Interculturalism: Addressing

Diversity in Early Childhood

As young children start to recognize human differences, teachers can Leslie Ponciano and
help them develop a foundation of respect and inclusion. What are the Ani Shabazian
best practices to implement in an intercultural approach?

Early childhood educators work with children and

families from a range of diverse backgrounds (Ladson-
Billings, 2005). As society becomes increasingly multi-
What do they mean?
• Multiculturalism focuses on the creation of equal educational
racial, multilingual, and multicultural, so too grows the opportunities and positive attitudes toward differences.
need for educators’ abilities to support children’s devel- • An anti-bias curriculum adds an emphasis on the individual’s
opment by instilling in them the tools they need to live actions in response to discrimination and prejudice.
together respectfully and stand up to prejudice. • Interculturalism is the sharing and learning across cultures
that promotes understanding, equality, harmony, and justice in
Teachers of young children play a pivotal role in laying a diverse society.
this foundation (Gay, 2002; Hein & Miller, 2004), so • Cultural context includes all aspects of a child’s cultural
they must be prepared to develop environments that are identity that are unique and influential, such as ethnicity and
race, primary language, family composition, socioeconomic
inclusive and respectful to all. Early educators have al- status, and special needs.
ready adopted multiculturalism and anti-bias curriculum • Reflection is the ability to think critically about oneself and
frameworks to address issues of culture and diversity. others. It contributes to thinking about alternative perspectives
and informs decision-making.
• Multiculturalism focuses on the creation of equal
educational opportunities and positive attitudes
toward differences (Banks & Banks, 2004). there are authentic and meaningful exchanges of infor-
mation about each person’s individual experiences that
• An anti-bias curriculum, articulated by Derman-
transform all involved. Imagine an early childhood class-
Sparks and Ramsey (2006), adds an emphasis on
room where the teachers, children, and families learn
the individual’s actions in response to discrimina-
together in an environment that facilitates a deep level of
tion and prejudice.
sharing about their cultural contexts.
The models to put both of these frameworks into The intercultural approach realizes that no one indi-
practice generally follow a top-down structure in which vidual fully represents an ethnicity or a race. Each person
teachers educate children about various cultures. represents his or her own experience as a member of a
Interculturalism adds a new layer for addressing diversity group and within his or her cultural context. The phrase
through its attention to the bi-directionality that is needed cultural context within the early childhood education
in an authentic sharing of cultural contexts. “Intercultural- setting is inclusive of all aspects of a child’s cultural
ism is the sharing and learning across cultures that promotes identity that are unique and influential: ethnicity and
understanding, equality, harmony, and justice in a diverse race, primary language, family composition, socioeco-
society” (Loyola Marymount University, 1990, unpaged). nomic status, and special needs. Each individual can
simultaneously contribute in multiple ways to the rich-
With interculturalism, individuals learn from each
ness of the cultural context.
other and engage in an ongoing exploration of the
historical and cultural contexts that influence individual Making assumptions of similarities about children and
development. Instead of a top-down transmission of families simply because they share a racial background
knowledge, an intercultural environment is one in which can lead to erroneous conclusions. There is often more
variation within a cultural group than between cultural
Dimensions of Early Childhood Vol 40, No 1, 2012 23
 Interculturalism: Addressing Diversity in Early Childhood
Imagine an early childhood classroom where the teachers, children, and families learn
together in an environment that facilitates a deep level of sharing about their cultural
contexts.
groups (Campinha-Bacote, 1994).
An intercultural approach
• encourages children to share
their cultural context and
• transforms children’s
understanding of the
group’s variations.
With an intercultural approach to
teaching, there is no expert provid-
ing knowledge to a novice recipient.
Rather, all of the individuals—chil-
dren, families, and teachers alike—
have the opportunity to learn from
each other.
The experience of sharing cultural
contexts with each other in a con-
structive and positive manner differs
from a multicultural curriculum,
where a teacher introduces children
to a variety of cultural experiences
that may or may not reflect their
daily lives. Through intercultural
activities and dialogue, the children
and teacher develop a full and rich
understanding of how each individu-
al is unique and special and contrib-
utes to the diverse fabric of society.
24 Vol 40, No 1, 2012
2. propose important compo-
nents of teacher preparation
programs to provide intercul-
tural tools, and
3. suggest practical ways teachers
can apply the intercultural
approach in their classrooms.
Why Early Intercultural
Experiences?
Young children construct their iden-
Subjects & Predicates
tity through their early experiences.
• One of the earliest stages of
cognitive development begins
with the infant’s ability to
distinguish him/herself from
others (Alcock, Carment, &
Sadava, 2005).
• By the time children reach
Personal commonalities and differ- toddlerhood, they can correctly
