Özet:

In Malta, the number of foreign children is causing educators to think of new strategies which diversifies parental involvement in schools. It is no secret that parental involvement is an essential component of children’s education. However, the engagement of parents in intercultural school setups is becoming increasingly challenging. Teachers whose background is rather homogenous and with minimal exposure to the cultural subtleties of students coming from different backgrounds tend to develop pedagogies which are apt to their own cultural makeup – unwittingly disregarding the fact and the changing cultural environment around them. Teachers tend to assume that that all students are able to learn irrespective of cultural and linguistic disparities, hence they adopt pedagogical strategies based on perceived value free assumptions and strategies. Pedagogical strategies are often applied as a ‘one size fits all’ without considering the impact which cultural and linguistic have on parental involvement and student academic success (Valenzuela, 2010; CCTC, 2013). School staff may find it difficult to appreciate that students whose culture differs from the dominant culture are almost coerced into accepting the cultural establishment permeating their educational development in schools. Teachers may also be unwittingly placing on parents the huge burden of obtaining such capital, resulting in undue pressure on students which frequently goes unnoticed.

Anahtar Kelimeler: