Theoretical Framework:

The research is framed by two main theories, namely the Contact Theory by Allport (1954) and The Social Development Theory by Vygotsky(1978). Eisenhart(1991) describes a theoretical framework as a “structure that guides research by relying on a formal theory, that is, the framework is constructed by using an established, coherent explanation of certain phenomena and relationships” (p. 205).The Contact Theory emerged amid racial segregation in the United States. Allport based this theory on the fact that contact between members of different groups under certain conditions can reduce prejudice and intergroup conflicts. According to this

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framework,the key conditions are equal status, intergroup cooperation, common goals and support, and institutional authorities. Table 1¹⁶ further explains the key conditions.

Table 1: Key Conditions of the Contact Theory

Condition Meaning Example

Equal Status

Members of the contact situation should not have an unequal, hierarchical relationship

Members should not have an employer/employee, or instructor/student relationship.

Cooperation Members should work together in a non-competitive environment.

Students working together in a group project

Common Goals

Members must rely on each other to achieve their shared desired goal.

Members of a sport team.

Support by Social and Institutional Authorities

There should not be social or institutional authorities that explicitly or implicitly sanction contact, and there should be authorities that support positive contact.

There should not be official laws enforcing segregation

Allport‟s theory focuses on inter-group tolerance and lessening of prejudice rather than intercultural contact. However, the key conditions and these elements are important in the

“development of empathy and mutual understanding necessary for intercultural competence and communication” (Schweisfurth & Qing Gu, 2001, p. 465). In otherwords, examining the application of contact theory in the school system in a multicultural society can provide the rationale upon which this research will be based. This theoretical framework will enable one to

16 http://tedcantle.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/092Intergroup-contact-theory-explained Allport Theory Accessed date: 15 July 2015

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critically examine the school system in a multicultural society. The key conditions of Allport‟s theory will be applied as illustrated in Table 2¹⁷for the purpose of this research.

Table 2: Key Conditions of Contact Theory Adapted to the Education System

Condition Meaning Application

Equality Students at school have equal status Their ethnic, cultural and religious diversity do not influence their status at school

Common Goals Students have a common goal at school. For example to pass their exam, to complete their assignments

Their ethnic, cultural and religious diversity do not act as a barrier at school to achieve their common goal Intergroup

cooperation

Does the school context encourage cooperation between different ethnic, cultural and religious groups?

Students are encouraged to cooperate together. Their ethnic, cultural and religious diversity don‟t act as a barrier for intergroup cooperation

Authority support Is positive intercultural contact encouraged by the teachersinorder to ensure social cohesion.

Does the teacher act as intercultural facilitator ?

The research will examine how the intercultural experience at school might enhance social cohesion among future generations. The education system in Mauritius is highly diverse

17 The information in Table 2 was gathered from Allport‟s Theory and reconstructed in a table by the researcher based on the educational context.

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as the teaching, administrative staff, and students are culturally, ethnically, and religiously heterogeneous. Contact in such a situation will be pivotal. There will be extensive encounters and challenges to intercultural mixing within this diverse system in Mauritius.

The second theoretical framework will examine the important role teachers can play in such diverse system. Vygotsky‟s social development theory is based on the cognitive development in the context of language learning in children. The Vygostskian theory laid emphasis on the major role that social interaction plays in the development of cognition.

Vygotsky (1978) stated that “Every function in the child‟s cultural development appears twice:

First, on the social level, and later, on the individual level.” (p. 57). Therefore, this social development theory stressed that social learning precedes development; consciousness and cognition are the end product of social behavior. He suggested that the society in which the children grow up will have a major influence on what they think about, how they relate to the information provided, and how that information influences how they experience life. In the context of education, the school is at the core of our society. The influence of the school on the child‟s life can have a determinant factor in their development after they leave school. The efforts to build an inclusive society must start through educating children from an early age.

A second aspect of Vygotsky‟s theory is the idea that the potential for cognitive development depends upon the „Zone of Proximal Development‟(ZPD). Vygostky(1978) explained that the ZPD can be attained when the students engaged in social interaction to develop a range of skills, while at a certain point they will need the guidance of an adult or peer collaboration. He explained “as the distance between the [individual‟s] actual development level as determined through independent problem solving and the level of potentials development as determined through problem solving under guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers”

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(1978, p. 86). For this research, the focus of the theoretical framework will be on the ZPD which stresses the importance of the role of teachers. The following question will be raised for the purpose of this research: How can teacher influence social inclusions through the ZPD?

The teacher‟s role will be to provide meaningful instructional experiences that will enable the student to bridge his or her ZPD. The school systems enable students‟ exposure to diverse cultures. The question to be asked is how teachers will teach to students about the cultures of others, as the information they choose to give them will shape their outlook on these cultures for the rest of their lives. The teachers, through a proper training in Intercultural Education, will be able to offer a broader perspective to students. Intercultural education will enable the student to be exposed to the presence of difference cultures and to recognize their presence within society.

The teachers can then encourage students to be enlightened by the importance and valuable contribution of each cultural group in the society. The teachers will not limit the student‟s growth by placing boundaries or limits on the ZPD when it comes to learn about other cultural groups.

Figure 1 illustrates the role of the teachers in the ZPD.

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Figure 1: ZPD adapted to Intercultural Education

There are some key tenets of the ZPD and the role of the teacher as an advocate of social inclusion through Intercultural Education:

1. The ZPD is the area of learning in which the teacher will assist the student in developing a higher level of learning. In the ZPD, this can be explained as the difference between what the student can do without assistance and what he or she can do under the guidance of a teacher.

2. The teacher will intervene to assist the students. The students then internalize the instructions and regulate his or her answer or behavior

3. The teacher in the ZPD, as a knowledge person, has a major effect on the students learning. A student will internalize whatever the teacher teaches him or her in the ZPD.

That is why it is important the teacher projects the right information in the ZPD. The student‟s identity formation begins in early life. They will learn about their culture and

Beyond Reach at Present

ZPD: Teachers supporting students to engage in Intercultural understanding

Child's current understaning of

culture

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the culture of others. It is important that different cultural perspectives are introduced in the general education curriculum; this will enable the students to have knowledge and experiences on other cultural groups. It is through the interaction in the ZPD zone with the teachers that the students will develop a sense of cultural diversity.

The teacher in the ZPD should be in a position to provide information on the various cultural beliefs and practices, as well as to avoid any form of stereotyping or reinforcing the false sense of superiority of the majority culture, which will mislead the students‟ conception of their relationship with other racial and ethnic groups and denies them the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge, perspectives, and frame of references that can be gained (Banks,1993). The Eurocentric curriculum has negative consequences for students from non-dominate groups, as well as failing to validate their identities, experiences, and perspectives. According to Banks (1993), it further alienates students who are already struggling to survive in a school culture that differs so greatly from their home culture.

In a recent report titled „Encountering Faiths and Beliefs: the role of Intercultural Education in schools and communities,‟ the lead author Tretheway explained that“bad intercultural education can be worse than no intercultural education at all. Our research uncovered examples of poor Intercultural Education that only reinforced stereotypes or which took an unbalance and tokenistic approach” (2015, p. 8). Thus, young students need an approach that will equip them to live in a diverse society rather than just a reactive responsive. The teachers must be in a position to deliver to the students the necessary skills to enable them to successfully navigate and live in our diverse society.

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