Description

Intercultural education celebrates the positive aspects to cultural diversity as well as drawing attention to the power differences between groups and societies. These guidelines – presented in English and Irish – aim to combat racism, value cultural difference, and promote inclusiveness and equality in schools and classrooms in Ireland. The guidelines form a series of best practice resources for the equal participation and outcomes in education of children of ethnic minorities, including Travellers.

The guidelines follow the format of an introductory section and a related checklist for each topic. The checklist will act as an affirmation of what is already taking place in schools and, perhaps, a prompt for further action.

The topics include Enrolment Policies; Inclusive Strategies for Parents; Whole School Guidelines; Classroom Guidelines; Bilingual Learners; Bilingual Learners in the Classroom; Dealing with Racist Incidents; Ensuring Success.

Big Ideas in this Resource

• intercultural education is about respecting cultural difference and promoting antiracism, it is not simply the knowledge of a variety of cultures. It aims to counter misconceptions and negative stereotyping of different cultures, religions or nationalities and seeks to develop an appreciation of other cultures in the context of a critical appreciation of local/Irish cultures.
• Intercultural education celebrates the positive aspects to cultural diversity as well as drawing attention to the power differences between groups and societies.
• All schools have a responsibility to promote interculturalism and counter racism regardless of the ethnic profile of the school community.
• All children, not just children from ethnic minority groups, will benefit from an intercultural education and be better prepared for the intercultural environment in which they live
• While schools are implementing many of the strategies and policies contained in the guidelines it is important to ensure that racism does not enter a void where there is not a well thought out policy that ethnic origin, culture, colour is irrelevant to people’s intrinsic worth