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Cultural diversity principle

This resource explains the NZC cultural diversity principle and includes tools for school leaders to use with staff to build awareness of diversity and inclusion.

Students and teacher looking at a globe together.

Tags

  • AudienceSchool leadersBoards of trusteesKaiako
  • Resource LanguageEnglish
  • Resource typeCollection/Curriculum Guide

About this resource

"The curriculum reflects New Zealand’s cultural diversity and values the histories and traditions of all its people." - Ministry of Education, 2007 p. 9

The cultural diversity principle is one of eight principles in The New Zealand Curriculum that provide a foundation for schools' decision making. The cultural diversity principle calls for schools and teachers to deliver a curriculum that: 

  • reflects our linguistically and culturally diverse nation 
  • affirms students’ different cultural identities 
  • incorporates students' cultural contexts into teaching and learning programmes 
  • is responsive to diversity within ethnic groups 
  • helps students understand and respect diverse viewpoints, values, customs, and languages. 
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Cultural diversity principle

 

These activities are designed to help boards, senior management, teachers, and parents deepen their understanding of cultural diversity and encourage the development of culturally appropriate responses. They support you to affirm your students’ different cultural identities and work in their cultural contexts in your teaching and learning programmes. 

The cultural diversity curriculum principle 

Rae Si'ilata, lecturer in bi-literacy at Auckland University, answers the question, "What is the cultural diversity principle?" Watch the video and consider her question, “Whose knowledge is being validated through all of the learning areas, and through all of the curriculum that is being presented at school. Is the valued knowledge of the home and of communities being represented in the valued knowledge of school? 

Cultural diversity in the classroom 

Rae Siʻilata, lecturer in biliteracy at Auckland University, describes what the cultural diversity principle might look like in the classroom. She urges educators to create opportunities for all students to bring their valued knowledge into the school.