Early Childhood Development

Module 4: Diversity in early childhood

Module 4: Diversity in early childhood

• After completing this module you will be able to:– Discuss diversity in early childhood

1. DISCUSS DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION

After completing this outcome you will be able to:• Explain the term “diversity” in the context of

inclusive practice• Reflect on and share personal feelings about living

in a diverse society• Plan and administer a questionnaire to share ideas

on how people feel about living in a diverse society• Discuss how culture, socio-economic conditions,

HIV/AIDS and gender affects early childhood development and early learning

• Discuss the importance of an anti-bias approach in early childhood

1.1 Definition of the term “diversity” in the context of

• Diversity means an anti-bias approach. This means that all people need to work collectively against all kinds of prejudice. We need to understand, recognize and appreciate all of our differences and similarities.

• European Network for Diversity and Accessibility in Early Childhood Education (DECET) defines diversity with regards to children as follows:– “All children and adults have the right to evolve and to

develop in a context of equity and respect for diversity. Children, parents and educators have a right to good quality in early childhood education services, free from any - overt and covert, individual and structural – discrimination due to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.”

Activity 1: Self reflection on diversity in society

• Imagine that you have the task to choose 10 people from the list below to be sent to create a new society. Write down the person and the reason why you would choose this person

• Your facilitator will provide you with a template to complete this activity

Priest Imam Barman

Single female teacher Housewife and mother of three children

Musician

Gay, male nurse Unemployed street person

White farmer (67 years old)

Physically disabled engineer

Single pregnant teenager

Female electrician

Old women Female psychiatrist Ex-beauty queen

Political activist HIV positive teacher with 30 years teaching experience

Army veteran (male 70 years old)

Traditional healer Sports coach

1.2 Diversity in society

• Culture is a set of rules for behaviour in a certain society and people will be influenced by these rules and so behave in a certain manner so that they will be understood or accepted in their “culture”

• Culture is learnt. What each person learns depends on who raises them. For example: Hold your fork in your right hand; make sure that your head is covered when you are outside

• Cultures often share rules. For example, it is unacceptable to steal

Activity 2

• Look at the photos:

Activity 2• Complete the following information for each picture. Look at

your answers. What do you think it tells you about yourself? Share your answers with a partner.

 My name is ___________________________ I have ____________ brothers and sisters. I live with my _______ We live in a ______________________ My father is __________

 and my mother is _______________________ One day I want to

be a ________________________________

Activity 3

• Your facilitator will make copies of this questionnaire. You will need to interview at least six people (respondents) of different ages and fill in the questionnaire with them. Respondents need not give their names. You will have to record your findings from the questionnaires in a brief report

1.4 How do the following factors affect early childhood development and early

learning?• Tips for having a multi-cultural approach to Early

Childhood development and learning:– Have special days where children all have a chance to

tell the rest of the class about their family– Ensure that all special holidays that are relevant to the

children in the class are celebrated in one way or another

– Introduce different foods, music and dress to the children in the class

– Ask parents to assist in creating a multi cultural classroom

– Ask questions and have people explain their customs and traditions

1.4 How do the following factors affect early childhood development and early learning?

• Socio-Economic conditions– Nutrition and health: Hungry children can not

play and learn and are more likely to fall ill. The provision of healthy and balanced meals should be part of the daily routine in an Early Childhood Centre, especially if the centre is open for the entire day

– Lack of resources: Parents in poor socio-economic circumstances may not be able to provide adequately for their children. This could also result in them not being able to pay school fees. There should be assistance granted to these families in accessing government support and social services

1.4 How do the following factors affect early childhood development and early learning?

• HIV / AIDS– Young children infected and affected by HIV

and AIDS are in need of supportive services within the ECD setting

– The exclusion of these children will mean that these children are not given the opportunity to develop holistically and interact with their peers

– ECD centres have an important role to play in educating children and parents around HIV and AIDS

1.4 How do the following factors affect early childhood development and early learning?

• Sexism– Sexism is discrimination or devaluation based on a person's

sex• Examples of sexism

– Insisting that boys should not play with dolls and prams and that girls should not play with cars and trucks

– Employing a man instead of a women because a woman will take maternity leave or take leave if her children are sick

– Directing girls away from previously male dominated jobs like engineers

– Placing women in “traditional” female roles in an employment situation. For example, secretary

– Using words like “doll”, “chick”, “babe” to refer to women.– Remarks like “A woman’s place is in the kitchen.”

1.5 The importance of anti-bias approach in early childhood

• It is important that children and adults together build early childhood services where children (and adults):– Feel that they belong– Are stimulated to develop the diverse aspects of their

identity– Can learn from each other across cultural and other

boundaries– Can participate as active members of the ECD centre– Can address bias through open communication and

willingness to grow– Work together to challenge prejudice and

discrimination

1.5 The importance of anti-bias approach in early childhood

• Some practical ideas on an anti-bias approach in early childhood:– Classrooms should reflect all the cultural groups, languages and beliefs of

the children in the class– There should even be examples of other cultures even if all of the children

in the class are from the same cultural group– Pictures in the classroom should show non gender specific roles. For

example, men cooking food, men as nurses, women fixing a car or a women as a doctor

– Show pictures of diverse families. For example, single parent families, gay families, inter racial families, adopted families or families headed by a grandparent

– Multilingual approaches in the classroom. For example, posters in two or more of the official languages and singing songs in different languages

– Remember that parents are a resource to assist with cultural, language and belief diversity. For example, a parent could be asked to come in to the class to teach the children a song in a particular language

Activity 4

Summative assessment: Class discussion

• In groups, debate how you would react to each of the following situations. Be as honest in your answers as possible. Record your answers on large sheets of newsprint. Each group will be given a chance to report back to the rest of the class– Your son is given a doll as a present. How would you react?– Girls shouldn’t swear. What do you think?– Women get too emotional. What is your opinion?– Real men don’t cry. Do you agree with this statement?– Men are not suitable to look after or teach young children. They will not cope. Do you

agree?– Women should not be priests. What do you think?– I would not like my child to be taught by a homosexual. Do you agree with this

statement?– Men should open the door for women. What is your feelings on this issue?– Who should cook/mow the lawn/change the car’s oil? Why?– Should women fight in wars for their country? Explain your position.

•  Your facilitator will guide you as to how this assessment will be marked.