FIVE DIMENSIONS OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
As crafted by James A. Banks
CONTENT INTEGRATION
Content integration involves how teachers incorporate examples, authors, and other information from other cultures in their lessons (Banks, 1993). Content integration is, according to Banks (1993) the traditional way that multiculturalism is thought of in most school districts, but that using this dimension as the sole definition of multicultural education is too narrow, and because of this, subjects outside of the humanities and English language arts, might see multicultural education as irrelevant or not applicable to their classes (p. 25). While content integration is an important facet of multicultural education, it is not the only facet of multicultural education, and that teachers, especially those outside humanities and English language arts, need to consider the other dimensions as well (p.25).
KNOWLEDGE CONSTRUCTION
The knowledge construction process is the process by which knowledge is created (Banks, 1993). This knowledge creation is affected by implicit cultural biases that teachers and the educational system possesses (Banks, 1993). Educators need to understand how the knowledge construction process as a whole is set up to favour the dominant cultural group, and contributes to the marginalisation of students of colour (Banks, 1993). Banks (1993) has defined five different types of knowledge: Personal/Cultural Knowledge, Popular Knowledge, Mainstream Academic Knowledge, Transformative Knowledge, and Pedagogical Knowledge.
PREJUDICE REDUCTION
This facet of multicultural education seeks to confront racial prejudices that students have. Banks (1993) states that by age 4, African American, white, and Hispanic children are aware of racial differences and the favouring of whites (p.27). The best way to counter prejudice, according to Banks (1993), is to show people of colour in natural, integrated ways; and organising ways for students to work with other students in cooperative learning activities in order to help create more positive interracial attitudes (p.27).
EQUITY PEDAGOGY
An equity pedagogy is a style of teaching that seeks to cross racial, cultural, and class barriers in order for all students to achieve academically (Banks, 1993). An equity pedagogy not only teaches its students how to read, write, and mathematics; but challenges them to become reflective thinkers, and how to critique and participate in a democratic society (Banks & Banks, 1995). Banks & Banks (1995) argue that pedagogy that just prepares students to become another member of society, is not preparing students to challenge society and to become agents of change (p.152). Equitable pedagogy moves away from memorising prescribed knowledge, to allowing students to construct and generate their own knowledge by evaluating not only the information being presented to them, but also who is giving them the information (Banks & Banks, 1995). A teacher implementing an equitable pedagogy allows for students to come up with multiple perspectives and solutions to problems, instead of focusing on a one answer solution, and allows for students to realise the interconnectedness of issues (Banks & Banks, 1995).
AN EMPOWERING SCHOOL CULTURE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
This facet of multicultural education looks at the educational institution as a whole and examines issues such as tracking, the distribution of power throughout the school system, and shifting the structure of the school so that it is more equitable and fair for all students (Banks, 1993). Banks (1993) says that this dimension of multicultural education involves implementing assessments that are fair to all groups of students, eliminates student tracking, and helps teachers create the mindset that all of their students are capable of learning, which he says is the most important aspect for teachers and educators wishing to create an empowering school culture and social structure (p.27).
