About Crosswalks

What does it take to assist universities and colleges on their journeys toward developing culturally responsive preservice programs? The Crosswalks project recognizes that to prepare students to work effectively with children and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, higher education faculty and administrators, working in concert with family members and community partners, need support in understanding the meaning of cultural diversity and how to effectively integrate it into all facets of their preservice programs. Programs need to emphasize diversity values (Thorp & Sanchez, 1998) and content (Ligons, Rosado, & Houston, 1998; Mora, 2000), using instructional strategies (Guillaume, Zuniga-Hill, & Yee, 1998) that are consistent with culturally relevant practices. And higher education programs need assistance in adjusting program practices (e.g., recruitment, supports, environment) to be more reflective of and responsive to diversity. NOTE: For a more comprehensive examination of why preservice programs need to increase their emphasis on cultural and linguistic diversity, go to Why Address Diversity in Preservice and Inservice Preparation? Research and strategies for increasing the emphasis on diversity as part of personnel preparation are delineated in Diversity and Professional Development: Selected Resources.

Diversity-related changes need to happen within the context of the state and national standards to which higher education programs must be responsive. Figure 1 captures the vision of Crosswalks for braiding these four elements together to create diversity-enhanced preservice programs.

Crosswalks Project Vision

The Crosswalks project is using two interrelated approaches to support diversity-related changes. The first approach involves a capacity building effort - a structured sequence of needs assessment, planning, training, technical assistance and resources ­ to support preservice programs in changing the extent to which diversity is reflected in coursework, practica and program practices (e.g., recruitment, mentoring). Five North Carolina institutions of higher education, each preparing students to work with children (0 - 5) with and without disabilities and their families, are participating in Crosswalks over a 24-month period. Each site has made a commitment to making changes in what they teach, how they teach, where they teach, and with whom they teach, to be responsive to and reflective of diversity. It's important to note that each program is represented by faculty, former students (graduates), family members, practicum site directors, and other community partners. Research, using a randomized experimental design, is being conducted to determine the impact of Crosswalks on the attitudes, knowledge and skill of faculty and student participants.

The second approach being used by Crosswalks is the development of a database of resources for use by faculty, trainers and other leadership personnel. The Crosswalks Toolbox is searchable by many dimensions, including state and national standards (to discover resources that address both content and diversity), aspect of diversity (e.g., linguistic diversity), and type of instructional resource (e.g., case studies, activities, syllabi).

All aspects of the Crosswalks project have benefited from ongoing input from three national consultants (Susan M. Moore of the University of Colorado, Eva K. Thorp of George Mason University and Sylvia Y. Sánchez, also of George Mason University) and the project evaluator (Susan Maude of the University of Vermont).

Anticipated outcomes that will result from Crosswalks include:

• Increased knowledge and skills of faculty across the nation on the values, content and pedagogy necessary to prepare students to work effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse young children and families;
• Increased emphasis on cultural and linguistic diversity in early childhood and early intervention coursework, practica and programs;
• Increased comfort and capability of early childhood and early intervention graduates to work effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse children and families; and
• Stronger linkages among early childhood and early intervention preservice programs, family members and community partners.

If you would like more information about the importance of addressing cultural and linguistic diversity as part of preservice education, inservice training or professional development, please access the following Crosswalks resources:

• Why Address Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Preservice and Inservice Preparation? by Eva K. Thorp and Sylvia Y. Sánchez
• Diversity and Professional Development: Selected Resources