Module 5MULTICULTURAL AND GLOBAL LITERACY

UNDERSTANDING MULTICULTURAL AND

LESSON 5
GLOBAL LITERACY

 Discuss multicultural and global literacy;

 Illustrate the Global Competence Framework;
 Explain the dimensions of multiculturalism;
 Elucidate the assessment strategy for global
competence and global understanding;
 Present effective ways on how to integrate global
multiculturalism in the lesson using appropriate
Desired Learning delivery strategies, assessment tools and
Outcomes instructional materials;
 Draw relevant life lessons and significant values from
personal experience in demonstrating multicultural
literacy;
 Analyze research abstract on global and multicultural
literacy and its implications on teachinglearning
process; and
 Draft relevant policy in addressing multiculturalism in
school

How can global competence and global understanding be

Essential Question / assessed in the classroom?
How can you integrate multicultural and global literacies in
Activity
the lesson using appropriate delivery strategies, assessment
tools and instructional materials?

As schools cater to diverse students in class, be it in terms

of gender, color, race, nationality, religious affiliations,
Overview cultural beliefs, ethnic groups, socio-economic status, etc.,
teachers need to understand the concept of multicultural
literacy to come up with appropriate approaches in class.

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

Learning Target/s
 Share a personal experience in demonstrating global
and multicultural literacies and explain the life lessons
and values they have realized and learned.

WEEK 5

EDUC 206 | BUILDING AND ENHANCING NEW LITERACIES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
 As schools cater to diverse student in class, be it in terms of gender, color, race,
nationality, religious affiliations, culture beliefs, ethnic groups, socio-economic status, etc.,
teachers need to understand the concept of multicultural literacy to come up with appropriate
approaches in class.

Multicultural Literacy

Multicultural literacy consists of the skills and ability to identify the creators of knowledge
and their interests (Banks, 1996) to reveal the assumptions of knowledge, to view knowledge
from diverse ethnic and cultural perspective, and to use knowledge to guide action that will
create a humane and just world (Boutte, 2008).

Multicultural literacy then, brings attention to diversity equity and social justice foster cultural
awareness by addressing difficult issues like discrimination and oppression towards other
ethnicities (Boutte, 2008).

Accordingly, education for multicultural literacy should help students to develop the 21 st
century skills and attitudes that are needed to become active citizens who will work toward
achieving social justice within communities. Because of the growing racial, language and
ethnic diversity in the country, multicultural literacy needs to be transformed in substantial
ways to prepare students to function effectively in the 21st century (Boutte).

Boutte (2008) reiterated that making small changes within the classrooms can create big
changes globally. As diversity grows, there is a need for the emergence of multicultural
education that is more representative of the students in today’s classrooms. Banks (2003)
asserted that teaching students to be advocates of multiculturalism is also a matter of
sending a message of empathy and tolerance in schools to develop a deeper understanding
of others and appreciation of different cultures. Developing these attitudes and skills requires
basic knowledge prior to teaching students how to question assumptions about cultural
knowledge and how to critique and critically think about important cultural issues, which is
what essentially makes multicultural literacy a 21st century literacy (Banks, 2003).

Global Literacy

Global literacy aims to address issues of globalization, racism, diversity and social justice
(Guo, 2014). It requires awareness and action, consistent with a broad understanding of
humanity, the planet, and the impact of a human decision on both. It also aims to empower
students with knowledge and take action to make a positive impact in the world and their
local community (Guo, 2014)

According to the Ontario Ministry of Education (2015), a global citizen should possess the
following characteristics: (1) respect for humans regardless of race, gender, religion or
political perspectives; (2) respect for diversity and various perspectives; (3) promote
sustainable patterns of living, consumption, and production; and (4) appreciate the natural
world and demonstrate respect on the rights of all living things.

Interconnecting multicultural and global literacy. Every classroom contains students of

different races, religions and cultural groups. (Guo, 2014) averred that students embrace
diverse behaviors, cultural values, patterns of practice, and communication, yet they all
share one commonality, which is their educational opportunity.

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 Therefore, teachers should teach their students that other cultures exist and that
these deserve to be acknowledged and respected. Integrating a variety of cultural context
into lessons and activities teaches students to view the world from many angles, creates
respect for diversity and enables student to learn exciting information. As classrooms
become increasingly more diverse, it is important for educators to analyze and address
diversity issues and integrate multiculturalism information into the classroom curriculum
(Guo, 2014).

