Factors That Affect Learning Among Culturally Diverse Students, Thesis Example

Abstract

It is a proven idea that many students from different cultures have certain perceptions about their academic success. Many believe they are not capable of learning, in an American society, as Americans. According to the literature review, these perceptions seem to be somewhat correct. However, it is not the student’s fault. Academic success is based on many things and students from different cultures may lack some or all of the components in which help elevate academic success in the United States. This paper will introduce some of the components in which Hispanic students perceive to be some of the strongest factors in their level of academic success. Some of these components include language barriers, stereotypes, culture, social status, religion, the school environment and the home environment. This paper will also state the significance of the problem and find a reasonable way to erase the perceptions that these students have in relation to their ability to achieve academic success.

Introduction

It is important for all students to have the opportunity to achieve an education where they are free of the thought of academic failure based on their cultural background. However, this is not the case with most Hispanic students. Many Hispanic students fear that they will not succeed academically based on the many perceptions that they have about school, their culture and their abilities. As more and more of these students think about their own perceptions, they begin to doubt what they can really do with their lives and what they can achieve academically. Unfortunately, this leads to greater problems for the Hispanic community. Many students end up dropping out of school, turning to other facets that make them feel as if they can do something right, and even leading lives of crime. If not born and raised in the United States where education is important and necessary to succeed in the future, Hispanic students may not even really understand why they have to attend school or college at that. Many Hispanic individuals are raised based on the idea that family and work are the main aspects of their lives. A lot of the time, education is not even factored into the equation. Therefore, they have problems understand why an education is even legitimate in their lives. However, nonetheless, these individuals have to go to school here in the United States and those who choose to attend college have to go and complete their degrees. Unfortunately, they still perceive certain things of themselves and their abilities. There are many things that Hispanic students feel make achieving academic success more difficult for them than individuals who are not of Latino descent. Some of these factors include language barriers, stereotypes, culture, social status, religion, the school environment, and their home environments. From the research that has been obtained for this thesis, it is understandable that these individuals have these perceptions of the difficulty in gaining academic success. These are some of the top factors that research has provided that sheds a little light on the reasons in which Hispanic students, or even students of any other diverse culture, have problems in academic areas. Language barriers are one of the biggest factors for academic difficulty among Hispanic students. Many teachers are not proficient in any other language in the United States than English. Therefore, it makes it very difficult if the students speak little to no English and if the teacher has no other way of getting through to them. Another main factor for academic difficulty among Hispanic students is that of stereotypes. Many individuals within our society tend to label Hispanics as individuals who are here just to earn money or to try to take our jobs. They also place stereotypes on these individuals stating that they are illiterate, criminals, or beggars. Many of these stereotypes are not true and should be further investigated before others feel they have the privilege to judge someone by the color of their skin or by their cultural background. Another main factor for academic difficulty among Hispanic students is that of their own culture as well as the American culture. As stated before, these cultures are not the same. They have distinct differences and these students have to learn how to distinguish between the cultures in order to succeed academically. This is something that is not easy to do when a person is comfortable with their own culture and their own ways. However, it is a true barrier for these students earning academic success. Social status is another factor for academic difficulty among Hispanic students. Social status has a lot to do with how we perceive things as individuals, as communities, and as families. Those of lower social statuses do not have the means to hire tutors or to pay extra money for a private school or a special school that does focus on specific culturally diverse issues. Those of higher social statuses have these opportunities if they so desire to seek them out. Another factor include that of the home environment is also a factor that should receive some consideration. Students are easily influenced by their parents and their family members. Therefore, if the family members do not take an active role in their child’s academic success, the child may feel as if he or she does not need to take that active role as a student. This, in turn, creates more problems for the student, the teachers, and the parents. Finally, another factor includes that of the school environment. While in school, students have to collaborate with a multitude of individuals such as teachers, counselors, administrators, and other students. If the school environment is not one of encouragement, there is a huge possibility that Hispanic students will not feel comfortable in their environments. Also, if the teachers are not trained in teaching individuals of diverse cultures, it makes it very difficult for the child to learn. It is important to see exactly how all of these factors play a role in the student’s perception of school and how it may be more difficult for them academically. Therefore, the literature review provides many examples and scenarios, along with studies and general information that will bring this problem to light for the readers of this thesis.

Literature Review

Language Barriers

Language barriers are one of the largest reasons that Hispanic students perceive that academic success is more difficult for them. When a student feels as if they do not know the native language enough to communicate, they ultimately shut down and this makes it more difficult for them to succeed in their academic careers. Many do not understand what the teachers are saying or the concepts that are being addressed. However, they are scared to admit it and do not ask for help, or if they do ask for help, they only get limited help from the teacher which makes them feel inferior and unworthy. This is something that is detrimental to their growth as a student. Language barriers only strengthen stereotypes among the Hispanic population. Therefore, it is important for advisers and counselors not to make assumptions about a student’s skill or lack thereof of the language based purely on stereotypes. If this is done, many students will feel as if they do not have the same opportunities as others in their academic careers. Advisers or counselors should work with the students and provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge that they need in order to succeed and close the language barrier gap. Success, in the school system, is not based primarily on the student. The faculty and staff have to be aware of the diverse population that they encounter on an everyday basis and be able to adjust their techniques in order to help these students (Deutsch, Doberstein, and White, 4). According to the article “Stereotypes,” language barriers tend to make education very difficult for Hispanic students. According to Gheorghita M. Faitar, “the negative intrusiveness and lack of cooperation exhibited by some minority parents may affect the confidence and autonomy of the children’s linguistic efforts. The children experience at the same time, due to parents’ intrusiveness, socio-emotional problems and also become less skilled in one-on-one human interactions” (3). It is of utmost importance to look at these language barriers and figure out how teachers, administrators, counselors and families would be able to help the student achieve success regardless of the barriers there. Language barriers are one of the biggest problems, but this is something that can be worked on and the Hispanic student can actually learn the English language as well as learn about their own culture through literacy programs and literacy work in the classroom. This is something, however, that teachers have to be willing to implement in their classrooms in order to help their students become successful scholars.

