Abstract

The essence of diversity and multiculturalism (equity and social justice) often gets lost in the differentiated and multicultural pedagogy discourse. This study is meant to shed light on the true meaning of diversity by way of analysis of a newly introduced pedagogy—differentiated multicultural instruction (DMI). Rather than equality, the article spells out the difference between equity and equality and showcases how equity/inclusive pedagogy is deeply rooted in the practice of differentiated multicultural instruction (DMI). A step-by-step guide on how to practice Differentiated Multicultural Instruction is provided. Thus, one of the goals of the article is to help foster a deeper meaning of diversity as it dispels basic misconceptions of concepts such as multiculturalism, while introducing an inclusive teaching strategy that is closely related to multicultural instruction as a tool for affirming the true meaning of diversity—social justice and equity. The article is based on the premise that Differentiated multicultural Instruction (DMI) can be a starting point in affirming diversity in a world that is pining for and in need of social justice in classrooms and beyond.