The OECD Global Competence Framework

1Source: https://www.oecd.org/pisa-2018-global-competence.htm

The framework depicts the four dimensions of global competence encompassing the
development of knowledge, values, attitude and skills that flow along parameters of attaining
such competency.

Global Competence

The desire to participate in interconnected, complex and diverse societies has become a
pressing need. Recognizing the role of schools in preparing the youth to participate in the
world, the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) developed a
framework to explain, foster and assess students’ global competence. This design serves as
a tool for policymakers, leaders and teaches in fostering global competence among students
worldwide.

Global competence is a multidimensional capacity. Therefore, globally competent

individuals can analyze and rationalize local, global and intercultural issues, understand and
appreciate different perspectives and worldviews, interact successfully and respectfully with
others, and take responsible action toward sustainability and collective well-being (OECD
publication).

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 Global competence refers to skills, values and behaviours that prepare young
people to thrive in a diverse, interconnected and rapidly changing world. It is the ability to
become engaged citizens and collaborative problem solvers who are read for the workforce.

Promoting global competence in schools. Schools play a crucial role in helping young
people to develop global competence. They can provide opportunities to critically examine
global developments that are significant to both the world and to their own lives. They can
teach students how to critically, effectively and responsibly use digital information and social
media platforms.

Schools can encourage intercultural sensitivity and respect by allowing students to engage
in experiences that foster an appreciation for diverse peoples, languages and cultures
(Bennett, 1993; Sinicrope, Norris and Watanabe, 2007). Schools are also positioned to
enhance students’ ability to understand their place in the community and the world and
improve such ability such ability to make judgments and take action (Hanvey, 1975 in PISA,
2018).

The Need for Global Competence

The following are the reasons why global competence is necessary:

1. To live harmoniously in multicultural communities. Education for global competence

can promote cultural awareness and purposeful interactions in increasingly diverse
societies (Brubacker and Laitin, 1998; Kymlicka, 1995; Sen, 2007). People with
diverse cultures are able to live peacefully, respect differences, find common
solutions, resolve conflicts and learn to live together as global citizens (Delors, et. al.,
1996; UNESCO, 2014b). Thus, education can teach students the need to address
cultural biases and stereotypes.
2. To thrive in a changing labor market. Education for global competence can boost
employability through effective communication and appropriate behaviour within
diverse teams using technology in accessing and connecting to the world (British
Council, 2013).
3. To use media platforms effectively and responsibly. Radical transformations in digital
technologies have shaped young people’s outlook on the world, the interaction with
others and their perception of themselves. Online networks, social media and
interactive technologies give rise to new concepts of learning, wherein young people
exercise to take their freedom on what and how they learn (Zuckerman, 2014).
4. To support the sustainable development goals. Education for global competence can
help form new generations who care about global issues and engage in social,
political, economic and environmental discussions.

Dimensions of Global Competence: Implications to Education

Education for global competence is founded on the ideas of different model of global
education, such as intercultural education, global citizenship and education for democratic
citizenship (UNESCO, 2014a; Council of Europe, 2016a).

Despite differences in focus and scope, these models share a common goal of promoting
students’ understanding of the world and empower them to express their views and
participate in the society. PISA proposes a new perspective on the definition and
assessment of global competence that will help policy makers and school leaders create

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learning resources and curricula that integrate global competence as multifaceted cognitive,
socio-emotional and civic learning goal (Boix Mansilla, 2016).

This definition outlines four dimensions of global competence that people need to apply in
their everyday like just like students from different cultural backgrounds are working together
on school projects.

Dimension 1: Examine issues of local, global and cultural significance

This dimension refers to globally competent people’s practices of effectively utilizing

knowledge about the world and critical reasoning in forming their own opinion about a global
issue. People, who acquire a mature level of development in this dimension, use higherorder
thinking skills, such as selecting and weighing appropriate evidence to support arguments
about global developments. Most likely, globally competent students can draw on and
combine the disciplinary knowledge and thinking styles learned in schools to ask questions,
analyze data and propositions, explain phenomena, and develop a position concerning a
local, global o cultural issue. Hence, globally competent people effectively use and create
both traditional and digital media (Boix Mansilla and Jackson, 2011).

