We live in a remarkably diverse world, and this diversity is evident in work, community, educational contexts and, in general, all spheres of life. Due to advancements in technology and globalization the world has become integrated economically, socially and culturally which means that the interaction between people with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds has also increased. More and more organizations and companies are becoming multinational in scope, operating subsidiaries and establishing reporting structure across several cultures, making multinational workforce the new norm. Therefore, the education system must do its utmost in teaching all students to successfully interact with people from diverse backgrounds, in order to educate future generations efficiently.
Diversity may seem an intimidating task for educators, especially in the areas of instruction, assessment and socialization. There can be such negative consequences as academic failure and social isolation in teaching process if sociocultural and linguistic differences are not considered. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for teachers to understand the increasing cultural and linguistic diversity of today's society and recognise the uniqueness of all cultures, languages, and communities. They should persistently work towards respecting and celebrating their own and students' unique abilities and strengths in creating fair and equal classroom communities.
In conclusion, although understanding and acknowledging the similarities and differences of cultural behaviors and beliefs can be challenging for some teachers, the benefits of cultural competence cannot be denied. It will enable educators to create atmosphere of trust and work successfully in multicultural classrooms.
References
Brown, H.D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 4th Edition. Pearson ESL.
