“All PCN, - National Curriculum Parameters - themes are supposed to be taught as cross-curricular themes, although ‘CPCCT’, - cultural plurality as a cross-curricular theme, - is the theme that receives the most emphasis within the FL (foreign language) curriculum where it is given a three-page text. The other themes are not discussed as specifically as CPCCT. The reason given for the emphasis is: ‘The cross-curricular theme of Cultural Plurality deserves special treatment due to the fact that FL teaching gives great support to this question.’ (Brazil, 1998a: 48, my translation) The document also states that ‘This theme can be focused on with the aim of demystifying the homogenous understanding of specific cultures that involve typical generalizations in FL classrooms, for instance, that the English or the French are ‘this or that way’. (Brazil, 1998a: 48, my translation)” (Adapted from Cultural Plurality in the FL National Curriculum Parameters: a study of race/ethnicity by Aparecida de Jesus Ferreira) In this context, we can reflect that:
A
“Many schools merely use some designated days to celebrate ‘ethnic’ meals, for example, and the schools consider that to be an adequate way to teach diversity. Equally can have some misconceptions. In this empirical view we can find three key assumptions underpinning multicultural education: a) that educational achievement cannot be raised by learning about children’s cultural and ethnic ‘roots’; b) that improvement of equality of opportunity will be achieved by learning about children’s culture and its behaviors; c) that prejudice and discrimination keep growing if children and adults are taught about cultural aspects from those different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The argument, stated above, show that teaching CPCCT in education means going beyond teaching about some specific aspects of culture and ethnic folk traditions.” (Adapted from Cultural Plurality in the FL National Curriculum Parameters: a study of race/ethnicity by Aparecida de Jesus Ferreira)
B
“Many schools merely use some designated days to celebrate ‘ethnic’ meals, for example, and the schools consider that to be an adequate way to teach diversity. Equally can have some misconceptions. In this empirical view we can find three key assumptions underpinning multicultural education: a) that educational achievement can be raised by learning about children’s cultural and ethnic ‘roots’; b) that improvement of equality of opportunity can be achieved by learning about children’s culture and its tradition; c) that prejudice and discrimination can be reduced if children and adults are taught about cultural aspects from those different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The argument, stated above, show that teaching CPCCT in education means going beyond teaching about some specific aspects of culture and ethnic folk traditions.” (Adapted from Cultural Plurality in the FL National Curriculum Parameters: a study of race/ethnicity by Aparecida de Jesus Ferreira)
C
“Many schools merely use some designated days to celebrate ‘ethnic’ meals, for example, and the schools consider that to be an adequate way to teach diversity. Equally can have some misconceptions. In this empirical view we can find three key assumptions underpinning multicultural education: a) that educational achievement can be raised by learning about high class cultural approach and ethnic ‘roots’; b) that improvement of equality of opportunity can be achieved by learning about children’s culture and its tradition; c) that prejudice and discrimination keep growing if children and adults are taught about cultural aspects from those different cultural and economic backgrounds. The argument, stated above, show that teaching CPCCT in education means going beyond teaching about some specific aspects of culture and ethnic folk traditions.” (Adapted from Cultural Plurality in the FL National Curriculum Parameters: a study of race/ethnicity by Aparecida de Jesus Ferreira)
D
“Many schools merely use some designated days to celebrate ‘ethnic’ meals, for example, and the schools consider that to be an adequate way to teach diversity. Equally can have some misconceptions. In this empirical view we can find three key assumptions underpinning multicultural education: a) that educational achievement can be raised by learning about children’s cultural and ethnic ‘roots’; b) that improvement of equality of opportunity can be achieved by learning about children’s culture and its tradition; c) that prejudice and discrimination can be reduced if children and adults are taught about cultural aspects from those different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The argument, stated above, show that teaching CPCCT in education means going by teaching and some specific aspects of grammar tasks and written traditions in a right spelling.” (Adapted from Cultural Plurality in the FL National Curriculum Parameters: a study of race/ethnicity by Aparecida de Jesus Ferreira)