The Impact of Language and Culture on Learning

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the various strategies that school systems have employed to better integrate native languages and cultures into their curriculum. The paper emphasizes the need for educational systems to develop an integrated learning system which addresses the learning needs and styles of all students rather than just the majority culture.

From the Paper:

"The importance of understanding the impact that a student's native language and culture has on his or her ability to learn is critical in the success of the educational program the student is in. Zehler touches upon the importance and complexity of language and culture on educational success when she states that English language learners (ELL) have specific needs: "...they need to build their oral English skills. They also need to acquire reading and writing skills in English. And they must...maintain a learning continuum in the content areas (e.g., mathematics, science, and social studies)"(1994). Thus, educational programs and, indeed, systems must account for not simply for the ELL student's target language acquisition but the ELL student's entire curriculum base."

Sample of Sources Used:

• The Bottom Line. (2000, May). NEA Today, 18, 16.
• Corson, D. (1999). Language Policy in Schools: A Resource for Teachers and Administrators. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Eckerman, A. (1994). The Interdependence of Culture and Education: In one Classroom: Many Cultures. Allen & Unwin, Sydney.
• Gutierrez, K. D., Asato, J., Pacheco, M., Moll, L. C., Olson, K., Horng, E. L., Ruiz, R., Garcia, E., & Mccarty, T. L. (2002). "Sounding American": The Consequences of New Reforms on English Language Learners. 328+.
• Hochschild, J. L., & Scovronick, N. (2003). The American Dream and the Public Schools. New York: Oxford University Press.

More papers on The Impact of Language and Culture on Learning:

• Term Paper # 133483 : "Impact of Language and Learning"
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