A sociological analysis of teaching and learning in a multicultural school.

Abstract

This study focuses on teaching and learning in a multicultural school. It investigates the influence of the development of the self during social interaction of culturally diverse learners at Forest Haven Secondary School. Furthermore, the social environment and parental involvement are also analysed in order to reveal their effectiveness in bringing about a favourable social condition for education in a multicultural school. This study further investigates the teaching strategies and teaching resources that are currently used by educators in a culturally diverse classroom. A combination of sociological theories has been used interchangeably since they are interrelated. The main theory is symbolic interactionism, including the views of Mead (1934) and Berger and Luckmann (1967). For data collection questionnaires, non-participant observation and unstructured interviews with the school principal, educators and learners were engaged in. Data was then analysed, qualitatively and quantitatively, to determine the cause of cultural conflict at the school. The findings of this analysis form the basis for the recommendations made.