NPC NPC Cultural Competency & Diversity in Schools 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Cultural competency in a school setting means:
- Knowing every language spoken by students in the school
- Understanding, respecting, and effectively working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds (Correct answer)
- Requiring all students to adopt the dominant culture of the school
- Treating all students exactly the same regardless of individual or cultural differences
Correct answer: Understanding, respecting, and effectively working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds
Cultural competency involves awareness of one's own cultural assumptions, knowledge of other cultures, and skills to interact effectively and respectfully across cultural differences.
Question 2: A student who recently immigrated may struggle in school primarily because of:
- A lack of intelligence or motivation
- Language barriers, cultural adjustment, and unfamiliarity with US school norms (Correct answer)
- Deliberately refusing to participate
- An undiagnosed learning disability in every case
Correct answer: Language barriers, cultural adjustment, and unfamiliarity with US school norms
Newly arrived students often face challenges related to language acquisition, adjusting to a new culture, and navigating an unfamiliar educational system — not cognitive ability.
Question 3: What is the difference between 'equality' and 'equity' in education?
- They mean exactly the same thing
- Equality gives everyone the same resources; equity gives each student what they specifically need to succeed (Correct answer)
- Equity means giving the most resources to the highest-achieving students
- Equality means special treatment for students with disabilities
Correct answer: Equality gives everyone the same resources; equity gives each student what they specifically need to succeed
Equality distributes identical resources to all students; equity recognizes that students have different needs and distributes resources accordingly to give all students an equal chance to succeed.
Question 4: Implicit bias refers to:
- Openly stated prejudices about certain groups
- Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect decisions and behavior without the person's awareness (Correct answer)
- Deliberate discrimination based on race or gender
- A legal term for documented harassment in the workplace
Correct answer: Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect decisions and behavior without the person's awareness
Implicit biases are unconscious associations and attitudes that can influence perceptions and interactions, often without the individual realizing they are affecting their behavior.
Question 5: A paraprofessional who notices they treat students differently based on race or socioeconomic status should:
- Justify the differential treatment as appropriate given the circumstances
- Reflect critically on their biases, seek professional development, and work to provide equitable treatment (Correct answer)
- Deny that any difference exists and continue current practices
- Ask other paraprofessionals to confirm the different treatment is justified
Correct answer: Reflect critically on their biases, seek professional development, and work to provide equitable treatment
Recognizing and addressing implicit biases requires honest self-reflection, professional learning, and a commitment to equitable practice that benefits all students.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a culturally responsive practice?
- Insisting all students celebrate only the holidays represented in standard curriculum materials
- Incorporating students' cultural backgrounds, experiences, and languages into lessons and classroom environment (Correct answer)
- Requiring students to leave their cultural identities at the school door
- Treating cultural differences as problems to be overcome
Correct answer: Incorporating students' cultural backgrounds, experiences, and languages into lessons and classroom environment
Culturally responsive teaching uses students' cultural backgrounds as assets for learning, validating their identities and improving engagement and achievement.
NPC NPC Cultural Competency & Diversity in Schools 1
Cultural competency in a school setting means: