Teaching for Diversity

RESOURCES

Many schools boards, organizations, and governments have created excellent materials on teaching for diversity in classrooms. The following list offers some of these resources, and many of these websites have links to further curricula, research, and resources for teachers. Some resources focus on ethnic and cultural diversity, including Indigenous cultures and immigrant cultures. Other resources provide strategies, information and lesson plans for teaching tolerance, human rights, and anti-racism.

SUPPORTING DIVERSE CLASSROOMS/CREATING MORE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS

These resources focus on strategies, issues, and ideas for teachers to consider in working with diverse students. Sources offer ways to acknowledge and address differences among students so that all students can participate more fully in classroom learning.

Supporting Diverse Classrooms Generally

Here Comes Everyone: Teaching in An Intercultural Classroom

Alberta Teachers’ Association

A guide published by Diversity, Equity and Human Rights Committee of the Alberta Teachers’ Association to help teachers work within diverse classrooms.

Social Justice and Anti-Racist/Anti-Oppressive Forum on Education (SAFE)

Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation

A special subject council of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, the resources section of the web site provides information and links on diversity in Saskatchewan schools.

The Diversity Kit: An Introductory Resource for Social Change in Education

The Education Alliance at Brown University

A teacher’s guide developed by an American university to help teachers examine their beliefs, perceptions, behaviours, and educational practices related to diversity in education.

Embracing Diversity: Toolkit for Creating Inclusive Learning-Friendly Environments

UNESCO

A toolkit designed to guide the creation of inclusive learning-friendly environments for all children, regardless of gender, physical, intellectual, social, economic, emotional, linguistic, or other characteristics. The kit has 10 booklets to help teachers improve their own skills and knowledge and address school structures to provide more inclusive environments.

Centre for Multicultural Education

University of Washington

Focuses on research projects and education to improve teaching practice related to equity issues, intergroup relations, and achievement of all students. The site includes profiles of successful K-12 programs and a comprehensive list of resources.

Guidelines for Recognizing Diversity and Promoting Respect

Government of Alberta

This document provides criteria to evaluate classroom materials to ensure all aspects promote respect and understanding for diverse people and cultures.

Rethinking Schools (United States)

Publishes a magazine and books to emphasize problems facing urban schools, particularly issues of race. Resources attempt to balance educational theory and classroom practice.

Supporting Indigenous Students

Beyond Words: Creating Racism-Free Schools for Aboriginal Learners

BC Federation of Teachers

A guide for educators working with Aboriginal learners that provides information and strategies to eliminate racism in attitudes and structures of classrooms.

Aboriginal Education

7 Oaks School Division, Manitoba

Resources and information published by the 7 Oaks School Division, including links to the Council for Aboriginal Education in Manitoba and Aboriginal Education Policy. There are also several documents describing Aboriginal students’ successes and experiences.

Interactive Modules on Cultural Safety

University of Victoria

An online course in 3 modules to educate workers on Aboriginal peoples’ experiences of colonization and racism. The course is intended for health care workers but has lots of relevant information for teachers.

Supporting Students of Diverse Cultures/Ethnicities

Multiculturalism in the Classroom

Scholastic

A list of articles and sources on topics like cultural awareness and sensitivity; multicultural literacy; parent-teacher communication; and working with ELL/ESL students.

Resources for Working with Immigrant Families

Canadian Multicultural Foundation

An excellent list of resources and documents for teachers working with students of immigrant families. Includes information on students from South Sudanese, Somali, Karen, and Arab families. Also has lesson ideas for exploring identity.

Being a Canadian Muslim Woman in the 21st Century

Canadian Council of Muslim Women

A toolkit designed to increase understanding of the issues and challenges facing young Muslim women, age 14-18, with resources that educators can use with the female Muslim students.

STRATEGIES AND SUPPORTS TO TEACH DIVERSE CULTURES

Teaching Diversity in General

Intercultural Education Resources

Alberta Teachers’ Association

A collection of resources and organizations that work in intercultural education. This web page also includes two ATA publications: Education is Our Buffalo (guide to supporting Aboriginal learners) and Here Comes Everyone (guide on teaching in diverse classrooms).

Diversity Toolkit

University of Calgary

A web site launched by Darren Lund in the Faculty of Education that provides many resources on diversity in Alberta, BC, Canada and the US, as well as a glossary and a large bibliography.

Teaching Tolerance (United States)

An American web site that has award-winning lesson plans, teaching strategies, and resources to build diversity, equal opportunity and respect for differences in schools.

Teaching for Peace (United States)

A web resource dedicated to providing practical classroom lesson plans for peace education.

Teaching About Indigenous Peoples

First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Council

Alberta Teachers’ Association

The section on Teaching Resources provides excellent information and resources on the many Indigenous cultures, and how to introduce cultures respectfully in classrooms. The site also provides an annotated bibliography related to Aboriginal education.

Resources For and About Aboriginal Education for Teachers

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto

Comprehensive web site that provides resources for inclusion of Aboriginal students and information on Residential Schools, and also has graded curricula, lesson plans, and media guides.

Shared Learnings: Integrating BC Aboriginal Content K-10

BC Ministry of Education

A guide to help teachers by providing classroom materials about histories and cultures of BC’s Aboriginal peoples. Provides sample lesson plans and overviews in all core subjects.

Teaching Culturally-specific Histories and Contexts

Black History Canada

A web site dedicated to Black History in Canada, including oppression, anti-racism, human rights and more. Includes profiles for prominent Black Canadians throughout history.

Race Relations Resources

Canadian Race Relations Foundation

A catalogue of over 4,000 resources related to race relations in Canada, including magazines, reports, books, study guides and videos.

Multicultural Canada: Our Diverse Heritage

Simon Fraser University

A research project to collect and digitize historical artefacts from various ethnic groups in Canada. While there are not any curriculum guides or lesson plans, the site houses many digital collections that may be useful in lesson planning.

Asia/Canada

Historica Canada

A web site that explores Asian histories and experiences in Canada. Includes narrative and visual resources.

Exploring Africa

Michigan State University

A web site to provide high-quality curricular resources on Africa to educators of K-12.

CURRICULUM GUIDES AND LESSON PLANS

Diversity Curriculum

Diversity Education Toolkit

Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning

This web site provides many resources to educators and youth on diversity and equity education. Topics include: Islamic history, genocide, Asian heritage, Ukrainian famine, Black history and more. Also includes sample units and lessons.

Making Space: Teaching Diversity and Social Justice Throughout the K-12 Curriculum

BC Ministry of Education

This comprehensive document is designed for teachers to promote an understanding of diversity and to support the achievement of social justice. There are curriculum connections made for every subject in each division. Includes a Social Responsibility Performance Standards Continuum.

eResources

Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario

This resource page provides a list of many publications, curriculum guides, and resources published by ETFO. While the collection is much broader than diversity, there are many pertinent documents here, including ‘Racism Hurts’ lesson plans, diversity education kits, and curriculum on First Nations in Canada.

Anti-Racism Curriculum

Race and Racism in Canada: Tools for Educators

Anti-Racism Resource Centre

Curriculum resources for educators, focusing on histories and present-day realities of race and racism in Canada. Topics include: diversity in the classroom, Aboriginal education curriculum, and learning about race and racism through storytelling, among many others.

Antiracism Resources and Lesson Plans

BC Federation of Teachers

The main page for the BCTF Antiracism action group has links to lots of useful resources, information and lesson plans on topics such as Islamophobia, refugees, Indigenous histories, and civil rights. The lesson plans offer some antiracism books and curriculum guides, and several videos, such as a timeline of racism in Canada.

Show Racism the Red Card: Multicultural and Antiracist Education

BC Federation of Teachers

A 4-part lesson aid for teachers, based on a UK campaign. The document has background info for teachers, lesson plans for K-12 students, BC learning outcomes and competencies, and an extensive bibliography.

React to Racism Toolkits and Resources

City of Winnipeg

A brief document that provides links to antiracism toolkits in the province, country, and around the world.

The Kit: A Manual by Youth to Combat Racism Through Education

United Nations Association in Canada

An anti-racism resource created by Canadian youth, the kit contains information, tools, and resources. The content focuses specifically on racism against Aboriginal peoples and against Muslims.

Voices into Action

Provides free curriculum-based teaching resources and online tools on prejudice, human rights, and social justice.

Student Teacher Anti-Racism Society (STARS) Educational Resource

University of Saskatchewan

A university society that promotes anti-racism education. This site includes blog posts on many aspects of diversity and anti-racism in education.

Youth-Developed Resources and Curriculum

HumanEYES

This web page contains a series of curriculum guides and resources developed by youth on topics like racism, Indigenous youth, Immigrant youth, and queer youth.

Indigenous-Focused Curriculum

Walking Together: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Perspectives in Curriculum

Alberta Education

A comprehensive guide for teachers to show the holistic nature of First Nations, Métis and Inuit ways of knowing and share Indigenous perspectives on topics and on teaching and learning experiences.

Residential Schools Teaching Guide

Government of Northwest Territories; Government of Nunavut

A comprehensive teaching resource on the multigenerational impacts of residential schools in the North and across Canada. Teachers can order a companion DVD.

Project of the Heart

Project of Heart is an online educational tool kit to engage students in an exploration of Indigenous traditions in Canada and the history of Indian residential schools. The module is bilingual, and the site has a list of resources.

Where are the Children

The resource section of this web site supports a touring exhibition that explores the history and legacy of Canada’s Residential School System, curated by Iroquois artist Jeff Thomas. The page includes a reading list, edukit, and links to other resources, providing useful content even without the exhibit.

Aboriginal Education Teaching Resources

BC Federation of Teachers

A list of books, resources, curriculum guides and more, focusing on First Nations in BC and associated treaties. Includes a First Nations timeline and Treaty Process Awareness Test.

Curriculum for Specific Cultures

Teacher Resources on Refugees

UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency

Some curriculum and resources to introduce topic of refugees in the classroom.

Educational Materials on Asian Cultures

Asian Heritage Society of New Brunswick

This page contains educational materials on different Asian groups in Canada, including histories and cultures.

National Council of Canadian Muslims

The publication page of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, there are several documents for educators to address islamophobia, such as ‘An Educators Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,’ and ‘Helping Students Deal with Trauma Related to Geopolitical Violence and Islamophobia’.

ORGANIZATIONS

The following is a short list of organizations and web site that provide more information, training, and/or resources. Note that many places in Canada have multicultural organizations, cultural centres, and Native Friendship Centres, all of which are good resources in your local community. We have here provided a small sample of provincial, national and international organizations.

Multiculturalism/Diversity

Alberta Association for Multicultural Education

An organization that provides education and support in areas of multiculturalism and antiracism. Of note is their extensive film bibliography, with summaries of films related to multiculturalism.

Multiculturalism and Youth in Manitoba

A presentation series supported by the Government of Manitoba in which multicultural speakers work with youth to break down stereotypes and barriers and develop respect and strength.

Multicultural History Society of Ontario

An educational institution and archives dedicated to immigrant and ethnic histories. The web site includes an education section with school initiatives and online resources.

Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan

This organization is dedicated to developing and promoting multiculturalism in Saskatchewan. Of particular interest to Saskatchewan teachers is their ‘Saskatchewan Cultural Profiles’ that provides concise, specific information and histories of many ethnic groups in Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan Intercultural Association

An organization that supports cultural groups in retaining their distinctive cultures. Also provides anti-racist education.

Pathways to Prosperity

Primarily a web site that gathers and disseminates research on the integration of immigrants and minorities in Canada.

Human Rights

Canadian Civil Liberties Association

The education section of the web site has resources, toolkits and information about human rights and civil liberties, focusing on Elementary and Secondary students.

Alberta Human Rights Commission

The web site contains information on all aspects of human rights, along with some educational materials.

John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights

The organization works toward building a culture of peace and human rights through educational programs and activities. The web site includes videos and lesson plans by grade level on topics such as disabilities, environment, gender, Indigenous, and citizenship.

Indigenous

First Nations/Aboriginal Peoples/Native Peoples Organizations of Ontario (Turtle Island Native Network)

This page provides a comprehensive list and links to Indigenous organizations and Nations in Ontario.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

The web site provides information about residential schools and about the work and findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Aboriginal Issues (Centre for Social Justice)

A brief overview of the complex history and current issues facing Indigenous groups in Canada.

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