How do we communicate to students' that their ethnic backgrounds are valued and contribute to learning?

1. The teacher can give a genuine expression of enthusiasm about a student's cultural traditions. 2. The teacher should give affirmations that every student is welcomed and valued in his/her classroom. 3. The teacher can learn simple phrases and gestures in the language of the student. This with have powerful impact on their developing identities and sense of cultural self-worth (Ahrens, DuBois, Lozano, & Richardson, 2010). 4. Teachers can go further by recognising the achievements of ethnic minorities. For instance, providing a short biography of Julian Castro, a politician of Mexican descent, who was elected mayor of San Antonio, Texas, in 2009, reelected in 2011, and appointed to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Obama's cabinet in 2014. As another example, if there is a student of Middle Eastern backgrounds in your class, you could emphasise the contributions of Omar Khayyam, a Persian philosopher and mathematician, who in the 11th and 12th centuries laid down the principles of algebra. Examples for members of all minorities can be found, and emphasising them communicates that you VALUE and RESPECT all backgrounds of all students in your class. Doing so can make an important contribution to their sense of identity and increase their motivation to learn.