ences are explored. Generalizations discern racial differences and
about particular groups are less likely use gender labels (Ramsey,
to develop because the information 2004), yet they still struggle
shared is specific to an individual. with understanding exactly
what these constructs mean
(Sprung, 2007).
Explore personal • Preschool children actively con-
struct their own self identities
commonalities and by examining their similarities
differences. and differences from others
(Cross, 1991). Preschoolers
ask questions about their own
Preschoolers are developing an and others’ racial, linguistic,
understanding of differences both and gender attributes (Ramsey,
within and outside of their fami- 2004). Preschoolers are cog-
lies and communities. The group nizant of family structure and
setting brings diversity issues to socio-economic differences and
the forefront at a formative time the values society attaches to
in children’s development, provid- them (Tatum, 2003).
ing early childhood educators with
Although some may think preju-
the unique opportunity to build a
dice is minimal or does not re-
foundation of respect and inclusion
ally exist in the early childhood
of difference. Therefore, the goals of
years (Holmes, 1995), research has
this article are to
demonstrated quite the contrary.
1. demonstrate why there is a Children develop an increasingly
critical need for intercultural accurate awareness and acceptance of
experiences in the early years,
Dimensions of Early Childhood
 Interculturalism: Addressing Diversity in Early Childhood
their identity. As a consequence of
young children’s growing positive
feelings about their in-group, there
is a simultaneous increase in nega-
tive feelings toward out-groups
(Aboud, 1980).
• For instance, white children
from as young as 3 demon-
strated a pro-white/anti-black
bias (Katz & Kofkin, 1997)
that solidified by age 6 (Doyle
& Aboud, 1995).
• More recent research further
affirms these findings and
points to the importance of the
environments within which
children are raised (Mac-
Naughton & Davis, 2001).
• Young children are aware
of social attitudes that exist
within their early lives, and
their environments influence
their perception of differences
(Targowska, 2001).
Moreover, research has indicated
that the meanings that ethnic and
cultural minority group members
ascribe to their ethnicity can play a
critical component in determining
their mental and behavioral health
(Caldwell, Zimmerman, Bernat,
Sellers, & Notaro, 2002). This fur-
ther highlights the critical need for a
positive and respectful intercultural
environment within early childhood
classrooms because awareness, self-
identification, knowledge of domi-
nant groups, and biases are begin-
ning to be established.
Teachers of young children typi-
cally find themselves navigating
multiple cultures, individual devel-
opment needs, and various special
needs, while simultaneously working
to develop curriculum and provide
inclusive environments that nurture
development and engage all young
children (Ladson-Billings, 2005). own implicit and explicit
Dimensions of Early Childhood
Even in classrooms where children
appear to be homogeneous in terms
of ethnicity and socioeconomic sta-
tus, they may have a variety of special
needs and are likely being raised in a
variety of different family structures.
The varieties of family compositions,
for example, bring unique experiences
into children’s lives and, thus, their
cultural context.
Demonstrate
sensitivity,
inclusiveness,
and respect.
Early childhood professionals have
the responsibility to demonstrate
sensitivity, inclusiveness, and respect
toward all family compositions,
regardless of how they differ from
their own experiences of family life
(Turner-Vorbeck, 2005). Moreover,
from an intercultural perspective,
teachers are expected to be open to
learning about themselves through
self-reflection and the experiences
they share with the children and
families they serve. Therefore, self-
awareness and reflection skills are
important components of teacher
education and inservice programs.
Professional Development
Supports Interculturalism
Early childhood teachers use a
complex set of skills to meet the
needs of children and families.
Teachers are expected to
• increase their sensitivity to dif-
ferent cultures, family compo-
sitions, religious practices, and
languages
• become more aware of their
biases that influence their
teaching practices
• avoid generalizing the tradi-
tions, beliefs, and values of
an individual to a group or,
conversely, from a group to an
individual.
However, teacher preparation
programs rarely provide adequate
opportunities to learn and practice
these skills (Aguado, Ballesteros, &
Malik, 2003).
• Teachers report that they are
not prepared to work with
diverse populations and have
not been adequately trained
(Au & Blake, 2003;
Ukpokodu, 2004).
• As many as 80% of teachers
did not feel prepared for the
various challenges that diver-
sity presented within their
classrooms (Parsad, Lewis, &
Farris, 2001).
• Although preservice teachers
are uncomfortable discussing
diversity issues (Van Hook,
2002), further discussion of
these topics is necessary (Gar-
mon, 2005; Sobel & Taylor,
2005; Turner-Vorbeck, 2005).
This article proposes that the early
childhood field reach consensus
about the content and quality of
required preservice coursework ad-
dressing diversity. Systemic changes
are needed for preservice teacher
education to meet the needs of
today’s children and families (Vil-
legas & Lucas, 2002). Content in
these programs are recommended to
minimally include:
1. self-awareness of each teacher’s
cultural context and biases,
2. opportunities to interact with
diverse populations, and
Vol 40, No 1, 2012 25
 Interculturalism: Addressing Diversity in Early Childhood

