Write Your Own Ending

It is unlikely, based on the story, that the personnel at the school intended to discriminate against Jason. Still, each year many youngsters have a difficult time learning and at times, the learning issues are related to lack of awareness that the student is struggling due to lack of expertise in using and understanding English.

How does someone overlook different cultures, different languages?

In many cases, a student may come from a culture other than a dominant middle class North American upbringing. By assuming that all people have the same background, mores, standards, basic religions, a teacher could eaisly overlook important pieces of the learning picture for a child.

There are many considerations in honoring different cultures. The following sites give ideas about being more aware of students' feelings.

Methods for Helping Students

Tolerance

Based on the prologue, write an ending to the story. The place to take over?

"What was troubling Julia right now was how Jason's bilingual background had slipped past the school and the teachers. Jason was a bright young man. Had teachers been less attentive because of his slight accent? Was there prejudice going on? Wasn't there any way to find out the first language of a youngster before developing an IEP? Why didn't Jason tell someone that he was proficient in Spanish but had never read in English? These were puzzling. She had uncovered one mystery, only to find herself surrounded by more questions!"

E-mail J'Anne Affeld at Janne.Affeld@nau.edu

Course developed by J'Anne & Martha Affeld

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