Dimension 2: Understand and appreciate the perspectives and world views of others

This dimension highlights that globally competent people are willing and capable of
considering other people’s perspectives and behaviours from multiple viewpoints to examine
their own assumptions. This in turn, implies a profound respect for and interest in others with
their concept of reality and emotions. Individuals with this competence also consider and
appreciate the connections that enable them to bridge in differences and create common
ground. They retain their cultural identity while becoming aware of the cultural values and
beliefs of people around them (Fennes and Hapgood, 1997).

Dimension 3: Engage in open, appropriate and effective interactions across cultures

This dimension describes what globally competent individuals can do when they interact
with people from different cultures. They understand the cultural norms, interactive styles
and degrees of formality of intercultural contexts, they can flexibly adapt their behaviour and
communication manner through respectful dialog even with marginalized groups. Therefore,
it emphasizes individuals’ capacity to interact with others across differences in ways that are
open, appropriate and effective (Barrett, et.al., 2014).

Dimension 4: Take action for collaborative well-being and sustainable development

This dimension focuses on young people’s role as active and responsible members of
society and refers to individual’s readiness to respond to a given local, global or intercultural
issue or situation. It recognizes that young people have multiple reams of influence ranging
from personal and local to digital and global. Globally competent people create opportunities
to get engaged to improve living conditions in their communities and build a just, peaceful,
inclusive and an environmentally sustainable world.

The assessment strategy for global competence

The PISA 2018 assessment of global competence contributes developments, while

considering challenges and limitations. It has two components: 1) a cognitive test exclusively
focused on the construct of “global understanding”; and 2) a set of questionnaire items

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collecting self-reported information on students’ awareness on global issues and cultures,
skills (both cognitive and social) and attitudes, as well as information from schools and
teachers on activities that promote global competence (OECD, 2018).

Curriculum for global competence: Knowledge, skills, attitudes and values

Schools can provide opportunities for students to explore complex global issues that they
encounter through media and their own experiences. The curriculum should focus on four
knowledge domains: (1) culture and intercultural relations; (2) socio-economic development
and interdependence; (3) environmental sustainability; and (4) global institutions, conflicts
and human rights. Teaching these four domains should stress on differences in
perspectives, questioning concepts, and arguments. Students can acquire knowledge in this
domain by reflecting on their own cultural identity and that of their peers by analyzing
common stereotypes toward people in their community or by analyzing related cues of
cultural conflict. Acquiring knowledge in this aspect is important in developing values, such
as peace, respect, non-discrimination, equality, fairness, acceptance, justice, non-violence
and tolerance (OECD, 2018).

Skills to understand the world and to take action

Global competence builds on specific cognitive, communication and socio-emotional skills.

Effective education for global competence gives students the opportunity to mobilize and use
their knowledge, attitudes, skills and values together while sharing ideas on global issues in
and outside of school or interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.

A school community that desires to nurture global competence should focus on clear,
controllable and realizable learning goals. This means engaging all educators to reflect on
teaching topics that are globally significant, the types of skills that foster deeper
understanding of the world and facilitate respectful interactions in multicultural contexts, and
the attitudes and values that drive autonomous learning and inspire responsible action
(OECD, 2018).

Knowledge about the world and other cultures

Global competence is supported by the knowledge of global issues that affect lives locally
and around the globe, as well as intercultural knowledge, or knowledge about similarities,
differences and relations among cultures. This knowledge helps people to challenge
misinformation and stereotypes about other countries and people, and thus, results in
intolerance and oversimplified representations of the world.

This can be done through the following strategies (OECD, 2018):

Perspective-taking refers to the cognitive and social skills or understanding how other
people think and feel.

Adaptability refers to the ability to adapt systems thinking and behaviours to the prevailing
cultural environment, or to situations and contexts that can present new demands or
challenges.

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Openness, respect for diversity and global-mindedness

Globally competent behavior requires an attitude of openness towards people from other
cultural backgrounds, an attitude of respect for cultural differences and an attitude of global-
mindedness. Such attitudes can be fostered explicitly through participatory and learner-
centered teaching, as well as through a curriculum characterized by fair practices and an
accommodating school climate for all students.

Openness toward people from other cultural backgrounds involves sensitivity towards
curiosity about and willingness to engage with other people and other perspectives on the
world (Bryam, 2008; Council of Europe, 2016a).

Respect consists of a positive regard for someone based on judgment of intrinsic worth. It
assumes the dignity of all human beings and their inalienable right to choose their own
affiliations, beliefs, opinions or practices (Council of Europe, 2016a).

Global-mindedness is defined as a worldview, in which one sees him/herself connected to

the community and feels a sense of responsibility for its members (Hansen, 2010).

Valuing human dignity and diversity

Valuing human dignity and valuing cultural diversity contribute to global competence
because they constitute critical filters through which individuals process information about
other cultures and decide how to engage with others and the world. Hence, people, who
cultivate these values, become more aware of themselves and their surroundings, and are
strongly motivated to fight against exclusion, ignorance, violence, oppression and war.

Clapham (2006) introduced the four aspects of equality of core rights and dignity. To wit: (1)
the prohibition of all types of inhuman treatment, humiliation or degradation by one person
over another; (2) the assurance of the possibility for individual choice and the conditions for
each individual’s self-fulfilment, autonomy or self-realization; (3) the recognition that
protection of group identity and culture may be essential for that of personal dignity; and (4)
the creation of necessary conditions to have the essential needs satisfied.

Global understanding

Understanding is the ability to use knowledge to find meaning and connection between
different pieces of information and perspectives.

The framework distinguishes four interrelated cognitive processes that globally competent
students need to use to understand fully global or intercultural issues and situations (OECD,
2018).

1. The capacity to evaluate information, formulate arguments and explain complex

situations and problems by using and connecting evidence, identifying biases and
gaps in information and managing conflicting arguments.
2. The capacity to analyze multiple perspectives and worldviews, positioning and
connecting their own and others’ perspectives on the world
3. The capacity to understand differences in communication, recognizing the
importance of socially appropriate communicate and adapting it to the demands of
diverse cultural contexts.

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4. The capacity to evaluate actions and consequences by identifying and comparing
different courses of action and weighing actions on the basis of consequences.

Thus, globally competent students should be able to perform a wide variety of tasks
utilizing different cognitive processes, such as: reasoning with evidence about an issue
or situation of local, global and intercultural significance; searching effectively for useful
sources of information; evaluating information on the basis of its relevance and reliability;
synthesizing information to describe the main ideas in an argumentative text or the
salient passages of a conversation; and combining their background knowledge, new
information and critical reasoning to build multi-casual explanations of global or
intercultural issues (OECD, 2018).

Integrating Global and Intercultural Issues in the Curriculum

For global education to translate abstraction into action, there is a need to integrate
global issues and topics into existing subjects (Klein, 2013; UNESCO, 2014). In practice,
content knowledge related to global competence is integrated in the curriculum and
taught in across ages, starting in early childhood when presenting them in
developmentally appropriate ways (Boix Mansilla and Jackson, 2011; UNESCO, 2015).

Therefore, Gaudelli (2006) affirmed that teachers must have clear ideas on global and
intercultural issues that students may reflect on. They also need to collaboratively
research topics and carefully design the curriculum while giving students multiple
opportunities to learn those issues. Teachers may also engage in professional learning
communities and facilitate peer learning.

More so, teaching about minority cultures in different subject areas entails accurate
content information about ethnically and racially diverse groups and experiences.
Curricula should promote the integration of knowledge of the other people, places and
perspectives in the classroom throughout the year (UNESCO, 2014a), rather than using
a “tourist approach”, or giving students a superficial glimpse of life in different countries
now and then.

Textbooks and other instructional materials can also distort cultural and ethnic
differences (Gay, 2015). Teachers and their students should critically examine textbooks
and other teaching resources and supplement information when necessary.

Connecting global and intercultural topics to the reality, contexts and needs of the
learning group is an effective methodological approach to make them relevant to
adolescents (North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, 2012). People learn and
become more engaged when they get connected with the content and when they see its
relevance to their lives and their immediate environment (Suarez-Orozco and Todorova,
2008).

Pedagogies for promoting global competence. Various student-centered pedagogies

can help students develop critical thinking along global issues, respectful
communication, conflict management skills, perspective taking and adaptability.

Group-based cooperative project work can improve reasoning and collaborative skills. In
involves topic- or theme-based tasks suitable for various levels and ages, in which goals
and content are negotiated and learners can create their own learning materials that they
present and evaluate together. Learners, participating in cooperative tasks, soon would

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 realize that to be efficient, they need to be respectful, attentive, honest and empathic
(Barrett, et. al., 2014).

Class discussion is an interactive approach that encourages proactive listening and

responding to ideas expressed by peers. By the exchanging views in the classroom,
students learn that there is no single right answer to a problem, understand the reasons
why others hold different views and reflect on the origins of their own beliefs (Ritchhart,
et. al., 2011).

Service learning is another tool that can help students develop multiple global skills
through real-world experience. This requires learners to participate in organized activities
that are based on what has been learned in the classroom and that benefit their
communities. After the activities, learners reflect critically on their service experience to
gain further understanding of course content, and enhance their sense of role in society
with regard to civic, social, economic and political issues (Bringle and Clayton, 2012).
Through service learning, students not only “serve to learn”, which is applied learning,
but also “learn to serve” (Bringle, et. al., 2016).

The Story Circle Approach intends students to practice key intercultural skills, including
respect, cultural self-awareness and empathy (Deardorff, n.d.). The students, in groups
of 5-6, take turns sharing a 3-minute story from their own experience based on specific
prompts, such as “Tell us about you first experience when you encountered someone
who was different from you in some ways.” After all students in the group have shared
their personal stories, students them, share the most memorable point from each story in
a “flash back” activity.

Other types of intercultural engagements involve simulations, interviews, role plays and
online games.

Attitudes and values integration toward global competence. Allocating teaching

time to specific subject that deals with human rights issues and non-discrimination is an
important initial step in cultivating values for global competence.

Values and attitudes are partly communicated through the formal curriculum and also
through ways, in which teachers and students interact, how discipline is encouraged and
the types of opinions and behavior that are validated in the classroom. Therefore,
recognizing the school and classroom environments’ influence on developing students’
values would help teachers become more aware of the impact of their teaching on
students (Gay, 2015).

Learning Reflection

Direction: From the perspectives of global competency. Fill-in the boxes below in the context
of instruction along lesson content, assessment, teaching strategy, materials and
learning outcomes.

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 CURRICULUM APPLICATION

Direction: Draft a relevant policy in addressing multiculturalism in school. (i.e. admitting

EDUC 206 | BUILDING AND ENHANCING NEW LITERACIES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
 foreign students and indigents, student mix, inclusive education, multigrade
teaching, heterogeneous class grouping, addressing students with special need,
etc.). Use the provided format template sample below.

LET SAMPLERS: Taking the Examination

Read and analyze each item carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer.

EDUC 206 | BUILDING AND ENHANCING NEW LITERACIES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
1. Which of the following learning outcomes best reflects an integration of multicultural
and global literacies?
A. Discuss multicultural concept and relate it to your personal experience
B. Create an artwork that depicts multicultural dynamics
C. Demonstrate care, respect and acceptance of classmates belonging to
indigenous group
D. Suggests ways in promoting multiculturalism and addressing conflict issues
2. Which of the following is directly a contrast of the concept of multiculturalism?
A. A staff who dislikes a certain food from the other region because it does not
suit his taste bud
B. A dean who refuses a student to enroll a subject that does not adhere to
prerequisite requirement
C. A student who does not prefer to have his education in a public school
D. A teacher who ignores students who cannot understand the lesson
3. In discussing a lesson on international conflict, Teacher E cites the Scarborough
Shoal dispute between China and Philippines and its economic implications to the
region, the national security and foreign relations. In this case, which dimension of
global competence is being addressed?
A. Examine local, global and international issues
B. Understand and appreciate the perspectives and world views of others
C. Take action for collective well-being and sustainable development
D. Engage in open, appropriate and effective interactions across cultures
4. Schools have become open to the idea of borderless global society. Which among
the following educational practices support the multicultural perspective towards
globalization?
I. Cultural Exchange Program
II. International School Partnership
III. United Nations Celebration
IV. International Conference on Peace Talks for Students and Teachers
A. I and II only
B. II and IV only
C. I, II and III
D. I, II, III and IV

5. Which traditional paper-and-pen test can assess multicultural skills?

A. Identification. Write what is being asked in each item about the concept of
multiculturalism.
B. Matching type. Match the tribes in column A with the cultural practices and
traditions in column B. Write letters only.
C. Enumeration. List down 10 ways in sustaining cultural diversity amidst conflict
crisis.
D. Essay. How can we show respect for diversity? Cite a personal experience
that brought you an instance of conflicts due to difference and elaborate how
you managed the incident and processed respect.

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