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.
