• Embraces the world’s rich variety of ways of life 
• Understands that this world is interconnected 
• Committed Believes in education 
• Has professional and personal skills 
• Brings the world into their classroom 
• Encourages dialogue and partnership 
• Can inspire others

Multicultural Diversity and Broadening Teaching Perspectives

  • 1.
    Multicultural Diversity: AChallenge to Global Teachers
  • 2.
    Diversity of Learnersin Multicultural Classrooms • Color of the skin • Ethnic group • Languages • Socio-economic backgrounds
  • 3.
    Multicultural Education →enables teachers and educators to give values to the differences in knowledge and experiences of the learners
  • 4.
    Fraser-Abner (2001) Suggestions: 1. Be sensitive and aware 2. Never make assumptions 3. Avoid stereotyping 4. Get to know each student 5. Look into your own conscious 6. Plan your activities 7. Infuse multicultural instructional materials 8. Collaboration and cooperation
  • 5.
    Guiding Principles: 1.Pre-Service teacher education programs 2. Equitable opportunities 3. Social skills 4. School Curriculum 5. Eliminate stereotyping 6. Values
  • 6.
    Some of basicassumptions that enhance Teacher Development: 1. No two learners are exactly the same. 2. Children in all classrooms are heterogeneous 3. Strategies that work with one learner may not work with another 4. Student’s background and experiences should be considered 5. Community members can assist teachers in facing issues
  • 7.
    Reflection! Mrs. RosaRose a teacher and raised in Visayas married a Tausog in Jolo,Sulu. The marriage necessitated her to transfer teaching in the place of her husband who is also a teacher. Coming from a different family background in terms of religion, ethnic origin, social background. Mrs.Rose has to adjust to her present relocated residence. She was accepted to teach in one of the elementary schools in the area where a mixture of different ethnic groups are enrolled.
  • 9.
    Visiting International Faculty Program (VIF) • Largest cultural exchange program for teachers and school • Dedicated to transforming lives through international exchange of teachers • Offers highly qualified teachers from around the world serving as teachers and cultural ambassadors in the United States.
  • 10.
    VIF Purposes andBeliefs 1. All schools should have at least one international exchange teacher 2. All students should be exposed to a variety of exchange teachers during their academic careers 3. All communities should have an equal opportunity to develop globally literate citizens to help build a foundation for success in the global marketplace.
  • 11.
    History of VIF • It was founded in 1987 • Kindergarten up to grade 12 in 1989 • North Carolina Department of Public Instruction • In 1996 VIF was asked to recruit teachers in other subject areas • Expanded areas including the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, and California • International teachers are coming from more than 50 countries of the world such as, Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain and Philippines
  • 12.
    Fullbright Teacher Exchange Program • Promote mutual understanding between the United States and countries around the world. • Involves a year or semester direct exchange with a counterpart in another country teaching the same subject at the same level
  • 13.
    Inter-African Teacher Exchanges • To provide opportunity for teachers to learn from teaching environment in other African countries • To extend experiences and widen the horizon of African teachers by encouraging exchange visits to countries outside Africa • To create cultural awareness and tolerance of developments in different African education environments
  • 14.
    Activities: • Bestationed at one school for one week and another for another week • Observe teaching in the said teacher’s subject • Guest teach using ICTs at the schools that the teacher is visiting • Discussions with teachers in another school • Write a journal of their exchange visit
  • 15.
    Canadian Educators Exchange • Non-profit foundation which handles both student and educator exchanges • Educators and students have an opportunity to broaden their understanding of one another’s cultures, customs, and languages
  • 16.
    Two kinds ofProfessional Development Experiences: 1. One Year Exchange – enables teachers in Alberta to swap their jobs (and homes) with teachers in countries Australia, New Zealand, UK, Germany and US for a period of one year. During this time, teachers continues to be paid by his or her school board in Alberta.
  • 17.
    2. Short-Term Exchange– occurs during spring and summer holidays, enables teachers and administrators to job shadow with the counterpart in another country
  • 18.
    Global Teachers Millennium Awards • This program is limited only to participating countries, it is important to learn that the Global Exchange program contributes to the quality of teachers worldwide.
  • 19.
    This program aimsto: • Change the lives of UK educators, personally and professionally by encouraging them to fulfill their aspiration and use their talents in innovative ways; • Ensure benefits for staff and pupils of UK schools and their local communities through the dissemination of innovative development education;
  • 20.
    This program aimsto: • Support the aims and activities of Link’s educational programs in South Africa, Ghana and Uganda; • Set a standard and develop a model for other similar scheme
  • 21.
    Intention of theProgram: • Increased knowledge of people and life in developing countries • Better understanding of how UK is linked with other countries • More positive attitudes towards people and life in developing countries-challenging stereotypes and beliefs in shared humanity • More positive attitudes towards multicultural nature of UK society-challenging of stereotypes and embracing of diversity
  • 22.
    A Global teacherin this program is: • Thinks and acts both locally and globally • Embraces the world’s rich variety of ways of life • Understands that this world is interconnected • Committed Believes in education • Has professional and personal skills • Brings the world into their classroom • Encourages dialogue and partnership • Can inspire others