Sonia Nieto

In Language, Culture, and Teaching Sonia Nieto claims that schools have traditionally failed to educate all youth, especially those from racially and culturally dominated and economically oppressed backgrounds. According to her, a combination of factors, including characteristics of school as opposed to only student background and actions, can explain the differences between high- and low-achieving students. Thus, only changing policies and practices is insufficient for total school transformation. Reform efforts have to be accompanied by a set of particular commitments to the success of all students, the creation of new roles for teachers, and the development of schools as caring communities.

Nieto argues that causes for educational underachievement among subordinated groups are rooted in the systematic devaluation of culture and denial of access to power and resources by the dominant group. In order to counteract this she introduces the concept of multicultural education based on social justice and critical pedagogy that goes beyond mere “cultural sensitivity.” Multicultural education involves a curriculum that incorporates cultural, linguistic, and experiential differences, as well as differences in social class, into the learning process. Rather than equating education with assimilation pedagogy should focus on using student’s cultural background values to promote academic achievement.

Similar to Wiggan, Nieto underlines the benefits of a more demanding and diverse curriculum, respect for students’ languages and cultures, high expectations for all students, and encouragement for parental involvement in their children’s education. Furthermore, she argues that curriculums should address the problems of poverty, racism, and discrimination which many students face in their daily lives. In line with Dewey, Nieto suggests that school knowledge should be related to their lives and prepare students to master the challenges that society has in store for them.

She also refers to Paulo Freire and underlines the importance of an environment of reciprocal education where students and teacher learn from each other and criticizes routine and rote learning as it suppresses creativity and critical thinking (134).