Stereotypes

All minority groups are stereotyped no matter which group they actually belong to. This can be said for Asians, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, and Transgender communities just to name a few. Stereotypes are everywhere because that is what our society does and is accustomed to. If an individual is different from the Caucasian, high social class, they will be stereotypes. Quite honestly, even the Caucasian, high social class individuals are stereotyped by the less fortunate. It is a vicious cycle. However, from the research, Hispanics are stereotyped in ways that will hurt them academically, socially, and developmentally. According to Deutsch et al, stereotypes can be formulated just by using the words “diverse,” “diversity,” or “minority” (1). These individuals state that by using these types of words without taking other factors into consideration, stereotyping is possible and it hinders the student’s choices and potential (1). If the word diversity is used too lightly in a sentence referring to a minority group, this can be a hindrance on advisers if they used this to group certain individuals and this would then alienate minority students from a very helpful service (Deutsch et al. 1). According to Deutsch et al, “while it is important to acknowledge the influence that a student’s background or identity could have on his or her experiences in college, it is also important not to expect this to negatively affect a student’s performance in college” (1). For example, if an adviser discusses courses with a Hispanic mother of two and pushes her toward a less demanding course load, that adviser is stereotyping this mother based on the culture in which she belongs to. Though the adviser may know and understand that Hispanic families have a priority to their families before anything else, the adviser must let the student make the decision as to how she wants to take her classes and how hard she is determined to work. By limiting her to a less demanding course load, the adviser has put her in a position that could limit her abilities and potential based on stereotypes of the woman’s culture. Just as these specific words do a number of things to minority students such as Hispanics, so do normal, everyday myths in reference to their culture and their backgrounds. According to the article “Stereotypes,” some of these myths include that most Hispanic are immigrants which is not true. “Only about one-third of Hispanic population in America is immigrants; the remainder have all been born in America” (1). Another popular myth in reference to the Hispanic group is that they do not value education. This is also untrue. “Teachers should be aware that many factors affect the decision of Hispanic youth who choose to drop out of school – the needs of the family are a great importance. Hispanic students may have to make a choice to help provide financial support for their impoverished family rather than finishing school” (2). Unfortunately, whether this is something they want to do or not, the choice to help their family is usually greater on the scale of responsibilities. This does not mean that they do not value their education; it just means that there are other things in their lives that have to be taken care of first. Another myth is that family status and income are determining factors as these determine a student’s potential. This is also untrue as the only thing that determines anybody’s potential is themselves. They have to be willing to do the work, to fight the fight, and to overcome the stereotypes, the socioeconomic status, and family status in order to make their education benefit them. Finally, academic success is measured by the mastery of the English language is another myth and this one is huge. However, it is false as well. “Being able to communicate in English does not signify an understanding or lack of understanding of the academic material” (“Stereotyping,” 2). If a student understands the material, then the student understands the material. Their understanding of that material should not be based on how well they are able to speak the English language. Stereotypes are present everywhere we look throughout our society. However, the way in which individuals, especially those in the academic system use stereotypes can be changed and Hispanics would have the opportunity to finally feel confident in their own skin. As we now know, stereotypes, whether they are positive or negative, can become a hindrance in the advising of Hispanic students as it does not set the individuals apart from the group in which they belong to; it does not allow them to be an individual. However, things can change. According to Deutsch et al, “to work with diverse students, an adviser must have an open mind and be willing to close the gap between himself or herself and the student” (2). We must all realize that stereotypes exist within our own frames of mind whether we want to take responsibility for thinking this way or not. This will encourage us to stop and think about what we do and what we say to a “diverse” student and will help us encourage them to be themselves while also putting emphasis on their academic careers. Also, change can be seen if the school or university promotes diversity among the faculty and staff because, if this is not done, the school will then struggle to provide a welcoming environment for a student body that is already diverse in nature. (Deutsch et al, 2). We need to have faculty and staff that are also diverse so that the diverse population sees that they have great opportunities in front of them. Also, it is the responsibility of advisers and counselors to act as a support system to culturally diverse students. By doing this, they will be able to explain to the student what that student’s family cannot. It is also important for the adviser or counselor to understand that, when dealing with a diverse population, there may be certain language barriers. This is where the adviser needs to be able to take it upon himself or herself and place the student in classes based on aptitude rather than on stereotyping (Deutsch et al, 4). Finally, in order for change to occur within the academic field for culturally diverse students, “it is imperative that academic advisers continue to improve their multicultural competency as a continuing education piece to professional development” (Deutsch et al, 4). It is important for the student to have academic advisers that understand them as individuals as well as understand who they are based on their culture.

Culture

Culture is very important in the academic success of Hispanic students. However, many Hispanic students feel this is a big factor as to why academic success is more difficult for them. According to Grace Nickerson and William Kritsonis in their article “An Analysis of the Factors that Impact Academic Achievement Among Asian Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Students,” those that are considered minorities and whites approach their education in different ways based on how they were raised and the countries in which they are actually citizens (2). It is important for schools to employ a child’s culture so that the child actually has the motivation to learn in the face of adversity (“Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of the Literature, 6-7). According to the article entitled “Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of the Literature,” “assimilation implies superiority on the part of the assimilating culture, which is used as the norm by which all others are measured” (6-7). This is detrimental on the minority cultures as it provokes subtle and overt alienation and resistance. “Literature on culture, racial identity and academic success indicates that African, Latin, Asian and Native American – ALANA – children succeed by using their racial identity and socialization in response to racism and oppression, and as a means of knowledge production and self-actualization” (“Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of the Literature” 6-7). Unfortunately, these children use their culture and racial identity to strive for success in school and everyday life only to get their cultures and identities belittled in the process. If only schools and other parts of the community would understand and realize that racial identity and culture are important for Hispanic students, they would understand that their “culture is a springboard to learn about the world, which would enable them to cross borders of knowledge and culture, secure in knowing that their understanding and experience is valued” (“Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of the Literature”, 6-7). In many studies, it was said that once ALANA children were assimilated into the white society, academic success and attendance in clubs and organizations would follow. However, this is not the case. Schools, clubs and organizations need to understand that their racial identity is part of them, probably the biggest part of them, and that does not just disappear because they are now accustomed to a different society. This racial identity should be embraced so that these children feel comfortable in using their culture to benefit them. Unfortunately, this is not happening at this moment in time. It is said that school desegregation was supposed to be for the good of all students in academics, social clubs, and school in general. However, many are starting to believe that desegregation has done just the opposite. The article “Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of the Literature” states:

