Teaching Diverse Students: A Comparison of Pedagogical Approaches

Published 08/14/2024 in Scholar Travel Stipend

Written by Marisol León | 08/14/2024

As a first generation American, native Spanish speaker, and educator, I believe innovative approaches to serving diverse student populations are crucial in creating inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments. Such approaches can help bridge language barriers, recognize cultural strengths, and provide a more equitable learning environment, ultimately enhancing all students’ educational experience.

Having grown up in California accessing bilingual classrooms prior to California voters supporting Proposition 227, I know first hand what it means to have your cultural and linguistic identity affirmed in the classroom.  Bilingual classrooms instilled in me a sense of pride in my identity, and this validation then boosted my self-esteem and motivation—leading to a more positive elementary school experience. 

California

The passage of Proposition 227 in 1998 significantly altered California’s approach to bilingual education. Proposition 227 mandated that all public school instruction be conducted in English and required that English learners be placed in English immersion programs, typically not lasting more than one year, before transitioning to mainstream English-only classrooms. The initiative arose from alleged concerns that bilingual education was not effectively teaching English to immigrant children, thus hindering their academic progress and integration. While Proposition 58 eventually repealed Proposition 227 in 2016, restoring public schools’ ability to engage in bilingual education programs, generations of California students did not have the opportunity to access bilingual education despite the fact that, as many other countries’ educational systems emphasize, proficiency in multiple languages is a valuable skill in a globalized economy, enhancing employability and opening doors to various professional fields.

Singapore

I became interested in Singapore’s education system when I learned that Singapore’s multilingualism is reflected in its four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. I wondered how educators address such linguistic diversity in their classrooms. 

Through the Milken Scholars Program, I had the privilege of traveling to Singapore in March 2024 with fellow Milken Scholar, Yalie, and educator Angelina Calderon (MS’06). On a site visit to the East campus of the United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA), we had the opportunity to speak to Pin Qi Lee, Co-founder of Edm8ker.  In addition to learning about her work with Edm8ker, Pin Qi answered many of our questions related to Singapore’s approach to serving a diverse student body given that she herself is a product of Singapore’s education system.  

Through Pin Qi we learned that Singapore addresses multilingualism in the classroom through its bilingual education policy, through which students are taught in English, the primary language of instruction, but also learn their designated Mother Tongue Language (MTL) – Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil. This approach ensures that students not only achieve proficiency in English (facilitating global communication and access to future job opportunities), but also preserve their ethnic heritage and cultural identity through the MTL curriculum.

Pin Qi also shared that approximately 80% of Singaporeans live in public housing and that this is a cornerstone of Singapore’s housing policy, offering affordable and quality homes to the majority of its population.  Moreover, she shared that a policy called the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) sets limits on the percentage of flats that can be owned by members of each ethnic group within a particular block and neighborhood, thereby preventing the formation of ethnic enclaves and segregation, thereby fostering multicultural integration.

Singapore’s bilingual education and housing policies had me thinking about moving to Singapore! Intentional government policies that prevent segregation and celebrate ethnic and linguistic diversity?! It all seemed too good to be true. Pin Qi, however, advised against romanticizing the education and housing policies. Despite the government’s efforts to promote racial harmony and integration, Pin Qi shared that discrimination and inequity are still problems in Singapore. For instance, although public schools in Singapore are all funded equally, parents at certain schools engage in additional fundraising to provide supplemental opportunities for their children in order to provide them with a competitive edge.

Pin Qi’s organization, Edm8ker, addresses the need for supplemental educational opportunities by equipping students in 40 schools in Singapore with skills in areas such as coding, robotics, and design thinking by providing access to state-of-the-art technology, expert mentorship, and opportunities to apply lessons learned in local communities. Edm8ker encourages collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking, preparing students for the demands of the modern workforce and nurturing their potential as future innovators and entrepreneurs. Edm8ker also provides teachers with lesson plans, an educator guide, and training so that they can take ownership of the curriculum if they wish to do so and adapt it to their students’ needs.

While Singapore has consistently performed well in standardized testing on an international scale, often ranking among the top performers globally, recently it has placed a greater emphasis on holistic education, student well-being, and the joy of learning rather than solely focusing on academic achievement. Pin Qi shared with us that Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) has introduced various initiatives and reforms aimed at promoting a more balanced and student-centric approach to education. The MOE has been revising curricula to make them more student-centric, inquiry-based, and focused on developing critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. There is also an increasing emphasis on holistic development, including social-emotional learning, to support students' overall well-being and personal growth. Pin Qi also mentioned efforts to reduce academic stress and the overemphasis on high-stakes examinations. This includes changes to assessment practices and greater recognition of alternative pathways to success. Lastly, the MOE has also been encouraging a culture of lifelong learning and skill development to prepare students for the challenges of the future economy. That said, while in Singapore, we also had the opportunity to talk to folks who provided constructive feedback on this new approach and noted that more could be done to address students’ mental health needs, which is a criticism that is also applicable to the States and many other countries.

Nevertheless, Singapore prioritizes teacher preparation. Only the top 30% of graduates can apply for the National Institute of Education and teachers have to undergo yearly professional development. Teachers are respected, well trained and compensated with bonuses for strong performance.  This is another aspect of Singapore’s education system that the U.S. and many other countries can adapt and learn from.

Vietnam

I also became interested in learning about Vietnam’s education system because it has 54 existing ethnic groups, even though the Kinh makes up 85% of the total population. Acknowledging the significance of foreign languages, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training launched the National Foreign Languages Project in 2020. This Project is the first large-scale effort by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to improve instruction of and through foreign languages (primarily English) within its educational system.  According to this initiative, bilingual education is encouraged in high schools, yet primary schools have received comparatively less attention. Folks we spoke to during site visits made it clear that ethnic minority students encounter schooling difficulties due to their disadvantages in Vietnamese, the national language and also the language of the ethnic majority in Vietnam. One of the teachers we spoke with, who prefers to remain anonymous, shared that while reforms have aimed to promote critical thinking and creativity, rote learning still plays a significant role in the Vietnamese education system. That same teacher, however, noted that Vietnam has engaged in intentional efforts to improve infrastructure, teacher recruitment, and curriculum development in remote regions.

Conclusion

Singapore's focus on STEM education, innovation, and bilingualism equips students with essential skills for the global economy. Similarly, Vietnam’s commitment to expanding access to education, particularly in rural areas, contributes to higher enrollment rates compared to the US, which are worth noting. Through my short time in Singapore and Vietnam, I learned so much about the ways in which different stakeholders—private, public, and government—attempt to address the most pressing issues of our time by fostering a meaningful life through the gateway of education.