Journal of Foreign Languages, Cultures & Civilizations

Literacy, Culture, Content: The Semiotic Triad Breaks Cultural Bounds for Diversity and Equity
Lucia Y. Lu

Abstract
The author as the teacher educator and her students as teacher candidates conceptualized semiotics into the course, “ExploringSocial andCultural Perspectives on Diversity”. This is one of the six major courses in Core Curriculum, and serves as a prerequisite for admission tothe Teacher Education Program. The purposes are to breakthrough the myths about immigration, free candidates from cultural bounds,and prepare candidates ascultural mediators who are able to willingly interact with their students and parents fromdiversity. The candidates explored the definition of diversity and the impact of diversity on literacy, differentiated their instruction, and integratedculture and content into English language proficiency (ELP). In this study, the semiotic triad comprised three signs: literacy, culture and contentthat weredeliberately interwoven as a semiotic web for the development of social skills, and achieve academic success of their students from diversity toward literacy equity and cultural proficiency.

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