A Journey, Not a Destination

Abstract

Cultural competence is more than a buzzword; it is a best practice for transition educators who work with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in special education. Developing cultural competence is easier said than done, and many educators don't know where to start. Knowing the history and definitions of cultural competence, understanding what it is and what it is not, and being able to identify examples of cultural competence in common interactions with students and families can help educators develop cultural competence and improve the services for CLD students in special education.The population of students receiving special education services has become increasingly diverse across dimensions of language, socioeconomic status, race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, family structure, and religion (Kim & Morningstar, 2007). This increase in CLD student populations has brought about a number of challenges for the field of special education. Specific to secondary transition, it is known that diverse groups of students with disabilities experience very different postschool outcomes (Wagner, Newman, Cameto, Garza, & Levine, 2005). Newman et al. (2011) indicated youth with disabilities lag behind their typically developing peers in postschool outcomes related to postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. These Understanding Cultural CompetenceDiversity training has been an important issue in special education for decades 587679T CXXXX10.

Across the Conference Table: Private and Public Mothering of Children With Learning Disabilities

“…In particular, Beth Harry and colleagues have explored the significance of cultural meanings of disability among diverse families as well as potential conflicts between family and institutional values. Their work challenges conceptualization of parents as a monolithic group, and calls for the development and implementation of culturally responsive practices (Conroy, 2012; Harry, 2008; Hart, Cheatham, & Jimenez-Silva, 2012; Povenmire-Kirk, Bethune, Alverson, & Kahn, 2015; Salas, 2004; Sheehey, 2006). In other words, it seems to matter who sits across the conference table and how professionals engage them.…”

Navigating Two Pandemics: Racism/Inequity and COVID-19: Thoughts From a Former Special Education Teacher

“…Conduct genuine cross-cultural competence assessments with your colleagues (Povenmire-Kirk et al, 2015), and be honest with your cultural backpack and implicit bias. Have the courage to have uncomfortable conversations and actively listen.…”

Effects of a multicultural perspectives course on teacher candidates’ intercultural competence

“…As Bayles (2009) suggests, more studies using the IDI as a pre-post test tool are necessary to ascertain the effects of participation in programs or professional development activities on the growth of intercultural sensitivity. It is also necessary to increase the knowledge about the particular kinds of courses or training that assisted student teachers in undergoing the personal transformation to work effectively with diverse students (Povenmire-Kirk et al, 2015;Zeichner, 1993). A mixed method pre-post test investigation of teacher candidates may help educators and researchers gain a better understanding of developmental processes leading to improved outcomes.…”

“…integrate and translate knowledge about groups of people into attitudes, standards, policies and practices that increase the quality of services and produce better outcomes (p. 320, as cited by Povenmire-Kirk et al, 2015)". This definition emphasized the importance of connecting teachers' cultural competence with their students' positive outcomes.…”

“…Although teacher preparation programs have made progress in preparing prospective teachers to work effectively with increasingly diverse students, controversy or inconsistency exists about whether these multicultural courses are effective in bringing about real change (Pappamihiel, 2004). As noted by Povenmire-Kirk et al (2015), despite the fact that the population of students with special needs is becoming increasingly diverse across multiple dimensions, the majority of special education teachers continue to be White females from middle-class backgrounds (Institute for Education Sciences, 2013). Some researchers examined the pre-service teachers' general awareness of cultural differences using the Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory (Larke, 1990;Milner et al, 2003).…”