Department of Education, University of the People

EDUC 5710: Understanding Barriers to Learning

Dr. Lynn-Chih-Ning Chang

April 10, 2022

Introduction
 According to Queensborough Community College (2021), “Diversity" means more than

just acknowledging and/or tolerating difference. Diversity is a set of conscious practices that

involve:

● Understanding and appreciating the interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the

natural environment.

● Practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from our own.

● Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing;

● Recognizing that personal, cultural, and institutionalized discrimination creates and

sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others;

● Building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms

of discrimination.”

Our education system today comprises of a diverse group of students and it is the role of

teachers to ensure that they are all provided with positive learning experiences so that they can

be successful regardless of their cultural background, religion, language, color, and

socioeconomic status. According to Drake (1993), “Teachers should settle for nothing less than a

classroom environment that nurtures and values cultural difference.” Jamaica has been facing a

lot of challenges with inclusion. According to Nathan Eubanks Foundation (2018), “Jamaica in

the past has focused mainly on the practice of mainstreaming as part of the inclusion process.

Mainstreaming is considered the practice of placing students with disabilities in classes and

schools with their non-disabled peers.” The government is now making strides to ensure that

inclusion is being incorporated into the curricula and that the public is made aware. There are

advantages and disadvantages of incorporating diversity in the classroom.

Diversity in Jamaica

Inclusive education has become an important aspect of all classrooms around the world

however, many countries, such as Jamaica, are still struggling with its implementation. In the

Jamaican classroom, teachers grapple with issues of diversity. There have been instances where

students are prohibited from entering the school compound because of the way they are dressed.

If they are not wearing the correct uniforms then they are not allowed in classes or they are sent

home which deprives them of their education. There was also an incident in which a Rastafarian

child was prohibited from attending school because he refused to cut his dreadlocks. According

to Lambert (2017), “Threats to diversity and inclusion come in many forms within our education

system. We find within Jamaican schools there can be religious hegemony, where schools

controlled by certain denominations favor students and staff of that denomination.” It is true that

students who are affiliated with certain religions are treated differently based on the

denomination of the school.

I have also seen where resources are not being allocated equally in different schools as

schools within the inner city are given more resources than schools in the rural areas. Infant

Departments are often given more resources while Basic schools are sometimes left on their

own. The Covid19 pandemic was a typical example as a lot of students were deprived of an

education for over two years because they were not able to afford the required resources.

Schools that were able to finance themselves were given sponsors by government agencies while

other schools struggled to provide students with an education. The only means of

communicating with students was through a phone that could only go on WhatsApp as they

didn’t have enough memory to download other learning platforms.

 Students with special educational needs are also not receiving the support they need in

order to be successful. I have seen where students with special needs are included in the regular

classroom but teachers do not possess the training required to assist them and they just go

through the system. Only a few students are allocated in Special programs while parents have to

find alternate ways of getting an education for their children. Some teachers also treat students

from high-income families differently than students from low-income families.

Initiative to Foster Inclusion in Education

According to Samms (2017), “A task force was commissioned in 2004 to review the

educational system in Jamaica, investigate local and international legislation and make

suggestions for the improvement of the system (Task Force on Educational Reform Jamaica,

2004). One important recommendation was that there should be the inclusion of children with

special needs in regular classrooms (Task Force on Educational Reform Jamaica, 2004). The

government of Jamaica has since then been working on a plan to restructure educational services

which includes a special education policy to promote appropriate education for children with

special needs with a focus on inclusive environments where possible.”

Jamaica has also made advances by making it official through international conventions

which are geared at protecting the civil and political rights of people with disabilities. The

government in its commitment to promote and support ‘Education for All’ has also facilitated a

number of policies and initiatives in order to improve equity and access to education. Policies

and legislation are being promoted to enforce inclusive education practices and to upgrade the

training of teaching staff as well as enforce public awareness. (Nathan Eubanks Foundation,

2018).
Benefits of Embracing Diversity in The Classroom

Gorski (2020) believes that “Students who learn in a diverse classroom are exposed to a

variety of cultures, religions, ethnic backgrounds and even sexual orientation. This can be a

learning experience itself, providing students with the opportunity to integrate and become more

aware of other cultures”. It is now required that all schools in Jamaica promote diversity in the

classroom as it is embedded in the Curricula and students are being taught about other cultures.

Students also have Culture Day in which they focus on a particular culture and they showcase the

culture and dress up and perform dances, show pictures, food, clothes, etc. Gorski (2018) also

believes that when “students learn to work within a diverse classroom, it helps them to become

tolerant, understand and accept other students despite differences. Students are placed in

different groups in which they have to collaborate with each other through, role plays, dances,

etc.

Teachers also encourage students to develop positive relationships by providing

opportunities for them to interact23 with each other. “Students form friendships within a diverse

classroom and share their knowledge of their own culture with each other, adding an insight that

textbooks cannot provide for students.” (Gorski, 2018). Diversity also helps children to develop

critical thinking skills and helps them to understand different perspectives. Students will also

develop self-efficacy as once they feel comfortable in their learning environments they will be

motivated to learn.

Negative Impacts of Embracing Diversity

Gorski (2018) also believes that “when students are faced with lessons that are heavily

focused on a foreign culture, they may lose their own sense of cultural identity, or feel isolated

from their teaching environment as it does not relate to them.” Teachers have to ensure that if
students are from other cultures we try to find ways to incorporate their cultures into lessons so

that they don't lose their cultural identity.

Sometimes students form groups based on their religion, language, or interest which may

affect minority groups. Gorski (2018) says that “when social groups are formed tensions can

arise in the classroom, discouraging awareness and tolerance towards others.” Teachers can try

to address this problem by providing opportunities for students to build relationships with each

other regardless of their cultural background so that minority students do not feel isolated.

Teachers are sometimes faced with language barriers when most of the students speak

another language. They may unintentionally gravitate towards the group that understands their

language. “Language barriers or learning difficulties can provoke stereotypes and create biased

assumptions in teachers, such as believing a student to be less academically able if language is

not as fluent as other students due to cultural differences. (Gorski, 2018).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that Jamaica needs to make a lot of strides to ensure that

inclusion is totally incorporated into the classrooms. Although the government is trying its best

to promote inclusion in society it will still be a problem if all stakeholders are not educated about

the importance of embracing diversity. Teachers have to continue doing their best to ensure that

they educate themselves and their students about diversity so that they will learn to be tolerant of

other cultures, develop critical thinking skills, understand different perspectives, and develop

self-efficacy. They also have to be mindful that students do not lose their cultural identity, do

not exclude others from groups and there are no biased assumptions so that students despite their
religion, cultural background, language, and socioeconomic status can be successful in an

inclusive environment.

References

Drake, D. (1993). Student Diversity: Implications for Classroom Teachers.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/30188892

Gorski, V. (2018). Positive & Negative Aspects of Diversity in the Classroom.

https://classroom.synonym.com/positive-negative-aspects-diversity-classroom-7978159.html

Lambert, C. (2017). The Vauxhall Incident: A Catalyst for Exploring Diversity and Education
in Ja. https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/the-vauxhall-incident-a-catalyst-for-exploring-
diversity-and-education-in-ja_100889

Nathan Eubanks Foundation, (2018). Inclusive Education on a National Level: focus on

Jamaica. https://nefjamaica.org/inclusive-education-on-a-national-level-focus-on-jamaica/

Queensborough Community College, (2021). Definition for Diversity.

https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/diversity/definition.html

Samms, J. (2017). Inclusion in Jamaican Primary Schools: Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Attitudes,

and Concerns. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=4470&context=dissertations `