Время Науки. 2014. Выпуск 4 - The Times of Science

Время науки The Times of Science to fall to them, statewide training of administrators must be addressed. Exposing them to a high-quality multicultural educational training program is of primary importance. Such a program would include the components described previously (e.g., attitudinal self- awareness activities, accurate knowledge about cultural ethnic groups, and implementation of this knowledge into the classroom and parental interactions). The current study is a small exploratory one. A larger, more detailed research project is needed to acquire a better understanding of the perceptions of people who conduct multicultural educational training for special education teachers and their competency to develop and implement this training. Such research should investigate the competencies of trainers who have received formal training in multicultural education in- service programs versus those who have not. All in all it is needed on how formally prepared trainers show leadership in proposing and supporting multicultural education in-service programs. Another area of inquiry should center on how these leaders enhance a positive relationship between special education personnel and foreign cadet’s families. For special educators working at the academy with large percentage of foreign students such training programs should include attitudinal awareness activities, specific topics, and concrete experiences that result in an profound understanding of these students and their families. According to Banks [1], despite the increase in multicultural education in-service training workshops, little information may be carried over into the school and classroom environment. Therefore, factors that increase the probability of carryover into daily teaching practices warrant research. One of these essential factors may be the amount of time, which special educators are engaged in multicultural education in-service programs. In general, effective in-service programs should use formats that encourage ongoing education (conducted over a period of time), not “one-shot” programs. Learning to teach multicultural education perspective is a process involving attitudinal and overt behavioral change, it needs an extended training. Research does not provide a standard timeline for such training. However, literature pertaining to in-service models in general suggests several options: monthly training sessions focusing on a specific topic (e.g., learning styles, positive classroom interpersonal communication patterns); several (3-4) sessions every semester (fall and spring); or 2-3 weeks of daily meetings during the summer. Regardless of limitations in time, self- evaluation of attitudes concerning cultural diversity must be an integral part of any multicultural education in-service