Teaching Diverse Student Populations

Abstract

How to deal with teaching diverse students populations? How to lecture a multicultural group of students? How to be sure that the content of the different chapters will be understood in the same way by students coming from different educational horizons? This has been my challenge since January 2004.
Planning is the key of success. I do not pretend knowing by heart the content of the textbook as well as the content of my lecture but just about. As a way of consequence I am better prepared to assess any ââ¬Åsensitiveââ¬Â issues: lecturing one of them requires neutrality and respect ââ¬Â¦ and sometimes diplomacy.
For instance: How to introduce a Kolkata shantytown or a slum illustrated by one or two photographs in front of a student born in the same city?
Neutrality: observation laying on neutral words such as the width of the path, the materials used to build the ââ¬Åhousesââ¬Â, the age groups and their proportion.
Respect ââ¬Â¦ noticing their spontaneous smile and the beautiful colors of their clothes
Diplomacy ââ¬Â¦ avoiding 100% any negative word, verb or expression.
As a conclusion of this exercise, a positive statement is needed such as the different actions bringing some development and hope.
Such scenario should, ideally, generate a debate but only if students are willing to cooperate and share in front of the class.