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Cultural Diversity

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Cultural Diversity
Culture is the learned set of socially acquired traditions, lifestyles and behaviours, that are passed down from generation to generation. (Miller, 2007) These include patterns and ways of thinking, beliefs, knowledge, art crafts, morals , and customs.

In early childhood settings educators regularly come across children that belong to a different race, ethnicity or religion . (Ramsey, 2004). Children that come from a different cultural and linguistic background can have a positive or negative experience depending on the environment and the teaching practices that early childhood educators provide for them.

When children get to know their own culture and see it that it is respected they develop a sense of belonging (Kaiser & Rasminsky, 2003). Developing strategies where children can be exposed to their own culture and language helps them and their families to gain a sense of belonging.

Promoting an anti bias practice is a strategy that provides children with a solid understanding of equality and illuminates positive factors about coming from a different culture. (Miller, 2007). Anti bias practice also promotes self esteem and shows that children have individual differences that should be respected and acknowledge.

Due to the fact that New Zealand is a country of migrants and possesses a multicultural background the early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki, promotes the diversity of cultures. (MoE, 1996) To support children and families that come from different cultures teachers should make use of different strategies to promote multicultural education.

Involving parents that come from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds is a way of supporting the family so that the child feels more involved in the centre. (Gerrity, 2003) This could be done by inviting them in to the classroom to teach some basic home language words, or showing pictures of their country along with art, crafts, food or traditional clothing. Showing the social and

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