Module 5:

MULTICULTURAL AND GLOBAL LITERACY

LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Discuss the global and multicultural literacy.
2. Illustrate the Global Competence Framework
3. Explain the dimensions of multiculturalism
4. Elucidate on the assessment strategy for global competence and global understanding
5. Present effective ways on how to integrate global multiculturalism in the lesson using
appropriate delivery strategies, instructional materials and assessment tools
6. Draw relevant life lessons and significant values from personal experience in
demonstrating multicultural literacy
7. Analyze research abstract on global and multicultural literacy and its implications on the
teaching-learning process.
8. Draft relevant policy in addressing multiculturalism in school

INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION
Numbered Heads Together. This is a strategy wherein each student is assigned a
number in his/her group. Members of the group agree on an answer while the teacher randomly
calls for a number and the one who has that number will answer the question on behalf of the
group.

Procedure:
1. Group the class into 4 or 5 (depending on the class size).
2. Each member is assigned a number.
3. The teacher will ask a question and call a number
4. Each member in the group, that holds the number being called, will stand to present the
group’s collaborative answer.
5. The teacher will give feedback.

Questions:
1. What do you understand by cultural diversity?
2. What is your stand on global cultural conflict? How does it impact on social, economic
and political aspects of a country and its interrelations with other nations?
3. How can cultural conflict be resolved, if not avoided?
 4. What can you say about the existing feud between the Philippines and China on the issue
of territorial claims?
5. What best initiative should the Philippine government do to settle such disputes and
arguments?

CONCEPT EXPLORATION
As schools cater to diverse students in class, be it in terms of gender, color, race,
nationality, religious affiliations, cultural beliefs, ethnic groups, socio-economic status, etc.,
teachers need to understand the concept of multicultural literacy to come up with appropriate
approaches in class.

Multicultural Literacy
Multicultural literacy consists of the skills and ability to identify the creators of
knowledge and their interest (Banks, 1996) to reveal the assumptions of knowledge, to view
knowledge from diverse ethnic and cultural perspective, and to use knowledge to guide action
that will create a humane and just world (Boutte, 2008).
Multicultural literacy then, brings attention to diversity, equity and social justice to foster
cultural awareness by addressing difficult issues like discrimination and oppression towards
other ethnicities (Boutte, 2008).
Accordingly, education for multicultural literacy should help students to develop the 21 st
century skills and attitudes that are needed to become active citizens who will work toward
achieving social justice within communities. Because of the growing racial, language and ethnic
diversity in the country, multicultural literacy needs to be transformed in substantial ways to
prepare students to function effectively in the 21st Century (Boutte).
Boutte (2008) reiterated that making small changes within the classrooms can create big
chances globally. As diversity grows, there is a need for the emergence of multicultural
education that is more representative of the students in today’s classrooms. Banks (2003)
asserted that teaching students to be advocates of multiculturalism is also a matter of sending a
message of empathy and tolerance in schools to develop a deeper understanding of others and
appreciation of different cultures. Developing these attitudes and skills requires basic knowledge
prior to teaching students how to question assumptions about cultural knowledge and how to
critique and critically think about these important cultural issues, which is what essentially
makes multicultural literacy a 21st Century literacy (Banks, 2003).

Global Literacy
Global literacy aims to address issues of globalization, racism, diversity and social justice
(Guo, 2014). It requires awareness and action, consistent with a broad understanding of
humanity, the planet, and the impact of human decision on both. It also aims to empower
students with knowledge and take action to make a positive impact in the world and their local
community (Guo, 2014).
According to the Ontario Ministry of Education (2015), a global citizen should possess
the following characteristics: (1) respect for humans regardless of race, gender, religion or
political perspectives; (2) respect for diversity and various perspectives; (3) promote sustainable
patterns of living, consumption, and production; and (4) appreciate the natural world and
demonstrate respect on the rights of all living things.
Interconnecting multicultural and global literacy. Every classroom contains students
of different races, religious and cultural groups, Guo (2014) averred that students embrace
diverse behaviors, cultural values, patterns of practice, and communication, yet they all share one
commonality, which is their educational opportunity.
Therefore, teachers should teach their students that other cultures exist and that these
deserve to be acknowledged and respected, integrating a variety of cultural context into lessons
and activities teaches students to view the world from many angles, creates respect for diversity
and enables students to learn exciting information. As classrooms become increasingly more
diverse, it is important for educators to analyze and address diversity issues and integrate
multiculturalism information into the classroom curriculum (Guo, 2014).
The OECD Global Competence Framework
Knowledge

Understand and
Values
appreciate the
perspective and
world views of
others

Examine Engage in open,

local, global appropriate and
and effective
intercultural interactions across
Skills issues Global Competence cultures

Take action for

collective well-being and
sustainable development Attitudes
 The framework depicts the four dimensions of global competence encompassing the
development of knowledge, values, attitude and skills that flow along parameters of attaining
such competency.

Global Competence
The desire to participate in interconnected, complex and diverse societies has become a
pressing need. Recognizing the roles of school in preparing the youth to participate in the world,
the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) developed a framework to
explain, foster and assess students’ global competence. This design serves as a tool for
policymakers, leaders and teachers in fostering global competence among students worldwide.
Global competence is a multidimensional capacity. Therefore, globally competent
individuals can analyze and rationalize local, global and intercultural issues, understand and
appreciate different perspectives and worldviews, interact successfully ad respectfully with
others, and take responsible action toward sustainability and collective well-being (OECD
publication).
Global competence refers to skills, values and behaviors that prepare young people to
thrive in a diverse, interconnected and rapidly changing world. It is the ability to become
engaged citizens and collaborative problem solvers who are ready for the workforce.
Promoting global competence in schools. Schools play a crucial role in helping young
people to develop global competence. They can provide opportunities to critically examine
global developments that are significant to both the world and to their own lives. They can teach
students how to critically, effectively and responsible use digital information and social media
platforms.
Schools can encourage intercultural sensitivity and respect by allowing students to
engage in experiences that foster an appreciation for diverse peoples, languages and cultures
(Bennett, 1993; Sinicrope, Norris and Watanabe, 2007). Schools are also positioned to enhance
students’ ability to understand their place in the community and the world and improve such
ability to make judgments and take action (Hanvey, 1975 in PISA, 2018).

The Need for Global Competence

The following are the reasons why global competence is necessary.
1. To live harmoniously in multicultural communities. Education for global competence can
promote cultural awareness and purposeful interactions in increasingly diverse societies
(Brubacker and Laitin, 1998; Kymlicka, 1995; Sen, 2007). People with diverse cultures
are able to live peacefully, respect differences, find common solutions, resolve conflicts
and learn to live together as global citizens (Delors, et. al., 1996; UNESCO, 2014b).
Thus, education can teach students the need to address cultural biases and stereotypes.
 2. To thrive in a changing labor market. Education for global competence can boost
employability through effective communication and appropriate behavior within diverse
teams using technology in accessing and connecting to the world (British Council, 2013).
3. To use media platforms effectively and responsibly. Radical transformations in digital
technologies have shaped young people’s outlook on the world, their interaction with
others and their perception of themselves. Online networks, social media and interactive
technologies give rise to new concepts of learning, wherein young people exercise to take
their freedom on what and how they learn (Zuckerman, 2014).
4. To support the sustainable development goals. Education for global competence can help
from new generations who care about global issues and engage in social, political,
economic and environmental discussions.

Dimensions of Global Competence: Implications to Education

Education for global competence is founded on the ideas of different models of global
education, such as intercultural education, global citizenship education and education of
democratic citizenship (UNESCO, 2014a; Council of Europe, 2016a).
Despite differences in focus and scope, these models share a common goal of promoting
students’ understanding of the world and empower them to express their views and participate in
the society. PISA proposes a new perspective on the definition and assessment of global
competence that will help policy makers and school leaders create learning resources and
curricula that integrate global competence as a multifaceted cognitive, socio-emotional and civic
learning goal (Boix Mansilla, 2016).
This definition outlines four dimensions of global competence that people need to apply
in their everyday life just like students from different cultural backgrounds are working together
on school projects.

Dimension 1: Examine issues of local, global and cultural significance

This dimension refers to globally competent people’s practices of effectively utilizing
knowledge about the world and critical reasoning in forming their own opinion about a global
issue. People, who acquire a mature level of development in this dimension, use higher-order
thinking skills, such as selecting and weighing appropriate evidence to support arguments about
global developments. Most likely, globally competent students can draw on and combine the
disciplinary knowledge and thinking styles learned in schools to ask questions, analyze data and
propositions, explain phenomena, and develop a position concerning a local, global or cultural
issue. Hence, globally competent people effectively use and create both traditional and digital
media (Boix Mansilla and Jackson, 2011).
Dimension 2: Understand and appreciate the perspectives and world views of others
This dimension highlights that globally competent people are willing and capable of
considering other people’s perspectives and behaviors from multiple viewpoints to examine their
own assumptions. This in turn, implies a profound respect for and interest in others with their
concept of reality and emotions. Individuals with this competence also consider and appreciate
the connections that enable them to bridge in differences and create common ground. They retain
their cultural identity while becoming aware of the cultural values and beliefs of people around
them (Fennes and Hapgood, 1997).

Dimension 3: Engage in open, appropriate and effective interactions across cultures

This dimension describes what globally competent individuals can do when they interact
with people from different cultures. They understand the cultural norms, interactive styles and
degrees of formality of intercultural contexts, and they can flexibly adapt their behavior and
communication manner through respectful dialog even with marginalized groups. Therefore, it
emphasizes individuals’ capacity to interact with others across differences in ways that are open,
appropriate and effective (Barrett, et. al., 2014).

Dimension 4: Take action for collective well-being and sustainable development

This dimension focuses on young people’s role as active and responsible members of
society and refers to individual’s readiness to respond to a given local, global or intercultural
issue or situation. It recognizes that young people have multiple realms of influence ranging
from personal and local to digital and global. Globally competent people create opportunities to
get engaged to improve living conditions in their communities and build a just, peaceful,
inclusive and an environmentally sustainable world.

The assessment strategy for global competence

The PISA 2018 assessment of global competence contributes development, while
considering challenges and limitations. It has two components: 1) a cognitive test exclusively
focused on the construct of “global understanding”; and 2) a set of questionnaire items collecting
self-reported information on students’ awareness on global issues and cultures, skills (both
cognitive and social) and attitudes, as well as information from schools and teachers on activities
that promote global competence (OECD, 2018).

Curriculum for global competence: Knowledge, skills, attitudes and values

Schools can provide opportunities for students to explore complex global issues that they
encounter through media and their own experiences. The curriculum should focus on four
knowledge domains: (1) culture and intercultural relations; (2) socio-economic development and
interdependence; (3) environmental sustainability; (4) global institutions, conflicts and human
rights. Teaching these four domains should stress on differences in perspectives, questioning
concepts, and arguments. Students can acquire knowledge in this domain by reflecting on their
own cultural identity and that of their peers by analyzing common stereotypes toward people in
their community or by analyzing related cases of cultural conflict. Acquiring knowledge in this
aspect is important in developing values, such as peace, respect, non-discrimination, equality,
fairness, acceptance, justice, non-violence and tolerance (OECD, 2018).

Skills to understand the world and to take action

Global competence builds on specific cognitive, communication and socio-emotional
skills. Effective education for global competence gives students the opportunity to mobilize and
use their knowledge, attitudes, skills and values together while sharing ideas on global issues in
and outside of school or interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.
A school community that desires to nurture global competence should focus on clear,
controllable and realizable learning goals. This means engaging all educators to reflect on
teaching topics that are globally significant, the types of skills that foster deeper understanding of
the world and facilitate respectful interactions in multicultural contexts, and the attitudes and
values that drive autonomous learning and inspire responsible action (OECD, 2018).

Knowledge about the world and other cultures

Global competence is supported by the knowledge of global issues that affect lives
locally and around the globe, as well as intercultural knowledge, or knowledge about the
similarities, differences and relations among cultures. This knowledge helps people to challenge
misinformation and stereotypes about other countries and people, and thus, results in intolerance
and oversimplified representations of the world.
This can be done through the following strategies (OECD, 2018):
Perspective-taking refers to the cognitive and social skills of understanding how other
people think and feel.
Adaptability refers to the ability to adapt systems thinking and behaviors to the prevailing
cultural environment, or to situations and contexts that can present new demands or challenges.

Openness, respect for diversity and global-mindedness

Globally competent behavior requires an attitude of openness towards people from other
cultural backgrounds, an attitude of respect for cultural differences and an attitude of global-
mindedness. Such attitudes can be fostered explicitly through participatory and learner-centered
teaching, as well as through a curriculum characterized by centered teaching, as well as through
a curriculum characterized by fair practices and an accommodating school climate for all
students.
Openness toward people from other cultural backgrounds involves sensitivity towards
curiosity about and willingness to engage with other people and other perspectives on the world
(Byram, 2008; Council of Europe, 2016a).
Respect consists of a positive regard for someone based on judgment of intrinsic worth. It
assumes the dignity of all human beings and their inalienable right to choose their own
affiliations, beliefs, opinions or practices (Council of Europe, 2016a).
Global-mindedness is defined as a worldview, in which one sees him/herself connected to
the community and feels a sense of responsibility for its members (Hansen, 2010).

Valuing human dignity and diversity

Valuing human dignity and valuing human diversity contribute to global competence
because they constitute critical filters through which individuals process information about other
cultures and decide how to engage with others and the world. Hence, people; who cultivate these
values, become more aware of themselves and their surroundings, and are strongly motivated to
fight against exclusion, ignorance, violence, oppression and war.
Clapham (2006) introduced the four aspects of valuing equality of core rights and dignity.
To wit: (1) the prohibition of all types of inhuman treatment, humiliation or degradation by one
person over another; (2) the assurance of the possibility for individual choice and the conditions
for each individual’s self-fulfillment, autonomy or self-realization; (3) the recognition that
protection of group identity and culture may be essential for that of personal dignity; and (4) the
creation of necessary conditions to have the essential needs satisfied.

Global understanding
Understanding is the ability to use knowledge to find meaning and connection between
different pieces of information and perspectives.
The framework distinguishes four interrelated cognitive processes that globally
competent students need to use to understand fully global or intercultural issues and situations
(OECD, 2018).
1. The capacity to evaluate information, formulate arguments and explain complex
situations and problems by using and connecting evidence, identifying biases and gaps in
information and managing conflicting arguments
2. The capacity to analyze multiple perspectives and worldviews, positioning and
connecting their own and others’ perspectives on the world
 3. The capacity to understand differences in communication, recognizing the importance of
socially appropriate communication and adapting it to the demands of diverse cultural
contexts
4. The capacity to evaluate actions and consequences by identifying and comparing
different courses of action and weighing actions on the basis of consequences.

Thus, globally competent students should be able to perform a wide variety of tasks
utilizing different cognitive processes, such as: reasoning with evidence about an issue or
situation of local, global and intercultural significance; searching effectively for useful sources of
information; evaluating information on the basis of its relevance and reliability; synthesizing
information to describe the main ideas in an argumentative text or the salient passages of a
conversation; and combining their background knowledge, new information and critical
reasoning to build multi-causal explanations of global or intercultural issues (OECD, 2018).

Integrating Global and Intercultural Issues in the Curriculum

For global education to translate abstraction into action, there is a need to integrate global
issues and topics into existing subjects (Klein, 2013; UNESCO, 2014). In practice, content
knowledge related to global competence is integrated in the curriculum and taught in specific
courses. Therefore, students can understand those issues across ages, starting in early childhood
when presenting them in developmentally appropriate ways (Boix Mansilla and Jackson, 2011;
UNESCO, 2015).
Therefore, Gaudelli (2006) affirmed that teachers must have clear ideas on global and
intercultural issues that students may reflect on. They also need to collaboratively research topics
and carefully design the curriculum while giving students multiple opportunities to learn those
issues. Teachers may also engage in professional learning communities and facilitate peer
learning.
More so, teaching about minority cultures in different subject areas entails accurate
content information about ethnically and racially diverse groups and experiences. Curricula
should promote the integration of knowledge of other people, places and perspectives in the
classroom throughout the year (UNESCO, 2014a), rather than using a “tourist approach”, or
giving students a superficial glimpse of life in different countries now and then.
Textbooks and other instructional materials can also distort cultural and ethnic
differences (Gay, 2015). Teachers and their students should critically examine textbooks and
other teaching resources and supplement information when necessary.

Connecting global and intercultural topics to the reality, contexts and needs of the
learning group is an effective methodological approach to make them relevant to adolescents
(North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, 2012. People learn better and become more
engaged when they get connected with the content and when they see its relevance to their lives
and their immediate environment (Suárez-Orozco and Todorova, 2008).

Pedagogies for promoting global competence. Various student-centered pedagogies

can help students develop critical thinking along global issues, respectful communication,
conflict management skills, perspective taking and adaptability.

Group-based cooperative project work can improve reasoning and collaborative skills. It
involves topic – or theme – based tasks suitable for various levels and ages, in which goals and
content are negotiated and learners can create their own learning materials that they present and
evaluate together. Learners, participating in cooperative tasks, soon would realize that to be
efficient, they need to be respectful, attentive, honest and empathic (Barrett, et. al., 2014).

Class discussion is an interactive approach that encourages proactive listening and

responding to ideas expressed by peers. By exchanging views in the classroom, students learn
that there is no single right answer to a problem, understand the reasons why others hold
different views and reflect on the origins of their own beliefs (Ritchhart, et. al., 2011).
Service learning is another tool that can help students develop multiple global skills
through real-world experience. This requires learners to participate in organized activities that
are based on what has been learned in the classroom and that benefit their communities. After the
activities, learners reflect critically on their service experience to gain further understanding of
course content, and enhance their sense of role in society with regard to civic, social, economic
and political issues (Bringle and Clayton, 2012). Through service learning, students not only
“serve to learn,” which is applied learning, but also “learn to serve” (Bringle, et. al., 2016).
The Story Circle Approach intends students to practice key intercultural skills, including
respect, cultural self-awareness and empathy (Deardorff, n.d.). The students, in groups of 5-6,
take turns sharing a 3-minute story from their own experience based on specific prompts, such as
“Tell us about your first experience when you encountered someone who was different from you
in some ways.” After all students in the group have shared their personal stories, students then,
share the most memorable point from each story in a “flash back” activity.
Other types of intercultural engagements involve simulations, interviews, role plays and
online games.
Attitudes and values integration toward global competence. Allocating teaching time
to a specific subject that deals with human rights issues and non-discrimination is an important
initial step in cultivating values for global competence.
Values and attitudes are partly communicated through the formal curriculum and also
through ways, in which teachers and students interact, how discipline is encouraged and the
types of opinions and behavior that are validated in the classroom. Therefore, recognizing the
school and classroom environments’ influence on developing students’ values would help
teachers become more aware of the impact of their teaching on students (Gay, 2015).
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What are multicultural and global literacies?
2. Explain the Global Competence Framework.
3. What are the dimensions of multiculturalism? Explain each.
4. How can global competence and global understanding be assessed in the classroom?
5. How can you integrate multicultural and global literacies in the lesson using appropriate
delivery strategies, assessment tools and instructional materials?

Life and Values Integration

Share a personal experience in demonstrating global and multicultural literacies. What life
lessons and values have you realized and learned?

RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND IMPLICATION

Direction: Analyze the following research abstract and cite its implication on teaching-learning.
You may download the full paper of this research on the website given below.

Improving student engagement and acceptance using multicultural texts

Rouse (2018)
The purpose of this research is to investigate how students in a third-grade classroom
engage in multicultural texts when reading about cultures other than their own. Furthermore, it
investigated how the use of multicultural texts impacts their understanding and acceptance of
diverse cultures. The strategies used for this qualitative research study were questionnaires,
observations, accountable talk discussions, artifact analysis, and interviews. Throughout the six-
week study, students read and engaged in discussions after reading two multicultural texts. They
participated in activities expressing their thoughts and beliefs related to the content read in class.
After discussing and analyzing the texts, students were able to identify possible solutions to help
people become more aware and accepting of diverse cultures. They also became more engaged
in productive dialog with their peers while analyzing and responding to complex texts.
Furthermore, students felt safe and comfortable asking questions about culture and diversity.
They were eager to express their thought, interacted with their peers positively and made
connections to the multicultural texts showing their enthusiasm as they learned about different
cultures.
Analysis: How can the use of multicultural texts impact students’ understanding and acceptance
of diverse cultures?
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Implication: How can this study contribute to the school’s practice of multiculturalism?
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SYNTHESIS AND LEARNING REFLECTION

GLOBAL AND MULTICULTURAL LITERACIES
 Multicultural literacy depicts diversity, equity and social justice to foster
cultural awareness on discrimination and oppression toward other ethnicities.
LEARNING REFLECTION
 Global literacy aims to address issues of globalization, racism, diversity and
social justice.
 Global competence refers to the skills, values, and behaviors that prepare
young people to thrive in a more diverse, interconnected world, engaged
citizens and collaborative problem solvers who are ready for the workforce.
 Globally compete individuals can examine local, global and intercultural
issues, understand and appreciate different perspectives and world views
interact successfully and respectfully with others, and take responsible action
toward sustainability and collective well-being.
 The Global Competence Framework is designed as a tool for policymakers,
leaders, and teachers in nurturing global competence among young people
worldwide with four salient dimensions.
 In order to attain respect for diversity in the classroom, teachers should
integrate global multiculturalism in the lesson by citing relevant issues to be
addressed.
Direction: From the perspectives of global competency. Fill-in the boxes below in the context of
instruction along lesson content, assessment, teaching strategy, materials, and learning outcome.

Lesson Content Assessment

Global Competency
Concepts

Teaching Strategy Materials

Learning Outcome

CURRICULUM APPLICATION
Direction: Draft a relevant policy in addressing multiculturalism in school.
(i.e. admitting foreign students and indigents, student mix, inclusive education, multi-grade
teaching, heterogeneous class grouping, addressing students with special needs, etc.). Use the
provided format template sample below.
POLICY ON ______________________________________________________

Rationale
Objectives

Scope
References
POLICIES
 NARRATIVE PROCEDURES
Authorities Responsibilities

Prepared By: _______________________ Section/Major: _______________________

LET SAMPLERS: TAKING THE EXAMINATION

Direction: Read and analyze each item carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer.
1. Which of the following learning outcomes best reflects an integration of multicultural and
global literacies?
A. Discuss multicultural concept and relate it to your personal experience
B. Create an artwork that depicts multicultural dynamics
C. Demonstrate care, respect, and acceptance of classmates belonging to indigenous
group
D. Suggest ways in promoting multiculturalism and addressing conflict issues

2. Which of the following is directly a contrast of the concept of multiculturalism?

A. A staff who dislikes a certain food from the other region because it does not suit
his taste bud
B. A dean who refuses a student to enroll a subject that does not adhere to
prerequisite requirement
C. A student who does not prefer to have his education in a public school
D. A teacher who ignores students who cannot understand the lesson

3. In discussing a lesson on international conflict, Teacher E cites the Scarborough Shoal

dispute between China and Philippines and its economic implications to the region, the
national security and foreign relations. In this case, which dimension of global
competence is being addressed?
A. Examine local, global and international issues
B. Understand and appreciate the perspectives and world views of others
C. Take action for collective well-being and sustainable development
D. Engage in open, appropriate and effective interactions across culture
4. Schools have become open to the idea of borderless global society. Which among the
following educational practices support the multicultural perspective towards
globalization?
I. Cultural Exchange Program
II. International School Partnership
III. United Nations Celebration
IV. International Conference on Peace Talks for Students and Teachers
A. I and II only C. I, II and III
B. II and IV only D. I, II, III and IV

5. Which traditional paper-and-pen test can assess multicultural skills?

A. Identification. Write what is being asked in each item about the concept of
multiculturalism.
B. Matching Type. Match the tribes in column A with the cultural practices and
traditions in column B. write letters only.
C. Enumeration. List down 10 ways in sustaining cultural diversity amidst conflict
crisis.
D. Essay. How can we show respect for diversity? Cite a personal experience that
brought you to ab instance of conflicts due to differences an elaborate how you
managed the incident and processed respect.