3. reflection throughout both of

those experiences.

Self-Awareness
Years of research shed light on
the effects of teacher preparation
in the United States with regard to
cultural issues.
• Nearly 40% of preservice
teachers did not understand
the impact of institutionalized
racism on the development of
minority children. They lacked

Subjects & Predicates

awareness of their own biases
and stereotypes and the impact
they may have on their teaching
practices. These students also
underestimated the effect that
preservice training could have
on their understanding of diver-
sity (Grant & Secada, 1990).
• Teachers were reticent to
examine their own experiences
of socialization in regards to
racial, cultural, and class privi-
lege differences (Sleeter, 2001).
• Teacher efficacy was tied to
the extent to which a teacher
was aware of his/her biases and
views regarding the diversity
represented by children in a
classroom (Lin, Lake, & Rice,
2008).
To address these challenges, pre-
service teacher preparation courses
are urged to include activities such
as role-plays, guest speakers, and
candid discussions to challenge
students to move beyond their level
of comfort and develop a deeper un-
derstanding of cultural context (Lin,
Lake, & Rice, 2008).
Interaction With Diverse
Populations
Preservice teachers learn best
through experience. Discussions in
college courses can start the process
Teachers of young children typically navigate multiple cultures, individual
development needs, and various special needs, while simultaneously working to
develop curriculum and provide inclusive environments that nurture development
and engage all young children.
of reflection, but experience with Direct experience with diverse pop-
diversity is what triggers change in ulations of children and their families
biases (Hixson, 1991). A diverse is necessary in order to develop these
student body and faculty can be a skills in cultural competence. Service-
starting point. However, the inti- learning opportunities with diverse
macy that is shared among teachers, populations enable future teachers
children, and their families is quali- to discover their own biases and are
tatively different than what may be essential for teacher preparation (Pang
found among college students and & Park, 2003; Renner, Price, Keene,
faculty. Teachers of young children & Little, 2004).
are expected to learn how to respect
family traditions such as children’s Reflection
sleeping arrangements at home, food The critical dialogue about inter-
preferences, and other childrearing cultural understandings begins in the
strategies that may vary depending academic classroom. It is more fully
on cultural context. realized in service learning, which
provides opportunities for improved
cross-cultural communication and
practice with a variety of issues that
Service-learning develop when young children are
opportunities are learning about differences. The key
factor for both of these teacher prep-
essential for aration components is reflection.
teacher preparation. • The ability to think critically
about oneself and others is

26 Vol 40, No 1, 2012 Dimensions of Early Childhood

 Interculturalism: Addressing Diversity in Early Childhood
essential to the development of
respect for differences (McFar-
land, Saunders, & Allen, 2009;
O’Connor & Diggins, 2002).
• Self-reflection contributes to
thinking about alternative per-
spectives and informs decision-
making (Arthur, Beecher, Death,
Dockett, & Farmer, 2005).
• Intercultural sensitivity can
be increased through teacher
preparation courses when re-
flection is built into the peda-
gogy (Mahoney & Schamber,
2004; Sobel & Taylor, 2005).
Reflection is an important skill
that serves many goals for educators.
Its application to self-awareness and
practical experiences with diverse
populations is critical to implemen-
tation of an intercultural approach.
After teachers have engaged in reflec-
tion regarding their own cultural
context and their experiences with
diverse populations, they can move
toward creating cultural consistency
between home and school.
Attributes of an
Intercultural Classroom
Early childhood learning environ-
ments are far more than the physical
setting.
• Each classroom reflects a pro-
gram’s values and beliefs about
children, families, and the
community (Edwards, Gan-
dini, & Forman, 1998).
• The learning environment is
a powerful conduit of values
(Spencer & Horowitz, 1973).
It includes the way time is
structured and the roles ex-
pected for everyone.
• When children are placed in
any context, they learn to act
Dimensions of Early Childhood
in a manner that is considered
to be suitable to that context
(Kounin & Sherman, 1979).
Learning materials
reflect the group’s
children and
teachers.
Learning Materials
In high-quality, multicultural
classrooms racially, ethnically, and
culturally diverse materials (dolls,
people figures, books, pretend food,
music) representing the larger society
are available. Pictures of strangers
with varying abilities and races are
commonly displayed. The intercul-
tural approach suggests that multi-
cultural and anti-bias materials used
to implement curriculum should
instead reflect that group’s children
and teachers.
Intercultural classrooms…
• create space and time to sensi-
tively discuss children’s dif-
ferent backgrounds, cultures,
family structures, and abilities.
Time is set aside regularly in
which children and teachers
share significant items from
home with the group.
• are adorned with pictures of
the group’s children and fami-
lies using materials, playing in
the classroom, and sharing as-
pects of their cultural context.
• have customized, individual-
ized picture books or photo al-
bums of the children’s families
that show important people
and pets.
• include the cultural tools used
in home-based daily routines,
such as eating.
• provide children with oppor-
tunities to share songs, stories,
and language from their cul-
tural context with their peers
and teachers.
Teaching Strategies
In classrooms, early childhood
teachers can consistently acknowl-
edge and affirm children’s home
lives and provide opportunities to
bridge both worlds. For example, a
student who uses chopsticks to eat
would have them readily available
and would be encouraged to teach
interested children and teachers in
the class how to use them as well.
Children from India and many
African countries may traditionally
use their fingers for eating. Teachers
in an intercultural classroom would
support these cultural routines and
allow the other children in the class
to explore this option. Imagine the
sense of pride and cultural identity
children feel after sharing important
aspects of their home with their
friends and teachers at school.
Engage in culturally
familiar activities.
Engaging in culturally familiar
activities with children is essential
when teaching in an intercultural
approach. Even daily routines can
be filled with implicit or explicit
cultural messages. These are some
recommended intercultural teaching
strategies.
• Use children’s home languages
to read books (families can re-
cord themselves reading books
if a teacher is not fluent in the
home language).
Vol 40, No 1, 2012 27
 Interculturalism: Addressing Diversity in Early Childhood
• Implement an emergent cur-
riculum, based on children’s
family traditions.
• During meals, naps, and toilet-
ing, demonstrate intercultural
understanding and compe-
tence. For example, some
children may have been taught
to dispose of used toilet tissue
in the trash to avoid plumbing
problems. Seek to understand
the intention behind a child’s
actions before determining if
the behavior must change.
• Be careful not to impose teach-
ers’ culturally learned behaviors
on the children. Not all chil-
dren are consoled with hugs at
home. Others do not make eye
contact.
• Introduce different cultures
through stories and games.
These activities especially help
counter ethnocentrism and
negative messages and promote