School desegregation was based on constitutional principles and had many positive effects, including increased equalization of resources and the institutionalization of civil rights. Yet, school desegregation undercut the value of education for African Americans in numerous ways. First, the numbers of black teachers declined, which meant that African American students were now increasingly taught by whites, the dominant cultural group. Second, in part because of the cultural change in the teaching force, racial uplift and religion were no longer central aspects in the education of black children (8-9)

Yes! This is in reference to African Americans and not specifically about Hispanic students; however, it does affect every other culture that comes into the United States. If schools continue to work on their own assumptions of a culture, they deny students’ cultures, and this denies the students the key resource they bring to their own education and the educational system. “When culture is suppressed or denied, students are educationally disempowered. They find it hard to use their culture to learn” (“Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of the Literature, 8-9). It has been indicated through several studies that ALANA children perform their absolute best when they are in settings that build upon their cultures and racial identities. According to Yolanda Padron, Hersh Waxman, and Hector Rivera from the University of Houston, “in the past, inferior academic achievement among African American, Hispanic, and American Indian populations was interpreted by some as the result of deprivation in the home environment” (7). However, they had to eventually shift their ideas to a more positive outlook and now state that, based on cultural-historic context, they have to take into account the “funds of knowledge” – “the collective knowledge found among social networks of households that thrive through the reciprocal exchange of resources that are available within the students’ home and community” (Padron et al, 7).

Home Environment

The home environment of any child is of utmost importance when it comes to academic success. However, Hispanic children feel as though this is one of the factors that make academic success so difficult for them. Either their families cannot afford to be involved with their schooling by staying home and helping them with homework, attending meetings, or even supporting them through plays or other activities or their families just have no concern for it whatsoever. However, research has stated that it is not the latter that is the problem. Parents want to be involved in their child’s academic success and their futures, but are very reluctant based on some of the things already discussed. According to the article “Cultural Responsiveness, Racial Identity and Academic Success: A Review of the Literature,” educators, parents and students should have very high expectations (14-15). If there are not high expectations, there is nothing for the child to achieve, nothing for the child to look forward to, and this in turn creates a sense of disempowerment for a Hispanic child. Parental involvement is very important to the success of Hispanic students. According to Nickerson et al, it is stated that students whose parents were involved in their child’s academics had a great chance of knowing which classes to take in order for them to obtain a spot in the college of their choice (3). Therefore, it is very important for the parents to be involved and to challenge their children to complete tasks, take certain courses, and encourage them to do their work at home and at school. “If minority and low-income students come to school with less ability to concentrate and put forth less effort on schoolwork, this alone could account for their making less academic progress during the year” (Nickerson et al, 3). Parents have to support and encourage their children at home, help them live happy and healthy lifestyles, and give them the love and care needed in order for the children to focus and do well at other things in life. If a parent is not support of his or her child, the child tends to shut down and will not enjoy anything or attempt to accomplish anything out of the norm. The language barriers, the stereotypes, and the attitude of the child will still be the norm in the American society. According to Gheorghita M. Faitar, “it is proved that sensitive parenting has been linked with positive child outcomes implying language knowledge and literacy development” (3). In relation to language barriers, it is found that cultural aspects of the home environment determine outcomes that are exceptional outcomes in the “language acquisition process if the learner’s self-esteem is raised” (Faitar, 6). Parents have to learn to be supportive in the home and out of the home in order for these Hispanic children to feel as if they can accomplish anything. The minority culture already has them stereotyped and the only way to overcome this is by encouragement and raising their self-esteem in everything that they do.

