Teaching Practices Responsive to Cross-Border Education of Learners from Culturally Diverse Settings: A South African Perspective

Abstract

Naturally, the process of teaching ought to be a reciprocal interaction between the one who teaches and the one who is being taught. Lisa Delpit (1995:183), a native Alaskan educator is credited for saying the following words: 'In order to teach you, I must know you.....I pray for all of us the strength to teach our children what they must learn, the humility and wisdom to learn from them so that we might better teach.' From this view, it follows that while the learning content may not necessarily be informed by the different backgrounds of the learners, the influence of their backgrounds on their learning must be considered. Teachers ought to assimilate the content by using illustrations, facts, and materials from a variety of cultures and groups to demonstrate important concepts in their teaching. They are duty-bound not to be biased against culturally diverse learners in their schools. Their teaching ought to assist learners to cultivate positive dispositions and attitudes toward different ethnic and cultural groups. They ought to use equity pedagogy, to create an empowering school culture and social structure, concentrating on assisting learners from culturally diverse setting. Cross-border education should be a joint-venture between the school, the community and the parents of the learners at the school.