Cooperative learning: a diversified pedagogy for diverse classrooms

Abstract

As a generic and diversified pedagogy, cooperative learning (CL) reaches out to the field of intercultural education with an offer to establish a reciprocal relationship. After a short description of the diversity of CL and a brief exploration of the influence that culture has on learning, this paper depicts how the partnership between CL and intercultural education can help to create a culturally sensitive CL classroom, where learning is made relevant for all. Culturally responsive teaching implies using CL methods and strategies to discover the students’ worlds and incorporate them into the world of the classroom.