ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate

Materials: Suggestions for Service

Providers. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Development Team

www.eric.ed.gov

Table of Contents

If you're viewing this document online, you can click any of the topics below to link directly to that section.

Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials: Suggestions

for Service Providers. ERIC Digest........................................2

WHERE SHOULD I START?................................................. 2

HOW MUCH DO FAMILIES WITHIN THE SAME CULTURE

DIFFER?.................................................................... 5

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR?.............................................. 6

WHAT ABOUT TRANSLATED MATERIALS?............................. 9

WHAT ABOUT ADAPTING MATERIALS?................................. 9

CONCLUSION................................................................. 10

FOR MORE INFORMATION................................................ 10

ERIC Identifier: ED431546

Publication Date: 1999-06-00

Author: Santos, Rosa Milagros - Reese, Debbie

Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Champaign IL.

Selecting Culturally and Linguistically

ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.

Page 1 of 12
Appropriate Materials: Suggestions for Service

Providers. ERIC Digest.

THIS DIGEST WAS CREATED BY ERIC, THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

INFORMATION CENTER. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ERIC, CONTACT

ACCESS ERIC 1-800-LET-ERIC

The population of the United States is growing more culturally diverse each year, and

this diversity is clearly evident among families with young children (U.S. Bureau of the

Census, 1996; Children's Defense Fund, 1998). Lynch and Hanson (1998) note that the

individuals who work in early childhood programs are not as diverse as those they

serve. In California, for example, there is little diversity among students preparing to be

teachers (Hanson, 1990). Moreover, many early childhood professionals have little

preparation for working with families from a wide range of cultures and linguistic

backgrounds (Garcia, McLaughlin, Spodek, & Saracho, 1995).

In many cases, educators' and other service providers' lack of experience with and

knowledge of diverse families makes the development of relationships with them difficult

and may contribute to families' underutilization of services (McLean, 1997). Fortunately,

materials designed to help service providers become more interculturally competent are

available from a variety of sources, including public libraries.

Based on Hains, Lynch, and Winton's (1997) definition of cultural competence,

"intercultural" competence is defined as "the ability to relate and communicate

effectively when individuals involved in the interaction do not share the same culture,

ethnicity, language, or other salient variables" (p. 2). Service providers who are learning

to become more interculturally competent begin to appreciate the differences that exist

between and among the diverse populations they work with, thus serving diverse

families more effectively (Lynch & Hanson, 1998). Part of intercultural competence is

being able to identify culturally and linguistically appropriate materials that parents and

family members will find useful.

Even among interculturally competent service providers and teachers, however,

choosing materials to distribute to families is sometimes difficult. This Digest focuses on

how to identify and select culturally and linguistically appropriate materials (e.g., books,

brochures, pamphlets, fact sheets, and multimedia) for parents and family members.

WHERE SHOULD I START?

Some parenting and education-related materials developed for families with young

children provide information that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. However,

other materials may appear to be appropriate but contain information that families may

find offensive. How can service providers identify and select appropriate materials?

www.eric.ed.gov ERIC Custom Transformations Team

Page 2 of 12 ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.
Ways to begin this process include the following:

* Get to know yourself. Spend time learning about your

own heritage and culture. At first glance, your family

activities may look like everyone else's in your

neighborhood. However, there are differences across

families that may not appear to be overtly "cultural." For

example, in many families, a strong work ethic is present

that has its roots in specific cultural traditions. Try to

learn more about the stories of your own ancestors.

Where have they lived? If they are immigrants to this

country, what brought them here? When you recognize

yourself as "one of the many," you are likely to be more

ERIC Resource Center www.eric.ed.gov

ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.

Page 3 of 12
accepting of others' cultural values and practices and to

accept them as having validity equal to your own.

* Get to know as much as you can about the culture of the

people you work with. Learn about their beliefs, values,

and traditions. Are there specific accomplishments the

family or community is proud of? What do they believe

are the most important things their children should

learn? Who are the members of their family and what

are their roles? How do they see their role as parents?

Find out if there are elements of their culture they guard

from outside eyes, discover why they are protective of

www.eric.ed.gov ERIC Custom Transformations Team

Page 4 of 12 ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.
them, and consider how this protection may affect

intervention. Become familiar with their concerns about

stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. What is their

history with educational, health, and welfare institutions?

