Linguistic Diversity
Up, Over, Around, and Through: Using Movement to Navigate Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in the Classroom
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jamie A. Johnson
The rapid shift in the global landscape is resulting in an influx of non-native speakers into colleges and universities. Content area experts are faced with opportunities and challenges to meet the demands of the culturally and linguistically diverse students. Somatic practice provides a unique approach to assisting students’ language acquisition alongside the development of their social, emotional, and cognitive intelligence. In this study, the qualitative analysis of interviews with Chinese English Language Learner (ELLs) revealed the challenges and benefits ELLs experience in a dance technique classroom. Participants highlighted teaching strategies they found assistive to their development. Interviewees suggestions were further explored through in-practice sessions, and resulted in the creation of learner-centered classroom activities. This presentation introduces a movement approach to embedding language objectives into coursework, highlights teacher-facilitated interactions, and stresses conscientious modeling to nurture inclusive learning environments.
Linguistic and Literary Accessibility at the Edmond and Lily Safra Hospital for Children: Assessment of the Situation and Challenges for Improvement
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Vardit Mileguir
Over the past decade there has been an increase in the number of Palestinian patients hospitalized in Israeli hospitals. Statistics conducted by the Ministry of Medical Tourism show about sixty Palestinian children. During the course of the treatment, difficulties arise due to language barriers, culture, values, and customs. This situation makes patients less likely to report symptoms, to get proper explanation, and then to follow instructions as required by the caregivers. Thus there are situations of errors in diagnosis and difficulty in receiving and transmitting information, all of which harm the quality of treatment. The Director General of the Ministry of Health Circular refers to the cultural and linguistic adaptation and accessibility issue (Ministry of Health, 2013) This study examines the degree of organizational cultural competence from the perspective of the staff in pediatric departments and at the same time the patients cultural anamnesis. In addition, it is necessary to understand the factors that explain the degree of their literacy and open mindedness - their ability to obtain and digest medical information, to understand it, to derive meaning from these factors, and to evaluate the patient's experience. The study is prospective. The study will include 150 parents of Palestinian children treated at Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital and 150 medical and nursing staff members.
