What influence does the culture have on the social context?
Culture also prescribes the social context, which influences how
individuals view diversity. The differences or diversity amongst human
beings does not have meaning without the social context. The social
context contributes to how we perceive, experience, understand and give
meaning to these differences. In a pluralistic society, we cannot just
tolerate these differences. We must respect, welcome and understand
these differences and how they affect the lives of the individuals and
the American culture as a whole. More importantly, as an instructor, you
must be able to understand how culture affects an individual’s ability
to learn. By understanding culture and diversity, you may be able to
select appropriate strategies and modifications in curriculum. However,
do not let your knowledge of a student’s culture lead to assumptions
about that student’s academic performance. Each student is an individual
and the characteristics of a culture may not apply to that student.
Furthermore, culture should not be a determinant of academic
performance.
