Chapter 2: Answers
Multicultural Education
Comprehension Questions
- What is one of the primary objectives of multicultural education? Answer: One of the primary objectives is to help bridge understanding between dominant culture and groups of people who may have been marginalized by that culture.
- What are some examples that are part of culture? Give at least three examples. Answer: Any three of the following – language, customs, traditions, values, food, music, dress, gender roles, importance of religion.
- What are the two main responses to culture? Give an example for one of them. Answer: 1. Enculturation, or the process of acquiring the characteristics of a culture and knowing how to navigate behaviours and customs. Example – if you have ever studied abroad or visited another county, you will likely have encountered another culture where you needed to adapt and learn how to navigate new social behaviours. 2. Socialization, which refers to the process of learning the social norms of a culture. Example – when you go to school you learn how to work in teams.
- What aspect of society helps to maintain the dominant culture? Give an example. Answer: It is often maintained through our institutions. These include our political and economic institutions, churches/temples/synagogues, schools, and media.
- In what two ways is culture related to education? Provide an example for each way. Answer: 1. Culture influences what and how we learn; Example: The work of Galileo. 2. Greater experiences with a dominant culture often equal greater success within that culture. Example: Cultural capital, the symbolic credit a person acquires by having more experiences with dominant culture. Some examples of the most valuable cultural capital include things like reading at least three hours per week, owning a home computer, attending preschool, and having exposure to performing arts (playing an instrument, chorus, etc.).