Even in classrooms that appear to be homogeneous in terms of ethnicity and
socioeconomic status, children may have a variety of special needs and are
likely being raised in a variety of different family structures.
28 Vol 40, No 1, 2012
images that convey the com-
plexity of cultural, family, and
individual differences (Ober-
huemer, 1994).
When home and school cultures
differ, it is important to resolve these
cultural conflicts in a mutually re-
spectable way. This can only be done
with open dialogue among families
and teachers. Learn about each
other’s cultures and expectations.
Respect each individual’s unique
culture and identity.
* * * Alcock, J.E., Carment, D.W., & Sadava, S.W.
Research on diversity in education
at all levels spans decades. Address-
ing the issues with early childhood
educators and young children is
critically important to create a more
equitable education system and a
more just society. Transformation
begins in higher education, where
the next generation of teachers is
being prepared. With support from
Liz Nichols
program directors, teachers can
then effectively reflect on, model,
and positively influence how future
generations of children and families
appreciate diversity in their lives.
References
Aboud, F.E. (1980). A test of ethnocentrism with
young children. Canadian Journal of Behavioral
Science, 12, 195–209.
Aguado, T., Ballesteros, B., & Malik, B. (2003).
Cultural diversity and school equity: A model
to evaluate and develop educational prac-
tices in multicultural education contexts.
Equity & Excellence in Education, 36, 50-63.
doi:10.1080/10665680303500
(2005). A textbook of social psychology (6th ed.).
Scarborough, Ontario: Prentice Hall Canada.
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., &
Farmer, S. (2005). Programming and planning in
early childhood settings (3rd ed.). Sydney: Thomson
Publications.
Au, K., & Blake, K. (2003). Cultural identity
and learning to teach in a diverse community.
Journal of Teacher Education, 54(3), 192-205.
doi:10.1177/0022487103054003002
Banks, J.A., & Banks, C.A.M. (Eds.). (2004).
Handbook of research on multicultural education
(2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Caldwell, C.H., Zimmerman, M.A., Bernat, D.H.,
Sellers, R.M., & Notaro, P.C. (2002). Racial iden-
tity, maternal support, and psychological distress
among African American adolescents. Child De-
velopment, 73(4), 1322-1336. doi:10.1111/1467-
8624.00474
Campinha-Bacote, J. (1994). Cultural competence
in psychiatric mental health nursing. Nursing Clin-
ics of North America, 29(1), 1–8.
Cross, W. E. (1991). Shades of black: Diversity in
African-American identity. Philadelphia: Temple
University Press.
Derman-Sparks, L., & Ramsey, P. G. (2006). What
if all the kids are white? Anti-bias multicultural edu-
cation with young children and families. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Doyle, A.B., & Aboud, F.E. (1995). A longitudinal
study of white children’s racial prejudice as a social
cognitive development. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly,
41(4), 210–229.
Edwards, C.P., Gandini, L., & Forman, G.E.
(1998). The hundred languages of children: The
Reggio Emilia approach—advanced reflections.
Westport, CT: Ablex.
Garmon, M.A. (2005). Six key factors for changing
preservice teachers’ attitudes/beliefs about diversity.
Educational Studies, 38(3), 275-286.
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing culturally responsive
teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 106-
116. doi:10.1177/0022487102053002003
Grant, C.A., & Secada, W.G. (1990). Preparing
teachers for diversity. In W.R. Houston (Ed.),
Handbook of research on teacher education (pp. 403-
422). New York: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.
Hein, N.P., & Miller, B.A. (2004). Quien soy?
Finding my place in history: Personalizing learning
Dimensions of Early Childhood
 Interculturalism: Addressing Diversity in Early Childhood
through faculty/librarian collaboration. Journal
of Hispanic Higher Education, 3(4), 307-321.
doi:10.1177/1538192704268121
Hixson, J. (1991, April). Multicultural issues in
teacher education: Meeting the challenge of
student diversity. Paper presented at the Annual
Meeting of the American Educational Research
Association, Chicago, IL.
Holmes, R.M. (1995). How young children perceive
race. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kagan, S.L. (1992). Readiness past, present, and
future: Shaping the agenda. Young Children, 48(1),
48-53.
Katz, P.A., & Kofkin, J.A. (1997). Race, gender,
and young children. In S.S. Luniya, J.A. Burack,
D. Cicchetti, & J. Weisz (Eds.), Developmental
psychopathology: Perspectives on adjustment, risk,
and disorder (pp. 51-74). New York: Cambridge
University Press.
Kounin, J.S., & Sherman, L.W. (1979).
School environments as behavior set-
tings. Theory Into Practice, 18(3), 145-152.
doi:10.1080/00405847909542824
Ladson-Billings, G. (2005). Is the team all
right? Diversity and teacher education. Jour-
nal of Teacher Education, 56(3), 229-234.
doi:10.1177/0022487105275917
Lin, M., Lake, V., & Rice, D. (2008). Teaching
anti-bias curriculum in teacher education
programs: What and how. Teacher Education
Quarterly, 35(2), 187-200.
Loyola Marymount University (LMU). (1990).
Mission and goals. Retrieved from http://www.lmu
.edu/about/mission/Mission_Statement/
Mission_and_Goals.htm
MacNaughton, G., & Davis, K. (2001) Beyond
‘othering’: Rethinking approaches to teaching
young Anglo-Australian children about indigenous
Australians. Contemporary Issues in Early Child-
hood, 2(1), 83-93. doi:10.2304/ciec.2001.2.1.10
Mahoney, S., & Schamber, J. (2004). Exploring the
application of a developmental model of intercul-
tural sensitivity to a general education curriculum
diversity. The Journal of General Education, 53(3-
4), 311-334. doi:10.1353/jge.2005.0007
McFarland, L., Saunders, R., & Allen, S. (2009).
Reflective practice and self-evaluation in learning
positive guidance: Experiences of early childhood
practicum students. Early Childhood Education
Journal, 36(6), 505-511. doi:10.1007/s10643-
009-0315-2
Dimensions of Early Childhood
Oberhuemer, P. (1994). Stories make a differ-
ence: Intercultural dialogue in the early years.
The Journal of the European Early Childhood
Education Research Association, 2(1), 35-42.
doi:10.1080/13502939485207511
O’Connor, A., & Diggins, C. (2002). On reflection:
Reflective practice for early childhood educators. Lower
Hutt, New Zealand: Open Mind Publishing.
Pang, V., & Park, C. (2003). Examination of the
self-regulation mechanism: Prejudice reduction in
pre-service teachers. Action in Teacher Education,
25, 1-12.
Parsad, B., Lewis, L., & Farris, E. (2001). Teacher
preparation and professional development: 2000.
Education Statistics Quarterly, 3(3), 33-36.
Ramsey, P. (2004). Teaching and learning in a diverse
world: Multicultural education for young children
(3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.
Renner, A., Price, L., Keene, K., & Little, S. (2004).
Service learning, multicultural/antiracist educa-
tion, and the social foundations of education:
Weaving a cultural studies’ pedagogy and praxis in
an accelerated teacher education program. Educa-
tional Studies, 35(2), 137-157.
Sleeter, C. (2001). Preparing teachers for cul-
turally diverse schools: Research and the
overwhelming presence of whiteness. Jour-
nal of Teacher Education, 52(2), 94-106.
doi:10.1177/0022487101052002002
Sobel, M., & Taylor, S. (2005). Diversity prepared-
ness in teacher education. Kappa Delta Pi Record,
41(2), 83-86.
Spencer, M.B., & Horowitz, F.D. (1973). Effects of
systematic social and token reinforcement on the
modification of racial and color concept attitudes
in black and white preschool children. Develop-
mental Psychology, 9(2), 246-254. doi:10.1037/
h0035088
Sprung, B. (2007). Gender and gender stereotyping.
In R. New & M. Cochran (Eds.), Early childhood
education: An international encyclopedia. Westport,
CT: Praeger.
Tatum, B.D. (2003). “Why are all the black kids
sitting together in the cafeteria?” and other conversa-
tions about race. New York: Basic Books.
Targowska, A. (2001). Exploring young children’s
‘racial’ attitudes in an Australian context—The link
between research and practice. Paper presented at
the Association for Active Educational Researchers
Conference, Fremantle, Western Australia.
Turner-Vorbeck, T. (2005). Expanding multicultural
education to include family diversity. Multicultural
Education, 13(2), 6-10.
Ukpokodu, O. (2004). The impact of shadowing
culturally different students on preservice teachers’
disposition toward diversity. Multicultural Educa-
tion, 12(2), 19-28.
Van Hook, C. (2002). Preservice teachers’ perceived
barriers to the implementation of a multicultural
curriculum. Journal of Instructional Psychology,
29(4), 254-264.
Villegas, A.M., & Lucas, T. (2002). Educating
culturally responsive teachers: A coherent approach.
Buffalo: State University of New York Press
About the Authors
Leslie Ponciano, Ph.D., is Assistant
Professor and Program Director of
the Early Childhood Education M.A.
Program, School of Education, Loyola
Marymount University, Los Angeles,
California. Ponciano has taught courses
that explore cultural competence and
diversity in early childhood education
and foster care for 10 years.
Ani Shabazian, Ph.D., is Assistant
Professor and Director of the LMU
Children’s Center, School of Education,
Loyola Marymount University, Los
Angeles, California.
Both authors participated in a one-year
institute on intercultural pedagogy at
LMU and co-presented a session on the
intercultural approach in early child-
hood education at the National Associa-
tion for the Education of Young Chil-
dren Annual Conference in 2011.
Vol 40, No 1, 2012 29
 These Ideas With a Professional Book
Anarella Cellitti