School Environment

The school environment is just as important for the Hispanic student as the home environment. Teachers are just as much responsible for teaching and helping all children just as much as their families are. Children spend more than half their days with teachers rather than in the home. “When weak relational ties exist between students and teachers, students may feel that teachers have low expectations of them or do not care about them, which can be highly discouraging and cause Hispanic students to disengage from classroom activities or ultimately withdraw” (Barbara Schhneider, Sylvia Martinez, and Ann Owens, 7). However, the school environment is another factor that Hispanic students perceive to be one of the many factors that make academic success more difficult, and this is for a number of reasons. Since many Hispanic students live in urban areas where they are much more immersed in poverty, the educational systems are not up to par either. For example, according to Padron et al, “schools with high concentrations of poor students, for example, tend to be poorly maintained, structurally unsound, fiscally underfunded, and staffed with large numbers of uncertified teachers. Furthermore, classrooms that serve predominantly Hispanic students often lack the technology to adequately meet the needs of the students” (8). Since most of the schools that Hispanic students attend are in poor neighborhoods, they have a tendency not to invest in the future of the school, the students and the teachers. One of the biggest problems within the school environment for these Hispanic students is that they lack qualified teachers and this causes these children to fail academically. According to Padron et al, “Teachers of Hispanic English language learning students (ELLs), for example, are challenged with teaching traditional academic content to student who are in the process of acquiring a second language” (9). This proves to be a very difficult process for both the teacher and the student. If the teacher is not qualified enough to help the student understand, even with the language barriers, they should not be teaching these students the everyday concepts of learning. There should be more qualified teacher, possibly bilingual, who are able to teach these students and help them learn the concepts and the English language at the same time. These teachers need to be highly trained in order to give Hispanic students the confidence they need in order to achieve academic success. Also, as many Hispanics go to schools in which are underfunded, they run the risk of the lack of technology in and out of the classroom. This is another problem in educating Hispanic students and one of the reasons in which learning and academic success is so difficult for them. Research conducted in the past by Baylor and Ritchie in 2002 “implies that unacceptable results go hand in hand with teachers not possessing the necessary skill set to put into operation technology in the classroom” (Kelsey, Mata-Claflin, Holland, & Castillo, 2). It is important to understand that “using technology to enhance classroom instruction furthers the mission of NCLB to close the achievement gap that separates low income, Special Education, LEP, and students of color from their more advantaged peers” (Kelsey et al, 3). Therefore, it is possible for the reader to see and acknowledge that technology needs to be added into the classrooms in order to help these students get ahead and, who knows, the children may even have more fun doing it which encourages them to want to learn. A study, conducted by Kelsey et al, was completed in 2007-2008. The information from this study will demonstrate the need for technology and skilled teachers in a Hispanic environment. The study sample included 24 classroom teachers in an elementary school in South Texas. “The 2007-2008 student population was 582, of which 99.7% were Hispanic” (Kelsey et al, 3). In this study, the participants responded to a survey that was developed and given by the researcher. “They survey consisted of 19 questions designed to determine if elementary teachers used technology as a tool to enhance classroom strategies for improving student achievement among Hispanic students” (Kelsey et al, 3). The surveys were given to 28 participants where 24 were actually returned. By completing this study, the researchers learned that twenty-one or 88% of the teachers agreed or strongly agreed that the technology available on their campus contributed to their students’ daily success, only one teacher disagreed, and only two strongly agreed. Hispanic students and teachers had access to computers during this study. According to Waxman “student learning must be connected to the home in addition to focusing on knowledge learned in the classroom.” (Kelsey et al, 5). If administrators or the states were able to provide computers to students with increased availability of computers, it may help to connect learning in the classroom to real-life situations that these students have to deal with on a daily basis. “The use of e-mail, online dictionaries, spell checkers, and word processors can enhance LEP students’ English skills and play a role in the learning process” (Kelsey et al, 5). The importance of the use of technology in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom seems underestimated. If these students had access to computers, they have a better chance of mastering the English language sooner with less difficulty. This should be enough to prove that technology is needed. Finally, the last factor associated with the school environment and its effect on the Hispanic population’s perception of the difficulty in achieving academic success is that of inappropriate teaching practices. According to Padron et al, most teachers used the direct instruction model where they teach the class at the same time and control the classroom discussion and decision making. This is detrimental to the Hispanic student as it does not allow for one-on-one collaboration with the teacher. This model emphasizes “lecture, drill, and practice, remediation, and student seatwork, consisting mainly of worksheets. Some researchers have argued that these instructional practices constitute ‘pedagogy of poverty,’ because they focus on low-level skills and passive instruction” (Padron et al, 9). Teachers need to be encouraging extended student responses and encouraging students to help themselves as well as other students. “Research has suggested that inappropriate instructional practices or pedagogically-induced learning problems may account for the poor academic performance and low motivation of many Hispanic students” (Padron et al, 10). There are many characteristics of an at-risk school environment that truthfully need to be dealt with so that Hispanic students can achieve academic success. These include: “alienation of students and teachers; inferior standards and low quality of education; low expectations of students; high non-completion rates of students; classroom practices that are unresponsive to students’ learning needs; high truancy and disciplinary problems, and inadequate preparation of students for the future” (Padron et al, 11).