How do their experiences with these services affect their

willingness to access services? Remember that answers

to these questions may vary from one family to the next,

depending on factors such as setting or income.

HOW MUCH DO FAMILIES WITHIN THE SAME

CULTURE DIFFER?

Families follow traditional cultural or parenting patterns to differing degrees, depending

on a wide range of factors, including (1) the primary language the family speaks at

home and in the community, (2) the family's level of education, (3) the family's religious

affiliation, (4) the family's country of origin, (5) the length of time the family has lived in

the United States, (6) the family's degree of acculturation, and (7) where the family

currently lives. Keep in mind that looking at specific factors in isolation may be

misleading-many factors work individually and together to influence parenting patterns.

There are big within-culture differences in all these matters, and income may be a

ERIC Resource Center www.eric.ed.gov

ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.

Page 5 of 12
stronger predictor of family preferences and goals than some aspects of culture. It is

important to note as well that not all families are comfortable with providing specific

information about themselves. It can be helpful to find someone in the area from within

the culture, or perhaps someone the family knows well, who can introduce you to the

family and get the relationship started on a positive note. Those who work with families

are likely to be more effective when they know and determine the comfort level within

which families are willing to share their stories.

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR?

Beyond these general considerations are the specific strengths and limitations of the

materials you want to distribute. You can assess the appropriateness of particular

materials by asking yourself the following questions:

* Does the publication, video, or audiocassette take into

account implicit and explicit assumptions, beliefs, or

values that are appropriate or potentially problematic for

the receiving family? For example, does the material

assume that the mother is the decision maker in the

family? Does it promote or assume the idea that, across

cultures, family members take an active role in their

children's education and school activities and that this

www.eric.ed.gov ERIC Custom Transformations Team

Page 6 of 12 ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.
"active role" takes the same form across cultures? Such

assumptions can lead service providers to believe that

parents who do not come to PTA meetings and similar

functions do not care, when in fact they may care but

they show their concern in different ways. One group

may think "active role" means joining the PTA, while

another group may think it means making sure

homework is done. Still another may think it means

instilling values that demonstrate respect for authority.

* Is the information presented in a format preferred by the

receiving family? For example, if a family's preferred

ERIC Resource Center www.eric.ed.gov

ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.

Page 7 of 12
mode of accessing information is through oral or visual

means, is the information you are providing available in

audio or video versions?

* Is the literacy level appropriate for the receiving family?

For example, is the information organized and presented

in a way that a family member with fewer than 6 years of

schooling can benefit? Or is the information presented in

such a way that the family will find the material

patronizing and insulting?

* Are technical terms and jargon explained effectively?

For example, does the publication include a glossary of

www.eric.ed.gov ERIC Custom Transformations Team

Page 8 of 12 ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.
frequently used terms?

* Are the case studies, pictures, and graphics welcoming

to the receiving family? For example, are diverse groups

of people represented in the images? Do the images

suggest a contemporary or nonstereotypical view of

various families?

WHAT ABOUT TRANSLATED MATERIALS?

Often, materials developed for English-speaking populations are translated into a

second language for use with a different population (e.g., English to Spanish). There is

an implicit but mistaken assumption that the translated material will be appropriate for

the second population, simply by merit of translation. However, just as with materials in

English, translated materials must be carefully reviewed for cultural and linguistic

appropriateness. Sometimes, the individual who transcribed the material from English

may not be familiar with educational ideas and their application to intervention, which

may result in the material being inappropriate in that domain as well. Finally, service

providers must become familiar with the dialect in use within any given community.

Spanish-translated materials for a Mexican American community may not be

appropriate for a Puerto Rican community. Finding someone to help you review the

translated material may prevent miscommunication and misunderstanding between you

and the families with whom you work.

WHAT ABOUT ADAPTING MATERIALS?

Service providers may find that a publication has strong points but that it needs to be

adapted in some ways to make it more useful. For example, lengthy books or manuals

can be excerpted, revised, or presented one chapter at a time (but be mindful of

ERIC Resource Center www.eric.ed.gov

ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.

Page 9 of 12
copyright issues). You can also develop companion brochures or guides to help parents

apply concepts presented in a publication to their own situation. Flyers listing related

local resources or explaining terms or jargon are also useful.

