TES 7040

TEACHING IN DIVERSE CLASSROOMS:

CHARACTERISTICS AND STRATEGIES OF
EFFECTIVE TEACHERS

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE
TEACHERS OF DIVERSE STUDENTS
Important Characteristics of Effective Teachers of Diverse
Students

A clear sense of their own ethnic and cultural identity (auto-
evaluation, acceptance that all people have ethnicity and
cultures)

High expectations for student success

The expectation that all students can succeed and that teachers can
help them (teacher efficacy)

A commitment to achieving equity for all students (Equity and social
justice for all students)
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE
TEACHERS OF DIVERSE STUDENTS
Important Characteristics of Effective Teachers of Diverse
Students (Continued)

The ability to accommodate different learning
styles and abilities (Multiple intelligence)

The ability to bond with students as a result
of genuinely caring about young people
and their welfare (pedagogy of caring)

A strong multicultural knowledge base that
encompasses ethnic studies, gender
concerns, and sensitivity to persons with
special needs (Multicultural education) (Zeichner, 1995)

STRATEGIES USED BY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS OF
DIVERSE STUDENTS

Planning meaningful learning tasks based on the
curriculum

Engaging students in interactive and collaborative
learning tasks

Challenging students to develop high-level thinking skills

Providing scaffolding (support) for students to ensure
that they can succeed

Building on students prior knowledge
Diverse Teaching
Strategies Engage
Students in
Meaningful Learning
STRATEGIES USED BY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS OF
DIVERSE STUDENTS (CONTINUED)
Communicating to students the expectation that they can
succeed and that you, the teacher, will help them

Explaining culture of the school to students

Maintaining students sense of ethno-cultural pride and
identity

Involving parents in their students education (Tiedt, P.L.
& Tiedt, I. M., 2002)


STRATEGIES USED BY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS OF
DIVERSE STUDENTS (CONTINUED)

Developing a sound lesson model

Using Reciprocal teaching/cooperative learning

Using literature as a rich source of ideas

Brainstorming ideas

Teaching a thematic unit of study
REFERENCES
Tiedt, P. L. & Piedt, I. M. (2002). Multicultural
teaching: A handbook of activities,
information, and resources (6
th
ed.). Boston,
MA: Allyn & Bacon

Zeichner, K. (1995). Preparing teachers for cross-
cultural teaching. In W. Hawley & A.
Jackson (Eds.), Race and ethnic relations in
American schools. San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass.