ABSTRACT

This article introduces the basis for developing multicultural education in United States of America and intercultural education in Europe. Living together in changing and diverse communities represents a big challenge. Teachers working in schools and students learning in heterogeneous classes can solve this challenge only with an adequate public support, where each individual can develop his/her intercultural competence. A common terminology should be explored together with currently developed concepts and the experience already gained from multicultural and intercultural education. Although professional discussions about multicultural and intercultural education, intercultural competence and interculturality as a teaching concept have also been developed in Slovenia, the gap between a declarative level for multiculturality and the actual (teaching) practices is still considerably wide.

KEY WORDS: intercultural education, multicultural education, intercultural competence, interculturality as a teaching concept

ABSTRACT

This article introduces the basis for developing multicultural education in United States of America and intercultural education in Europe. Living together in changing and diverse communities represents a big challenge. Teachers working in schools and students learning in heterogeneous classes can solve this challenge only with an adequate public support, where each individual can develop his/her intercultural competence. A common terminology should be explored together with currently developed concepts and the experience already gained from multicultural and intercultural education. Although professional discussions about multicultural and intercultural education, intercultural competence and interculturality as a teaching concept have also been developed in Slovenia, the gap between a declarative level for multiculturality and the actual (teaching) practices is still considerably wide.

KEY WORDS: intercultural education, multicultural education, intercultural competence, interculturality as a teaching concept

ABSTRACT

Integrating immigrant children in elementary schools is a problem for many school systems. A number of international studies show that in most countries students with immigrant backgrounds do not achieve comparable school outcomes. Some countries – such as Sweden in our case – have developed a range of support mechanisms. We found that Slovenia, in comparison to Sweden, does not provide the conditions to make it easier for immigrant students to learn Slovene and develop their own cultural identity.

KEY WORDS: (newly) immigrated students, mother tongue, teaching adaptation, cultural heterogeneity vs. homogeneity

ABSTRACT

Integrating immigrant children in elementary schools is a problem for many school systems. A number of international studies show that in most countries students with immigrant backgrounds do not achieve comparable school outcomes. Some countries – such as Sweden in our case – have developed a range of support mechanisms. We found that Slovenia, in comparison to Sweden, does not provide the conditions to make it easier for immigrant students to learn Slovene and develop their own cultural identity.

KEY WORDS: (newly) immigrated students, mother tongue, teaching adaptation, cultural heterogeneity vs. homogeneity

ABSTRACT

The article presents an analysis of curricula and textbooks, and analyses the extent to which they in- clude the contents related to multicultural education. The focus is on the analysis of primary school geography curricula and textbooks. Adaptations of primary school textbooks for adults were also analysed (the internal materials of adult education institutions). The content analysis method was applied. The hypothesis of the article is that multicultural education contents are not sufficiently included in the curricula and textbooks analysed, so the education system in Slovenia cannot fully develop as multicultural education. The results of the research confirmed the hypothesis; they showed that multicultural education contents are not sufficiently included in the curricula and textbooks of geography in order for the educational system in Slovenia to develop as multicultural education.

KEY WORDS: multicultural education, curricula, textbooks, geography, internal material for primary school for adults

ABSTRACT

The article presents an analysis of curricula and textbooks, and analyses the extent to which they in- clude the contents related to multicultural education. The focus is on the analysis of primary school geography curricula and textbooks. Adaptations of primary school textbooks for adults were also analysed (the internal materials of adult education institutions). The content analysis method was applied. The hypothesis of the article is that multicultural education contents are not sufficiently included in the curricula and textbooks analysed, so the education system in Slovenia cannot fully develop as multicultural education. The results of the research confirmed the hypothesis; they showed that multicultural education contents are not sufficiently included in the curricula and textbooks of geography in order for the educational system in Slovenia to develop as multicultural education.

KEY WORDS: multicultural education, curricula, textbooks, geography, internal material for primary school for adults

ABSTRACT

This article examines the issue of engagement with diversity and the various problems, tensions and challenges we are likely to encounter when including diversity in classrooms and other educational settings. The introductory section of this article deals with some preliminary considerations associated with the educational significance of engagement with diversity. I then introduce the three basic dimen- sions of diversity we are likely to encounter when discussing inclusion of diversity in any non-ideal educational environment. In Section III I examine the educational significance of engagement with diversity and identify the different functions engagement with diversity performs. In Section IV I examine the main controversies and the associated shortcomings any intuitive account of engagement with diver- sity is likely to face. In the conclusion, I specify how we should understand the idea of the fair treatment of engagement with diversity which is consistent with the commitment of educating students so as to recognise and respect one another as free and equal members of a polity.

KEYWORDS: multiculturalism, diversity, pluralism, citizenship education

ABSTRACT

This article examines the issue of engagement with diversity and the various problems, tensions and challenges we are likely to encounter when including diversity in classrooms and other educational settings. The introductory section of this article deals with some preliminary considerations associated with the educational significance of engagement with diversity. I then introduce the three basic dimen- sions of diversity we are likely to encounter when discussing inclusion of diversity in any non-ideal educational environment. In Section III I examine the educational significance of engagement with diversity and identify the different functions engagement with diversity performs. In Section IV I examine the main controversies and the associated shortcomings any intuitive account of engagement with diver- sity is likely to face. In the conclusion, I specify how we should understand the idea of the fair treatment of engagement with diversity which is consistent with the commitment of educating students so as to recognise and respect one another as free and equal members of a polity.

KEYWORDS: multiculturalism, diversity, pluralism, citizenship education

ABSTRACT

The National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia has issued the Guidelines for the Integration of Immigrant Children in Kindergartens and Schools. The difficulties with the integration of immigrant students are of a broad character, and the essay deals with the issue of the safety of the boarding school environment for secondary school students with immigrant parents. In our opinion it is also influenced by the statements, beliefs and attitudes of educators and secondary school students regarding acts of violence. To obtain the answers to our hypotheses, a research project was carried out in which educators (teachers) and boarding school students were questioned as to the level of seriousness at which they evaluate psychological or physical acts of violence against secondary school students with immigrant parents. There are 39 boarding schools in Slovenia which employ 200 educators and at which 5000 secondary school students are enrolled. The research involved all of the boarding schools in Slovenia, including 154 educators and 1331 boarding school students. We recommend the introduction of topics of non-violent culture regarding immigrant secondary school students into the management policy of boarding schools.

KEY WORDS: boarding school, secondary school students, educators, immigrants, evaluation of the seriousness of violent acts

ABSTRACT

The National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia has issued the Guidelines for the Integration of Immigrant Children in Kindergartens and Schools. The difficulties with the integration of immigrant students are of a broad character, and the essay deals with the issue of the safety of the boarding school environment for secondary school students with immigrant parents. In our opinion it is also influenced by the statements, beliefs and attitudes of educators and secondary school students regarding acts of violence. To obtain the answers to our hypotheses, a research project was carried out in which educators (teachers) and boarding school students were questioned as to the level of seriousness at which they evaluate psychological or physical acts of violence against secondary school students with immigrant parents. There are 39 boarding schools in Slovenia which employ 200 educators and at which 5000 secondary school students are enrolled. The research involved all of the boarding schools in Slovenia, including 154 educators and 1331 boarding school students. We recommend the introduction of topics of non-violent culture regarding immigrant secondary school students into the management policy of boarding schools.

KEY WORDS: boarding school, secondary school students, educators, immigrants, evaluation of the seriousness of violent acts