Getting It RIGHT for Young Children

From Diverse Backgrounds: Applying
Research to Improve Practice
By Linda Espinosa. (2010). 141 pp. $30. Washington, DC:
National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Dr. Linda Espinosa, Professor of Early Childhood at the University

of Missouri, has extensive experience working with low-income Latino
children. Her book is organized into seven chapters addressing changing
demographics in the United States; research findings about topics such
as child development, language development, children in poverty, and
English Language Learners (ELL); and curriculum strategies for diverse
populations.
In the first chapter, Espinosa emphasizes the impact of good early
childhood programs in educating children of poverty and ELL.

Later chapters explain research findings in how chil-
dren in poverty and ELL develop, including techniques
to minimize the negative impact that these environmen-
tal factors can have on children. Particularly interesting
is the chapter in language development, because it offers
a very easy way to understand bilingualism development
and steps in that process.
The most important part of the book is the section on
curriculum adaptation and program design. Espinoza
offers practical strategies to create programs that meet
children’s needs, including social and emotional devel-
opment. She also explains how to work with families
from diverse backgrounds to create a climate that is
respectful and culturally responsive.
One of the strengths of this book is that the author
offers practical ways to integrate research findings in
classrooms and programs. Her emphasis on understand-
ing and valuing families and children is commendable.
Although possible barriers and issues are identified, the
book finishes on a positive note with many strategies
and tips for classroom implementation.
A more in-depth discussion of teaching mathematics
to this diverse population would be a valuable addition.
This is an important topic due to the focus on math
content in the Common Core curriculum.
Espinosa’s book would especially benefit pre-service
teachers. New and experienced teachers can benefit
because the material is current and pedagogically sound.
Administrators are urged to add this book to the school
library for teachers who are new to working with chil-
dren of poverty and ELL children, or are looking for
practical information about working with children and
families from diverse groups.

Anarella Cellitti, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

30 Vol 40, No 1, 2012 Dimensions of Early Childhood