Social Status

Social status is the last point that needs to be made in reference to the Hispanic student’s perception as to why they find academics more difficult for them. The social status of the Hispanic student’s parents is one of utmost importance as it either helps or hurts the chance of the child being provided with a better education. As stated earlier in this paper, many Hispanic students come from urban areas where the schools are not the best. Unfortunately, due to social status and economic status, these students have to attend these schools as they are the free public schools. Hispanic parents who are on the verge of poverty do not have the means to send their children to special schools that focus on culture or provide one-on-one assistance to the child. They cannot send them to private schools and they do not have the money in order to provide tutors for their children in classes that they don’t understand. This plays a very big role in the child’s perception of whether he or she is good enough and can actually achieve high academic standards. According to Gheorghita M. Faitar, it is important to give children of different cultures time to learn the language and concepts of an American culture. Their best place to begin to learn this is in Pre-K. However, many Hispanic children do not get the opportunity to attend Pre-K as many other students do. Therefore, this plays a vital role on their development before they enter kindergarten. According to Schhneider et al of the National Research Council, “quality preschool and kindergarten experience provide the basic foundation for children’s later cognitive and social development. Specifically, for Hispanic children, preschool can serve as a mediator between home and school” (2). However, if the parents do not have the money or the social status for their children to be involved in preschool, these children will not be able to go above and beyond the call of duty in their academic education.

Statement of the Problem

The problem is clear and concise by the research that has been brought forth throughout this paper. The problem is that there are not enough qualified teachers to teach Hispanic children, especially those that have not learned the native language. The problem is that the schools are not employing teacher that want to help all students; they are employing teachers that have degrees in the field and are qualified to teach. Teaching does not just mean teaching American students these days. It also means teaching Hispanics, Asians, African Americans, Native Indians and so forth. The problem is that these students are not getting the type of education they deserve because teachers are not qualified, they do not have the proper technology, and they cannot perform to the best of their abilities because of the school environment. Finally, many teachers believe in different types of teaching which enables the student to learn and to grow; however, this does not account for all of them and this needs to change. The problem is that most teachers are teaching students traditionally whereas other are using specific teaching methods such as culturally-responsive teaching, cooperative learning, instructional conversations, and technology-enriched instruction (Padron et al, 12). This does make a difference in the academic achievement of the Hispanic, but the problem is that most teachers are not using these tools to their advantage and are not as needed. Culturally-responsive teaching “emphasize the everyday concerns of students, such as important family and community issues, and work to incorporate these concerns into the curriculum” (Padron et al, 12). This type of instruction helps the students prepare themselves “for meaningful social roles in their community and the larger society by emphasizing both social and academic responsibility” (Padron et al, 12). According to Padron et al, when teachers actually develop learning activities that focus on the student’s familiar concepts that go along with true academics, “they facilitate literacy and content learning and help Hispanic students feel more comfortable and confident with their work” (12). Cooperative learning “is an effective instructional approach that stimulates learning and helps students come to complex understandings through opportunities to discuss and defend their ideas with others. The most important asset to cooperative learning is that it allows students to work together and to collaborate with one another.” (Padron et al, 12). Instructional conversations, according to Padron et al, “provide students with opportunities for extended dialogue in areas that have educational value as well as relevance to them” (13). This type of learning helps students develop their language as well as learn about complex thinking skills and to guide them in the learning process of a Hispanic student or a culturally diverse student. Cognitively-guided instruction “emphasizes the development of learning strategies that enhance students’ metacognitive development…Through explicit instruction in learning strategies, students learn how to learn and know when to tap various strategies to accelerate their acquisition of English or academic content. Essentially, students learn how to monitor their own learning” (Padron et al, 13). Finally, technology-enriched instruction is the last and final type of instruction used by some teachers in order to help these students achieve their academic goals. This type of instruction means exactly what it says. It uses various forms of technology to help the students learn and grow and continue to succeed in their academic careers. The use of computers, multimedia technology, and other forms of technology help the student grasp the ideas and instruction better. This, in turn, allows them to perceive themselves as confident beings who can now do just what other students can do. All of these practices are great to be used in the classroom. The problem is that not enough teachers actually use them. Encouragement of using such practices as well as obtaining higher qualification are things in which the school boards need to put a lot of emphasis on so that all Hispanic students have the opportunity to do well in school and to finally be able to perceive themselves as something more than a stereotype or a social class with language barriers that keep them from succeeding in life and in academics.

