Modern Britain is a diverse and multicultural society with people from different races and cultures living side-by-side, working together and contributing to the wider British society. It is something to be celebrated and valued as we teach our young children the values of tolerance, acceptance or others, and appreciation for all the diverse aspects of modern life.
Think about ways in which we already rely on global and diverse cultures in our everyday lives:
- Diet – bananas, pineapples and coffee are all imported from other countries, as are curries, Chinese food and pizzas
- Language – many everyday words are borrowed from other languages such as ‘cuisine’, ‘patio’ and ‘fiancé’
- Music – we can listen to music from all over the world; Sambas from Brazil, the sounds of Abba from Sweden or BTS from South Korea
- Clothing –brands such as Adidas (German), Nike and Levi (USA) all originate in other countries
- Art and design –Batik work, Origami are examples of different cultures’ art, and how many of us have something from the Swedish store Ikea in our homes?
- Festivals and events – the Notting Hill Carnival celebrates Caribbean culture and many British people celebrate Eid, Diwali or Hanukkah as part of their annual festivities
So, cultural diversity is all around us and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework emphasises the importance of settings exploring and celebrating multiculturalism and diversity in their work. It highlights the need to reflect our diverse world including differences in age, culture, disabilities, ethnicity, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. It encourages practitioners to create an inclusive environment where children can learn about and appreciate different cultures and perspectives which will reap benefits by creating a tolerant and diverse society.
There are several advantages to this including:
- Enhancing social and emotional development by learning to appreciate different perspectives and developing empathy
- Building strong relationships
- Broadening horizons
- Reducing prejudice and discrimination
- Learning different languages
Below are some important points for you to address regarding cultural diversity, along with some ideas of how you can achieve these outcomes in your setting.
Increased Knowledge And Understanding Of Diversity
Children should be supported to be curious and learn about people around them, to see and understand their similarities and differences and to appreciate everyone for who they are. You can increase children’s knowledge of the world through non-fiction and fiction books, songs, rhymes, poetry and music that reflects diverse cultures. Invite people from different cultures into your setting to talk about aspects of their life. This could be about food, music, clothing or anything which is important to their cultural identity. Think too about how you talk about people with disabilities or special needs and help children to see everyone as part of the normal spectrum of human life.
Reflect Diversity
Settings should reflect the diverse world through their staffing, and the resources, images, marketing and activities they do throughout the year. This can be by cooking food from different countries, studying a particular culture or country or celebrating different religious festivals. Make sure that all your adverts and marketing reflect the diversity of your local community including using people of different ages, genders, religions, abilities and cultures.
Build Positive Relationships
The EYFS stresses the need for children to form positive relationships with people and this includes people who may do things differently from themselves and their family. Encourage children to play together and include all children in all activities. Plan activities that can develop teamwork such as team sports, using a parachute, or drama and role-play. Read stories about friendships formed by people from different cultures and backgrounds, emphasising that we are all part of the oneness of humanity. You can find a list of children’s books about diversity here.
Multilingualism
One aspect of living in a multicultural society is the number of different languages that are spoken. The UK is a linguistically diverse country. In addition to English, (the most widely spoken language), there are several other languages spoken. According to the 2021 Census, the most common non-English languages spoken in England and Wales are:
- Polish – 612,000 speakers
- Romanian – 472,000 speakers
- Panjabi – 291,000 speakers
- Urdu – 270,000 speakers
Other languages spoken include Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Bengali, Gujarati, and Arabic.
Multilingualism is the ability of people to use multiple languages proficiently. It can refer to individuals who speak more than one language, as well as societies and communities where multiple languages are spoken. This brings advantages such as cognitive flexibility, academic advantage and increased cultural connections, but in early years, it can mean that some children may come to the setting with English as a second or additional language (EAL) meaning they may be learning one or two additional languages in infancy.
Bilingualism or multilingualism are not deemed special or additional educational needs and neither has been shown to be the cause of any kind of learning difficulty, speech or language impairment, nor of any emotional or behavioural problems. Multilingualism is a learning pathway for children who have the opportunity to grow up learning two or more languages and should be regarded as a learning achievement.
The EYFS framework emphasises that early years settings should respect and encourage the home language, whilst also ensuring that the children receive a good grounding and understanding of English.
Here are some ways you can achieve this:
- Support the home language by providing opportunities for children to develop and use it in play and learning
- Create a language-rich environment by modelling the use of good English, using diverse vocabulary, reading stories and singing songs/rhymes
- Encourage peer interactions between children who speak different languages and those who speak the same language so they can practice and learn from each other
- Understand the learning process – learning any language takes time and varies for each child. It is important to recognise that children may go through a silent period before they start speaking in English/another language in your setting
- Use visual aids – these can be pictures, photos, real objects, facial expressions, and gestures to illustrate what words mean
- Involve families – this is crucial for EAL children as sharing information and encouraging parents/carers to talk to the child about things at home can help new children settle in, as well as helping their language development
- Use technology – educational apps and programs designed for language learning are engaging and can help children to practice the second language Multiculturalism and multilingualism are part of modern life, and early years settings can be a prominent force in promoting them.
