Accommodating diversity in the classroom: teachers' perspectives and practices

Abstract

Working in a school whose student population is characterized by its diversity is a challenging prospect for most teachers. Yet given the compulsory nature of schooling in Canada and the on-going pattern of global immigration, this is a challenge that most educators across Canada encounter. This study explored the ways in which eight teachers in an urban Catholic high school in Alberta accommodate the diversity they face everyday and the steps they take to enhance educational equity for minority students. As well, the beliefs and values that permeate the participants' teaching practices were examined. Critical theory informs an analysis of the constraints to and possibilities for enhancing educational equity for minority students. The impact of the dominant ideology on teaching practices and the role of hegemony in marginalizing minority students is also discussed. Recommendations for teaching for social change conclude the study.