This module aims to help you understand better the notions of diversity and acceptance.
According to the APA (American Psychological Association) Dictionary of Psychology, diversity is “the wide range of variation of living organisms in an ecosystem. When describing people and population groups, diversity can include such factors as age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, nationality, and religion, as well as education, livelihood, and marital status.” When we talk about diversity in an educational context, then we also include factors such as level of competence, skills, or learning styles and preferences.
For example, a diverse English language summer class can be a class which includes students of different ages, genders, and cultural as well as religious backgrounds, of beginner to intermediate level, who all wish to improve their English skills.
It is important to remember that diversity should be acknowledged. Especially in education, acknowledging diversity can only benefit learners, as it gives them the opportunity to succeed no matter their different backgrounds and needs. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for trainers and educators to make sure they include all learners’ needs and preferences in their courses, to take the fact that each learner comes from a different social group, cultural background, etc. into account, to address so during the lesson/training and to establish a culture of respect and acceptance.
For instance, in the example mentioned before, it is important for the teacher to make sure all learners can understand what is going on in the classroom and pair the learners accordingly (mixed skills) when doing group work. Also, the teacher should ensure that the examples or visual aids provided in class include people of all the backgrounds that exist in the class (e.g. different religions, age groups or dressing styles). In this way, all learners can feel welcomed and heard.
Acceptance (also: inclusion) involves accepting diversity with open-mindedness, lack of criticism, and respect. According to Chen and Hamilton (2015), when we talk about social acceptance within an organised setting − for example, an organisation, then we talk about an atmosphere of equal opportunities and fairness which is created not only by the organisation’s principles, but also by the group members, their behaviours and actions. It is important to note that acceptance should be felt both by members who belong to majority groups as well as by those who belong to minority groups.
In education, acceptance cannot be established without acknowledging diversity first. It can be a lengthy and difficult process, too.
As mentioned above, acknowledging and accepting diversity is important since it helps learners integrate better into a group, thus learning better and achieving their goals.
Also, diversity and acceptance offer learners the opportunity to experience the real world; a world which nowadays is more diverse than ever. This happens as through being exposed to different beliefs, cultures, behaviours and backgrounds, learners can learn more about themselves and about their own assumptions and attitudes.
When a trainer and/or educator makes an active effort to welcome diversity and to establish acceptance in their group of learners, they should take into account the fact that: