Responsive and culturally appropriate environments are among the important elements that invite children to learn. Parents and families will feel comfortable sending their children to a center with these types of culturally appropriate environments. As the director and instructional leader in your VPK program, you play a critical role in creating an environment that not only promotes language development, both in English and in the children’s native languages, but that also supports the overall development of young English language learners.
Your center may already have an attractive and pleasant atmosphere. Changing this into a culturally sensitive environment begins by knowing more about the cultures of children, their families, and your staff. Now we will hear from a director who will tell us how she maintains a culturally sensitive environment in her center.
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button.The following are some ideas or tips that may help in establishing a culturally friendly environment:
- Together with your staff, decide how to make the entrance more home-like and attractive. Adding plants, furniture, or decorations relevant to the children and community’s culture will make people feel they are at a place that welcomes their culture.
- Display welcome signs in English and in the native languages of the children and their families.
- Using a bulletin board, make information available in the languages of all families.
- Plan and celebrate special cultural events reflective of the children and families’ cultures.
- Invite teachers to make their classrooms more culturally appropriate. Acknowledge their efforts, too. Frequently ask them to share ideas and suggestions to maintain the culturally friendly atmosphere of the center.
- Support the teachers. Obtain and make available multicultural materials and resources such as children’s books, music, play objects and manipulatives.
