Inclusion through Multicultural Science Education

Abstract

This paper is about the importance of inclusion of the diverse cultures of students in science lessons. In this paper, inclusion refers to the practice of addressing and responding to the diverse cultures of all learners through the incorporation of culturally valued knowledge and skills and culturally mediated instruction in science lessons with the objective of increasing student participation in learning and reducing exclusion within these lessons. The voices and experiences of all students must be heard and included in the school science curriculum. The paper contends that unless a deliberate effort is made to tolerate, acknowledge, appreciate and accept cultural diversity, those whose cultures are left out or ignored will feel excluded from the learning process. The paper advocates for science lessons in which unity in cultural diversity flourishes. In that scenario, school science content and instructional strategies used would incorporate the contributions of many cultures to the knowledge of school science. We believe that when schools value the contributions and uniqueness of children from all cultural backgrounds, the students will be able to see and appreciate the relevance of school science to their everyday lives and take a deeper interest in the science subjects. Education must be designed to perpetuate and enrich the culture of a people. We think that education cannot progress smoothly unless it is based upon and proceeds from the cultural perspectives of the group of people for whom it is designed. The paper suggests practical strategies of how this could be done, the role of the teacher, the challenges that are likely to be met and possible solutions to these challenges.