Intercultural education is a reflective, socioeducational practice focused on social and cultural transformation through equal rights, equity, and positive interaction between different cultures. An intercultural education should help us learn to live together and should educate people, to grow their knowledge, understanding, and respect for cultural diversity. At the same time, it demands pedagogical practices based in civic education. The program provides opportunities to focus on formal or non-formal education, community education, teacher education, adult literacy and learning theories, gender issues in development, social theories of education, comparative education, cultural issues in education, and education in crisis and conflict contexts. Interculturalism requires the establishment of policies that champion equity, in order to achieve equality at the legal and social levels, and that promote genuine equality of opportunity. Multicultural education has long-term benefits for students because those who learn to appreciate and value the cultural diversity of their peers will ideally grow up to be adults who likewise promote equality and justice. In addition, UIL is contributing to UNESCO’s priority focus on literacy by strengthening national capacities to scale up quality, inclusive and gender. Research refers to the assimilationist, multicultural, and intercultural cultural diversity management models, and the conclusion appears to be that the intercultural model is the framework that accounts for an integrated and inclusive society. The mandate of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is to promote lifelong learning with a focus on adult and continuing education, literacy and non-formal basic education. They show how the principle of diversity as a quality dimension for education and learning can stimulate personal growth, encourage tolerance and promote active participation in society.Cultural diversity is a characteristic of plural societies, and the way that each society approaches that diversity determines whether or not the societies evolve or stagnate, whether cultural groups remain segregated or integrate, and whether social inequalities grow or if communities affirm the value of diversity and promote equality.įor this reason, it is important to analyze the cultural diversity management system that guides our interventions because the socioeducational methods and practices designed for any given plural context depends on them.
5-6), entitled “Quality multilingual and multicultural education for lifelong learning”, showcases 13 examples of innovative policy and practice in mother-tongue-based multilingual education. The latest edition of UIL’s journal International Review of Education (2011, Vol. It helps them to understand how languages and cultures in contact complement each other, and to become skilful communicators in multilingual settings. The participants’ interest in the field of multicultural education had various beginnings. Cultural Pluralism in Agriculture Interest in DME Field. Special Education for Diverse Students 10.
Foundations of Education in a Multicultural Society 9. Rather, it supports learners in developing language awareness, learning several languages and building respect for different cultures. Multicultural Education: Issues and Practices 8. At European level there is a growing trend towards valuing non-formal and informal learning as well as a strong focus on embedding non-formal working methods in traditional education pathways. Such an ethos does not separate languages from each other. In environments where multilingualism and cultural diversity are ordinary and seen as resources for individuals and for social cohesion, a multilingual ethos can guide educational policy and practice.
Quality in education is not just a philosophy but also a process which encompasses all the linguistic and cultural resources available to learners. For the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning a crucial question is: in pursuit of lifelong learning and quality education for all, how do we respond to the important UNESCO standpoint of linguistic and cultural diversity? Penny Lisi served at as the editor of the NAME journal from January 1998 through January 2018. Since the summer of 1993 the National Association for Multicultural Education has published a quarterly journal, Multicultural Perspectives. International Mother Language Day (21 February) celebrates all world languages. Multicultural Perspectives is the official journal of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME).