Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
William Anderson
Committee Member
Mae V. Islar
Keywords
British literature, cooperative learning, cultural pluralism, curriculum development, ethnicity, learning modalities, learning styles, multicultural education, multicultural training, multiethnic education, personal narratives, portfolio assessment, secondary English, thematic instruction, writing instruction
Abstract
The goal of this practicum was to Increase the relevancy of the regular senior English course In British literature and composition by expanding the curriculum to Include selections from countries, other than the United States, influenced by the British Colonial Empire. This approach would render the curriculum more germane to the ethnic diversity of the contemporary classroom.
Using a thematic approach, works were selected to include writer’s representative of African, Aslan, and Hispanic cultures. These additions were enmeshed into the regular canon of British authors. Learning styles and cooperative Learning strategies were employed to promote cooperation and understanding within the classroom. The writing component was designed to foster self-exploration through interaction with the literature at a more personal level by means of personal essay, journal, letter, and portfolio writing. Group editing and sharing were encouraged. While the formal implementation period covered only a three-month period, the expanded syllabus covered the year-long course.
The practicum outcome was positive. Each of the four ethnic groups surveyed exceeded the projected goals. Each group gained dramatically in strength of identity with major characters in the expanded British literature curriculum. These gains strongly support the perceived requisite for educators to attend to the need for minority students to encounter role models representative of their particular cultures.