Global and Multicultrual Literacies

What is Global Literacy?
The understanding of how the world is organized and is interconnected, comprises what Global literacy is. It
includes the ability of the individual to think critically about the world and the roles they play in it. With the
inevitability of diversity amongst nations and countries, a person who is globally literate possess understanding and
appreciation of this diversity that may come in the form of ones culture, customs, systems and relationships. In
short, this literacy brings ones awareness to the different possibilities, issues and even concerns facing the worlds
people Guo (2014) emphasized that global literacy aims to address issues of globalization, racism, diversity and
social justice. This necessitate ones awareness and actions that are consistent with a broad understanding of
humanity, racism, diversity and social justice.
Teaching Global Literacy
Educating learners with global literacy aims to equip these learners with understanding of global systems,
circumstances and relationships that influence their lives. Moroever, Global Literacy must aim to empower
students with knowledge and take action to make a positive impact in the world and their local community (Guo,
2014).
According to Jamestown Public Schools , Global literacy promotes and encourages:
 Inquiry, reasoning and problem solving

 Collaboration
 communication and an understanding of world languages and cultures
 an understanding of globalized systems and political realities
 responsible global citizenship
 respect for diversity
 an understanding of the skills and technologies that are necessary for
life in the 21st century;
 the ability for students to become advocates for themselves and their city/state/country
The teaching of Global Literacy aims to help develop individuals into global citizens who are globally
literate. With various schemes of promoting global literacy, the Ontario Ministry of Education (2015) explicated
that a global citizen should display most or all of the following characteristics:
 Respect for humans no matter their race, gender, religion or political perspectives.
 Respect for diversity and various perspectives.
 Promoting sustainable patterns of living, consumption, and production.
 Appreciate the natural world and demonstrate respectful towards the rights of all living things.
--------------------------Now let’s go to Multi-cultural literacy -------------------------------------
What is Multi-cultural Literacy?
The concepts of Global and Multicultural Literacy are interconnected; thus, they are placed on the
same unit. The teaching and learning of Multicultural literacy is a respond to the phenomenon of Multi-
culturalism (which will be discussed in the next sub-topic). If Global Literacy talks about understanding and
awareness of the interconnectedness and organization of the world,; Global literacy is consists of the skills and
ability to identify the creators of knowledge and their interests (Banks, 1996), to uncover the assumptions of
knowledge, to view knowledge from diverse ethnic and cultural perspective, and to use knowledge to guided
action that will create a humane and just world (Boutte, 2008).
Multiculturalism & Multi-cultural Education
Multiculturalism is a philosophy that emphasizes on the unique characteristics of different cultures, especially
as they relate to on another in receiving nations. It is considered a systematic response to cultural and ethnic
diversity, with differences in educational, linguistic, economic and social components, and specific institutional
mechanisms. Broadly, the term is use to describe societies which may be is composed of various cultural groups,
resulting from the increase of immigration and border mobility.
Multicultural Education as defined by Banks (2001) is an

emerging discipline which serves as a tool in the creation of
equal educational opportunities from diverse racial, ethnics,
social class and cultural groups. Moreover, the aim of
Multicultural Education is to transform schools so that the male
and female students, the exceptional students, and the students
from diverse cultural, social, ethnic and ethnic groups may
experience an equal opportunity to learn. The inclusion of
Multiculturalism in education can be done using this four
approaches given by James Bank. The approaches are presented
in the illustration at the right.
Aside from approaches, Banks also provided five dimensions of multicultural education that teachers and
administrators must attend to in the effective implementation of multi-cultural education. The dimensions include;
Content Integration, Knowledge Construction Process, Prejudice Reduction, Equity Pedagogy & Empowering
School Culture. For discussion and explanation of the dimensions, please visit the Google classroom or ask the
instructor to send you the PDF materials.
Globalization and ASEAN Integration
As we talk about global and Multi-cultural literacy, the concepts of Globalization and ASEAN Integration
are important phenomena that every prospective educator must be oriented with. Globalization in the simplest
sense refers to the growing interdependence of the world’s economies, cultures and populations which is brought
about by the increase of cross-border mobility and trade of goods and services, as well as the technology and the
flow of investment, people, information and knowledge. According to Vega, et.al (2015), globalization
necessitated education to pursue reforms within the educational system . These reforms are enumerated in the next
paragraph.
1. Content of Education
a. Curriculum Upgradation
b. Productivity Orientation
-The basic objective of globalization is to enhance productivity and to make the educational system and
instrument in preparing students who can compete in the world markets as productive members of society.
- Selecting the best human and giving them education of the highest quality.
2. The Fall Out of Globalization

a. Internationalization of Education
- provide the global opportunities and promote goodwill and will to encourage exchange of scholars
b. Finance-related issues
- In order to be a part of global configuration, the requirement of funds for social services including
education will increase manifold. For this purpose, it will be necessary to augment government funding for
these sectors.
c. Privation of secondary and higher education
- “It will mean a more competitive and deregulated educational system modeled after free market but with
more pressure on it assure that the next generation of workers are prepared for some amorphous job market
of 21st century. It also mean “that the educational system will increasingly provide the sites of struggle
over the meaning and power of national identity and a national culture. Schools will no doubt also be the
sites of various counter-hegemonic movements and pedagogies.” (Wells, et al, 1998)

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What is Global Literacy?

Teaching Global Literacy

According to Jamestown Public Schools , Global literacy promotes and encourages:

 Inquiry, reasoning and problem solving

--------------------------Now let’s go to Multi-cultural literacy -------------------------------------

What is Multi-cultural Literacy?

Multicultural Education as defined by Banks (2001) is an

Globalization and ASEAN Integration

2. The Fall Out of Globalization

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