Multicultural education grew out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s; its fundamental concerns related to freedom, political power, and economic equality. It has continued to expand since that time and as our society has become more and more diverse.

According to 2000 Census statistics, 387 languages are being spoken in the United States. One hundred and five languages are spoken in Indiana, and 19 are spoken in Bartholomew County. These languages represent, of course, a similar number of different cultures.

English as a Second Language (ESL) courses are springing up everywhere—and need to be. And historically they have needed to be. A 1974 case, Lau v. Nichols, taken to the Supreme Court, argued for Chinese American students in California to be given special help in learning English, since a California education code said that no student who had not met the standards of proficiency in English would be allowed to graduate. The Supreme Court ruling concluded:

…there is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English…are certain to find their classroom experiences wholly incomprehensible and in no way meaningful.

As we all know, the American culture is changing. By the year 2050, individuals of White ethnicity will be a minority in the total population. If English is going to continue to be the language spoken in school systems, a great need exists for ESL courses. Debbie East, ESL program coordinator at Ivy Tech Community College-Columbus, says, “The need for ESL programs is increasing, not just for immigrants and refugees but also for second generation individuals who are growing up in homes where languages other than English are spoken.”

The need has been demonstrated during this past year at Ivy Tech. The ESL program began last fall semester with eight students; this spring semester, 24 students are registered. The program began in Columbus; this coming summer, it will expand to the Franklin campus of Ivy Tech, where the enrollments are expected to equal or exceed those of the Columbus campus, according to East.

In order to meet this demand, new faculty have been hired, including a woman from Cameroon, Africa, with a master’s degree in TESOL (Teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages), and a woman from England, who holds a bachelor’s degree in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). East, herself, holds a master’s degree from Indiana University in Literacy, Language Education, and Culture, and brings to her role her background of having lived in Mexico and Italy.

Teachers and administrators involved in the field of education are rising to meet the demand of speakers of languages other than English in order to level the playing field and to support those who happen not to have been born in this country. To them we must open our arms, our hearts, and the many services that this country so generously offers.

As our society continues to become more diverse, we must be willing to enter, mentally and emotionally, into the perspectives and experiences of those who represent the many different cultures and languages of our complex world.

By Lynne Sullivan
Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications
Ivy Tech Community College-Columbus