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JULY 2004

Valuing Language Diversity and Fostering Inclusion
By Nancy L. Cloud, Ed.D.

What does it mean to value language diversity and how can we foster true inclusion in our increasingly linguistically diverse public schools? Which educational response is in the best interest of linguistically and culturally diverse students (including those with identified disabilities) to support their cognitive, academic, and personal development—the assimilation of students into English as quickly as possible or the promotion of linguistic and cultural pluralism? One place we can look for the answers to these critical educational questions is to our professional associations. They make it abundantly clear that, in addition to developing English skills, encouraging the use and development of the native languages of children is in their best educational interest, fosters the strongest sense of self, and contributes to healthy family functioning. In addition, it is becoming increasingly clear in our global reality that having a linguistically and cross-culturally competent citizenry is in the best interest of the nation (Genesee & Cloud, 1998). Valuing language diversity, then, is the means of fostering inclusion for language minority children and their families.

Who says so? The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Education Association (NEA), Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and the International Reading Association (IRA) are just some of the prominent professional associations that endorse the use and development of the native language. Their statements all use active verbs such as accept, respect, value, promote and encourage in relation to the use of children’s native languages at school. Why? Because, through the native language, children are able to fully access their prior knowledge and experience. Children continue their cognitive, linguistic, and academic development uninterrupted when the native language is used at least until English is strong enough to serve the same educational functions. Children with well-developed native languages experience greater success in learning English. Children with strong cultural and linguistic identities have high self-esteem and psychological health, both of which contribute positively to learning. As it regards assessment, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), and the American Psychological Association (AMA) also endorse the use of the native language. In their “Fairness in Testing” procedures, they mandate assessments being conducted in ways that correspond to children’s linguistic and cultural characteristics so that assessments accurately portray their educational needs. [For a review of the positions of the professional associations named, see Cloud (in press)].

Clearly there is a strong convergence of professional opinion that children’s native languages and cultural backgrounds matter when it comes to education. What this means is that we must fully know our students in terms of their linguistic and cultural characteristics so that we can use this knowledge to construct responsive educational environments. We must prepare “highly qualified” teachers who fully appreciate the role of native language in child development and the importance of all children having healthy cultural and linguistic identities. In this manner, we create strong learners who are poised for success in any language. To value language diversity is to respect language’s centrality to learning and development. Fostering true inclusion in a linguistically and culturally diverse society such as ours depends on this fundamental understanding.#

Nancy L. Cloud, Ed.D. is Professor of Special Education, Feinstein School of Education and Human Development Rhode Island College.

Cloud, N. (in press). Bilingual education practices. In G.B. Esquivel, E.C. Lopez & S. Nahari (Eds.) Handbook of multicultural school psychology. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Genesee, F. & Cloud, N. (1998). Multilingualism is basic. Educational Leadership. 55 (6), 62-65.

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