Significance of Research

There is a huge significance to the research. The research shows that Hispanic students are not achieving their ultimate potential because of language barriers, lack of their culture being used and understood in the classroom, poverty, stereotypes, the home and the school environment. The research shows that “the Latino/Hispanic population is the largest minority population in the United States and is also the fastest growing in the United States, expanding at a rate of 3 to 5 times faster than the general population” (Indelicato, 1). According to Natalie Indelicato, “only half of Hispanics/Latinos 25 years and older have completed high school, the population’s dropout rate is higher than any other group in the United States, and Hispanic/Latino students drop out twice as often as non-Hispanic/non-Latino White students” (1). The research shows us that more has to be done in order for the dropout rate to decline and Hispanic students to achieve academic success. It is also important to have counseling services that are culturally responsive. If these are not put in place, we have more Hispanic students struggling.

Assumptions

The assumption of the literature review is that Hispanic students need more guidance, to be able to use their culture in the classroom, more qualified teachers, more use of technology, as well as a positive sense of encouragement at home. This is all true. The assumptions of the research within the methodology are a little different as this study only focuses on one part of the literature review and is the most important. The assumption is that Hispanic students need more qualified teachers that are willing to go the extra mile, that understand the Hispanic culture and can get them through the language barriers. The rest of this paper will justify this aspect of Hispanic students’ success in academic achievement and show what the teachers and school boards can do in order to help these individual succeed.

Methodology

This study’s main focus is to distinguish what requirements should be mandated for educators who teach Hispanic students and why these requirements should be put in place. This study wants to prove that it is important for teachers to have the right educational requirements if they are going to be teaching Hispanic students. There is a lack of qualified teachers in the United States and it is important for the school boards of each state to staff their schools with teachers who are qualified to teach children of diverse cultures such as Hispanic students. The difference in this study is that it is based on the perceptions of the teachers themselves. It is not based on what the school board, parents, students, or community thinks. It is all up to the teachers to tell us what they believe the most important requirements are while teaching students of diverse cultures.

Setting

This study is set in the urban areas of Miami, Florida. The study is based on teachers who teach in these areas at low-economically based schools that do not have as much as private schools may have. It is based out of Miami, Florida based on the fact that Miami, Florida has one of the largest Hispanic populations in the United States. The researcher believes that this area is one of the places in which needs the most help.

Participants

Participants include 100 teachers from five different schools in the Miami areas. All teachers have been with the Miami school system for 10 years or more. They have maintained their continued education and have taught many different subjects within the school system. The participants range from ages 30 to 55 and are of many different ethnic backgrounds including Caucasian, African American, Asian, Hispanic, and Indian. These participants were chosen randomly from a list of teachers in the urban areas of Miami, Florida. They were sent the surveys with a letter explaining the research and the research procedure. It was a great turnout and provided much feedback in the realm of teacher qualifications and future teacher qualifications that needed to be implemented.

Research Procedure

The research consisted of providing each of the participants with a survey that first evaluated their qualifications to be a teacher, the number of years in which they had completed continued education courses, courses that they had taken in the past, their educational degrees and certificates, and the number of years that they had been teaching (in Miami and in other cities or states). The next part of the survey asked questions in reference to technology, how the participants viewed technology, whether it was beneficial for their classrooms or for themselves and their students, and types of questions in reference to how much knowledge they have in reference to computers. The next part of the survey asked questions in reference to what each participant felt needed to be done to help their students succeed in their classrooms. Finally, the last and most important part of the survey asked open-ended questions in reference to what these participants felt the requirements should be for teachers that are responsible for teaching Hispanic students. Some of these questions ranged from whether they believed they had enough education to teach these students properly to what kinds of requirements they felt should be mandated for all teachers that have to teach culturally diverse populations.

