Homework 2

How have schools in Germany responded to minority cultures and languages? How could this be improved?

Since the 1950s the population of Germany has become more diverse. In Germany there are millions of immigrants, for example people from Turkey, Italy, Greece or Asia. For a long time, Germany has not considered itself as a country of immigration. Foreigners or "guest workers" and their children have been regarded as temporary workers and residents who would return after a few years of work to their country of origin.

That´s why the politicians didn´t initiate special politics concerning education of children from different cultural backgrounds and minorities.But nowadays politicians have realized that almost nineteen percent of the German population are either foreign citizens or have a migration background. Consequently, the integration of immigrants and the education of their children have received increasing attention in the political debate and thus at schools, too. The new education policy towards minorities and students with migration background contains several special programs .

The state where I live is in the South part of Germany and has one of the highest rate of students with migration background. Therefore have schools due to political changes adjusted their curriculum. For example, there are lots of new names of different minorities mentioned in school books. In former times there were no use of foreign names in textbooks.Furthermore there are special tutoring programs in the afternoon to help students with migration background to improve their school performances. I´m a part of a special program called "big sister /big brother" which is supported by education authority. In the context of this program I provide tutoring to turkish children and help them to do their homework at a primary and secondary school.

I think that different cultures and students from different cultures should be supported stronger than it is done now. Diversity and other cultures enrich a country and it´s desirable that students from different minorities get more and more the chance to keep their own language and culture at school and in private life.