Effective Teaching Strategies for Middle School Learners in Multicultural, Multilingual Classrooms

This article explores teacher evaluations of researcher-endorsed instructional strategies employed by 16 middle school teachers in Florida, to address the developmental and educational needs of their students. The results of a six-point ratings survey to assess the effectiveness of ten instructional practices (case studies; cooperative learning; dual language printed materials; field trips; guest speakers representing the cultures of the students; inviting parents to visit and participate in classroom activities; peer tutoring; role playing to solve problems; using alternative assessments; and use of visuals) administered to the teachers resulted in the identification of four practices and strategies being rated as the "most effective" in diverse classrooms.