Bridging the “ Culture Gap ” : The Impact of Arts - based Content

The emphasis on testing in curricular content areas has left little room in most U.S. schools for education in the arts. Yet research supports the pedagogical value of aesthetic education, particularly for English learners (ELs), who are increasingly numerous in U.S. schools. This paper presents a qualitative research study focused on incorporating aesthetic education into instruction for ELs. Twenty-three graduate education students at a private university in Queens, NY participated in an artist-led workshop rooted in the aesthetic education theories of Maxine Greene (Greene, 1995, 2001, 2007) and structured around the four-stage knowledge acquisition schemas of Torbert (2006) and Heron and Reason (2006). These trainees developed and implemented arts-based lessons in their classrooms. Interviews with teacher participants revealed that their EL students appeared to have expanded their understanding of subject area concepts and vocabulary while increasing their English proficiency. Participants’ feedback regarding their students’ experiences also supported research that suggests that arts based education helps develop ELs cognitive, linguistic, and cultural abilities. This paper also suggests teaching approaches, including two sample EL content lessons.