CTEL CTEL Culture and Inclusion 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes the unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding and actions toward people of other groups?
- Overt prejudice
- Implicit bias (Correct answer)
- Structural racism
- Cultural deficit thinking
Correct answer: Implicit bias
Implicit bias refers to attitudes and stereotypes that operate below conscious awareness and can influence decisions and behaviors without intentional discrimination.
Question 2: A teacher assumes that an ELL student who is quiet and compliant is academically proficient because 'Asian students are good at school.' This is an example of:
- Positive reinforcement
- Model minority stereotype (Correct answer)
- Cultural appreciation
- Deficit thinking
Correct answer: Model minority stereotype
The model minority stereotype falsely assumes uniform academic excellence among Asian students, masking individual needs and perpetuating harmful racial generalizations.
Question 3: In the context of CTEL, 'additive bilingualism' means:
- Learning a second language at the expense of the first language
- Developing proficiency in a second language while maintaining and strengthening the first language (Correct answer)
- Adding only academic vocabulary in English to the student's repertoire
- Teaching two languages in separate, non-overlapping contexts
Correct answer: Developing proficiency in a second language while maintaining and strengthening the first language
Additive bilingualism occurs when a new language is added to a student's repertoire without replacing or diminishing their first language.
Question 4: Which scenario best illustrates a 'microaggression' in the classroom?
- A teacher provides feedback on a student's essay that is too critical
- A teacher tells a Latino student 'You speak English so well!' with genuine surprise (Correct answer)
- A teacher assigns more homework than students can reasonably complete
- A teacher calls on students randomly rather than in order
Correct answer: A teacher tells a Latino student 'You speak English so well!' with genuine surprise
Expressing surprise at a Latino student's English proficiency implies an assumption that Latino students are not expected to be articulate in English, which is a microaggression.
Question 5: A student new to the U.S. from Somalia participates enthusiastically in class but shows behavioral differences from U.S.-born peers. Which framework best guides the teacher's response?
- Deficit model — identifying what skills the student lacks
- Cultural difference model — understanding behaviors as culturally grounded rather than deficient (Correct answer)
- Assimilation model — accelerating the student's adoption of U.S. norms
- Medical model — screening the student for learning disabilities
Correct answer: Cultural difference model — understanding behaviors as culturally grounded rather than deficient
The cultural difference model frames behavioral variation as culturally learned rather than as deficits, leading to more equitable and effective instruction.
Question 6: The concept of 'third culture' in cross-cultural contexts refers to:
- A blended identity formed by individuals who have been raised in a culture other than their parents' culture (Correct answer)
- The third generation of an immigrant family fully assimilated into U.S. culture
- A curriculum that integrates three cultural perspectives into every lesson
- The culture created inside a bilingual classroom
Correct answer: A blended identity formed by individuals who have been raised in a culture other than their parents' culture
Third culture kids (TCKs) develop a unique identity that incorporates elements of their parents' culture and the host culture, creating a hybrid 'third culture.'
Question 7: When reviewing curriculum materials for cultural bias, a teacher should look for all of the following EXCEPT:
- Stereotyping of ethnic or racial groups
- Underrepresentation of diverse perspectives
- Inclusion of primary sources from multiple cultures (Correct answer)
- Exclusive use of Western European historical events as universal norms
Correct answer: Inclusion of primary sources from multiple cultures
Including primary sources from multiple cultures is a strategy to reduce bias, not an indicator of bias in curriculum materials.
CTEL CTEL Culture and Inclusion 3
Which term describes the unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding and actions toward people of other groups?