Fostering equity in a multicultural and multilingual classroom through cooperative learning

Abstract

This paper presents a programme designed to deepen knowledge regarding diversity and to sustain equality and equity in participation during class activities in high sociolinguistic diversity classrooms. We investigated a four-stage programme integrating all students' heritage languages in cooperative school activities in one 4th grade class in the French-speaking canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Activities that the teacher engaged in included: a) activities devoted to openness to others, b) activities devoted to linguistic diversity, c) activities devoted to cultural diversity, d) cooperative activities, relying on heritage languages and personal family stories. The three first stages aimed to help students feel accepted and comfortable when participating in multilingual cooperative activities. Feedback from the teacher, students and parents indicated that this programme found its place in the regular curriculum and participants appreciated it. This programme also improved students' sense of belonging to the class and a feeling of relatedness.

A Conceptual Framework for Inclusive Pedagogy in South African Multilingual Higher Education Classrooms

“…This issue could be traced back to the apartheid era and democratic dispensation. As further observed by Buchs and Maradan (2021), similar to the era of colonial rule, the alienation of indigenous South African languages is a common feature in apartheid and post-apartheid eras that manifest in various forms in different settings, including university classrooms. According to Goduka (1998), due to apartheid government language policies aimed at promoting English and Afrikaans as the only means of communication, major indigenous languages have been undervalued and underdeveloped.…”

The Relationship Between Cooperative Learning, Cultural Intelligence, EFL Motivation and Students’ Performance: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

“…Students who participate in cooperative learning build their social skills, exchange information, improve their attitudes toward learning, and acquire the teamwork abilities essential for productive and successful engagement. In addition, cooperative learning may increase student satisfaction with their learning (Buchs & Maradan, 2021; Chen, 2021; Maxwell-Stuart et al, 2018; Yanti, 2021).…”

Impact of Cooperative Learning Strategy on Students’ Academic Productivity

“…In order to feel like a team, which is crucial in every aspect of life, one must pursue a conclusion that benefits everyone with whom they are jointly associated. According to Buchs and Maradan (2021), the learning process in which students work together to achieve group goals in cooperative learning is effective in achieving the goal of learning subject knowledge and developing students' skills of mutual support, cooperation and communication. Compared with individualistic or competitive learning method, cooperative learning method was more effective in promoting social interaction, learner autonomy, and learning success (Shih, 2020).…”