Culture, Style, and the Educative Process

Book excerpt: There is growing concern that an increasing number of students of different ethnic backgrounds are not performing to their maximum potential within the current classroom setting. The societal and economic implications of such a situation are staggering. A country cannot survive if a large percentage of its citizens are uneducated, unproductive and noncontributing. This updated and revised Second Edition focuses primarily on African-American, Mexican-American, American Indians, and the Hmong from Southeast Asia as these populations seem to be experiencing the most difficulty, academically. It is hoped this timely book will help the reader better understand how culturally-induced styles ultimately influence academic performance and how the teaching-learning process can accommodate these styles.