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Definition

A culturally and linguistically diverse student is an individual who comes from a home environment where a language other than English is spoken and whose cultural values and background may differ from the mainstream culture. Today, students may also be referred to and labeled by different terms, such as limited English proficient (LEP), language minority student, or English-language learner (ELL). 

The U.S. population has been becoming increasingly more diverse over the past two decades.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2007), in 1980, 23.1 million people spoke a language other than English at home, compared to 55.4 million people in 2007 (a 140 percent increase, during which the U.S. population grew 34 percent). Today, nearly one-fifth of Americans live in a household in which a language other than English is spoken. (Garcia, 2002, p.8) 

There are no universal solutions or specific rules for responding to ethnic, gender, and cultural diversity in the classroom.It has been researched and suggested some ways to deal with diversity from the perspective of the teacher in the classroom:

• Treat each student as an individual, and respect each student for who he or she is.
• Rectify any language patterns or case examples that exclude any groups.
• Do your best to be sensitive to terminology that refers to specific ethnic and cultural groups as it changes.
• Get a sense of how students feel about the cultural climate in your classroom. Tell them that you want to hear from them if any aspect of the course is making them uncomfortable.
• Introduce discussions of diversity at department meetings. 
• Convey the same level of respect and confidence in the abilities of all your students.
• Don’t try to “protect” any group of students.
• Select texts and readings whose language is gender-neutral and free of stereotypes, or cite the shortcomings of material that does not meet these criteria. Teachers should aim for an inclusive curriculum that reflects the perspectives and experiences of a pluralistic society.

           Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross Davis; Jossey-Bass Publishers: San Francisco, 1993

                                                                                                       

What does a culturally and linguistically diverse student "look like" in the classroom?

In the 2009-10 consolidated state performance report from the U.S. Department of Education, Florida alone has 260,202 LEP students represented in our public schools.  Culturally and linguistically diverse students can be found in any type of classroom.  They come from a variety of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, and may speak a variety of languages.  In Florida, the five most common languages spoken are Spanish/Castilian, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and French. (FL State Performance Report, U.S. Dept. of Education)  Educators should become familiar with the languages and cultures of the students they teach.  Although a student may appear uninterested or antisocial it may be because they have come from a different background and what is acceptable in our culture may be quite different in theirs.  With this understanding, we will be better able to help our students adapt into the classroom environment and our cultural norms.