CONCLUSION

Becoming aware of resources that are culturally and linguistically appropriate is not a

simple process. Banks (1998) points out that, historically, values and knowledge

systems of mainstream researchers have been regarded as culturally neutral, objective,

and universal. Culturally inappropriate mainstream ideas that have become

institutionalized in well-meaning programs may harm and disempower groups (e.g.,

families with low income and people of color).

Service providers who develop intercultural competence and collect information on

available culturally and linguistically appropriate materials that can be used with families

in their community are more likely to be successful in their work with families than

service providers or teachers who do not do so. Careful review of materials before using

them with a family is essential. No single resource can address all of a family's needs,

but, in many cases, materials can be adapted to make them more useful.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Banks, J. (1998). The lives and values of researchers: Implications for educating

citizens in a multicultural society. EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHER, 27(7), 4-17.

Children's Defense Fund. (1998). THE STATE OF AMERICA'S CHILDREN:

YEARBOOK 1998. Washington, DC: Author. ED 418 794.

Garcia, E. E., McLaughlin, B., Spodek, B., & Saracho, O. N. (Eds.). (1995). YEARBOOK

IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: VOL. 6. MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF

LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. New

York: Teachers College Press. ED 393 560.

Hains, A. H., Lynch, E. W., & Winton, P. J. (1997). CULTURAL COMPETENCE: A

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. Unpublished manuscript, CLAS Early Childhood

Research Institute, Champaign, IL.

Hanson, M. J. (1990). FINAL REPORT: CALIFORNIA EARLY INTERVENTION

PERSONNEL STUDY PROJECT. San Francisco, CA: San Francisco State University,

Department of Special Education.

Lynch, E. W., & Hanson, M. J. (Eds.). (1998). DEVELOPING CROSS-CULTURAL

COMPETENCE: A GUIDE FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

(2ND ED.). Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes. ED 346 190.

McLean, M. M. (1997). FAMILY/PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP: SERVICE

UTILIZATION. Unpublished manuscript, CLAS Early Childhood Research Institute,

www.eric.ed.gov ERIC Custom Transformations Team

Page 10 of 12 ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.
Champaign, IL.

U.S. Bureau of the Census. (1996). U.S. CENSUS BUREAU: THE OFFICIAL

STATISTICS [Online]. Available: http://www.census.gov/ [1998, October 28]. -----

References identified with an ED (ERIC document), EJ (ERIC journal), or PS number

are cited in the ERIC database. Most documents are available in ERIC microfiche

collections at more than 900 locations worldwide, and can be ordered through EDRS:

(800) 443-ERIC. Journal articles are available from the original journal, interlibrary loan

services, or article reproduction clearinghouses such as UnCover (800-787-7979) or ISI

(800-523- 1850).

ERIC Digests are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced. This project has

been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education,

Office of Educational Research and Improvement, under contract no. ED-99-CO-0020.

The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the

U.S. Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products,

or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

ABOUT ERIC/EECE DIGESTS...

ERIC/EECE Digests are short reports on topics of current interest in education. Digests

are targeted to teachers, administrators, parents, policy makers, and other practitioners.

They are designed to provide an overview of information on a given topic and

references to items that provide more detailed information. Reviewed by subject experts

who are content specialists in the field, the digests are funded by the Office of

Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) of the U.S. Department of Education.

All ERIC/EECE Digests are available free in original printed form directly from the

clearinghouse. For additional information on this topic, please contact ERIC/EECE

directly at ericeece@uiuc.edu or 1-800-583-4135.

Title: Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials: Suggestions for

Service Providers. ERIC Digest.

Document Type: Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs)

(071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073);

Descriptors: Cultural Awareness, Cultural Differences, Cultural Pluralism, Early

Childhood Education, Family Characteristics, Family Needs, Intercultural

Communication, Media Selection, Multilingual Materials, Parent Materials, Resource

Materials, Teacher Attitudes, Translation

Identifiers: Cultural Competence, Diversity (Groups), ERIC Digests

###

ERIC Resource Center www.eric.ed.gov

ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.

Page 11 of 12
[Return to ERIC Digest Search Page]

www.eric.ed.gov ERIC Custom Transformations Team

Page 12 of 12 ED431546 1999-06-00 Selecting Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Materials:

Suggestions for Service Providers. ERIC Digest.