To be able to get a fuller insight into what education in a multicultural setting is about and what it entails aspects such as globalization and multiculturalism have to be taken into consideration;
Globalization and multiculturalism are strong forces guiding and changing international and national relationships. These changes also impact education and create a need to revise and reform educational practices in order to accommodate new cultural dynamics as they manifest themselves in various educational forms.
Globalization has the effect of eliminating traditional borders between people; it drives an evolution toward a world linked economically, militarily, environmentally, socially and culturally at multi continental distances. It results in an international flow of both capital and goods and of information and ideas. It promotes free movement of people across borders resulting in an influx of immigrants both adults and children. Immigrant children come from culturally diverse backgrounds which affects the manner in which schools must function. As Brannon indicates, “dealing with the world means dealing with people from backgrounds and orientations other than our own.
A significant aspect that also comes into play is multiculturalism; Multiculturalism is a philosophy that recognizes personal worth and dignity of every individual regardless of culture, ethnicity, race, religion, gender or national origin. It affects the educational process because it affects the cultural dynamics of the classroom. Cultural diversity must be incorporated into the educational system. Education in a multicultural society must