Data Collection

Each participant was given a total of 3 weeks to complete and return the surveys. 97 of the 100 participants completed the survey and returned them. 92 of the participants had been teaching culturally diverse students for more than 10 years. The other 5 participants had only been teaching these students for 1-2 years. 90 of the participants stated that they believed that there should be stricter requirements for teachers who wanted to teach Hispanic students as they stated that these students need more attention, need an individual that understands their culture, and need someone that is going to advocate for them based on the normal stereotypes. 5 of the participants stated that they were unsure whether stricter requirements would even benefit the children and 2 of the participants felt that it would not help at all. This shows that 90% of the participants felt that they were not fully equipped to teach these students to the best of their ability even though they had been teaching them for many years. The data collection of each of these participants shows us that there needs to be so much more done for Hispanic children based on the teachers’ qualifications to teach them. Many of the teachers stated that they should have to undergo continued education that helps them learn about different cultures, how to teach students of different cultures, and how to pay attention to them more thoroughly throughout the school year. One even stated that she felt we needed to put culturally diverse, especially Hispanic, students as a top priority throughout the year. Others believed that it was important to require prospective teachers to take more culturally diverse courses while in college as well as many years of a foreign language, preferably Spanish, in order for them to be fluent in the language before even entering the school system. These were all really great ideas and should be implemented as much as possible. One thing to really put into perspective is that this is just 90 teachers who believe that stricter requirements should be mandated if they want to teach culturally diverse students. Imagine how many other teachers in other cities, counties, and states feel the same way. At that point, we may have a case to mandate a whole lot more in teacher requirements.

Limitations

One limitation of the research study is location. Miami, Florida is one of the largest populated areas for Hispanics. However, the study does not reach other counties, other states, or other cities. Since it does not cover the entire United States, the research could be a little off based on what is most important for all teachers. Another limitation is that of schools. Not all schools within the Miami area are being provided with the surveys; therefore, there may be some discrepancies in the number of teachers who believe that requirements for teaching should be changed. Finally, another limitation is that the study does not even cover the whole state of Florida. There are many other areas of Florida where Hispanics are dominant. Therefore, this could change some of the indications within the research study.

Conclusion

As the research in this thesis has discussed, Hispanics are very prone to the opportunity of academic failure and their perceptions of the reasons in which it is so difficult for them to succeed show much significance. Language barriers, stereotypes, culture, the home environment, the school environment and social status all play a vital role in these individual’s perceptions. In order to change their points of view based on their educational achievement, we must provide environments where they are encouraged to learn and encouraged to use their cultures as a means to learn and stay engaged. Parents need to be more supportive of their child’s course work and become more involved with the school and the community to set an example for their children. However, in order for them to do this, they must feel as if they are welcome. If they are continuously stereotyped, this will never happen and we will be deal with this for as long as it takes for our society to finally accept different cultures in our communities and school systems. We must employ qualified teachers who are willing to think outside the box and give one-on-one attention to Hispanic students who need the most help. That is one of the biggest things we can change about the ways in which Hispanic students think. We need to employ confident, qualified, instrumental, technological instructors that are not afraid of a challenge. As see throughout the previously done research, teachers feel as if they need more requirements in order to become teachers, especially if they are going to be teaching culturally diverse students such as Hispanics. These teachers realized that it was of utmost importance to have the knowledge to help these students overcome language barriers, stereotypes, social status, and their home environments. The majority of them understood the reasons in which the research study was done and knew that it was important to complete the survey so that we can all get to the bottom of what is happening to these children. This is what is important. We need to close the gap and the only way in which to do that is to quit stereotyping, engage the students by allowing them to use their cultures as their backbone, providing technology that will help them in the long run, and encouraging parents or guardians to take the opportunity to be involved in their child’s education. If all of these things can be accomplished, there is hope for Hispanic students and their achievement in academics. However, if we cannot seem to get any of these things under control, the perceptions that these Hispanic students have about themselves, their culture, their teachers, and life in general will continue to hinder their ability to achieve academic success.

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