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Accommodating the needs of multicultural and multilingual learners is one the biggest challenges facing today's teachers (Hodges, 2001). Recent statistics indicate that one in five students has a parent who was born in another country (National Education Association, 2002) and that in the past 10 years the number of students who speak a language other than English has increased 95% (National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition, 2004). Although the number of immigrant students in the United States continues to increase, most teachers have had little or no preparation for working with diverse students, particularly English language learners (Carrier, 2005: Crandall, Jaramillo, Olsen, & Peyton, 2001).
Due to cultural and social circumstances, multicultural and multilingual students have unique needs and varied preferences for learning (Crandall et al., 2001; Snowman & Biehler, 2003). Specific strategies that have been found to be effective in accommodating the needs and learning styles of diverse learners are described in this article. This information, derived from the research and scholarly literature on culturally and linguistically diverse students, provides important suggestions for family and consumer sciences (FCS) teachers and offers insights on teaching diverse students.
Effective Instructional Strategies and Practices
Visuals
Because diverse students often are in various stages of proficiency in the English language, teachers must become skilled in presenting information in ways that are less dependent on language. Visuals such as pictures, photographs, drawings, diagrams, and graphic organizers are highly effective when teaching students who are not auditory learners (Carrier, 2005; Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm, 2003). For English language learners, visual teaching aids help them attach meaning and mental images to words and concepts through nonverbal means (Carrier, 2005; Curtis & Bailey, 2001). Furthermore, they provide visual stimuli that can be universally understood, helping to bridge the language barrier in multicultural classrooms.
Hands-On Learning Experiences
Research has found that diverse students benefit immensely when they have the opportunity to interact with materials, participate in activities, and manipulate objects and equipment (Carrier, 2005; Watson, Pettus, & Fairchild, 2001). Because culturally and linguistically diverse students tend to be tactile, kinesthetic learners, hands-on instructional activities that employ multiple senses make learning more meaningful for them (Bruno, 1982; Curtin, 2006; Kline, 1995). FCS teachers-probably more so than other teachers-utilize a variety...