By Olalekan Lawal

My master’s degree in English with a focus on TESOL taught me that multicultural awareness is more than just a teaching objective. Building stronger, more respectful communities requires connecting with people from different cultures.

My background in linguistics and multicultural education has shown that teaching languages and understanding cultures go hand-in-hand. TESOL classrooms reflect global diversity, providing students with opportunities to share ideas, challenge stereotypes, and develop empathy. Intercultural competence and language growth are supported by culturally responsive teaching, language exchanges, and community projects.

As TESOL educators, we play an important role in uniting people across cultures. By promoting dialogue, valuing multilingual identities, and preparing students to be global citizens, we go beyond teaching tolerance. In light of issues such as migration and cultural tension, it becomes even more vital to integrate these skills into education. To achieve more peace, inclusion, and resilience in the future, multicultural awareness in TESOL is a necessity.

Why Multicultural Awareness Is Key to Global Peace

In a world where geopolitical tensions, migration crises, and cultural misunderstandings dominate headlines, the need for global peace has never been more urgent. Yet peace isn’t forged solely through treaties or political negotiations—it begins in classrooms, conversations, and communities. For educators like Olalekan Lawal, whose academic journey and teaching experience are steeped in multiculturalism and linguistics, this mission is personal. His perspective, honed through years of teaching English and training students across cultures, emphasizes that multicultural awareness is not a luxury, but a necessity in creating a more peaceful, inclusive future.

Multicultural Awareness: Beyond Buzzwords

Multicultural awareness goes beyond acknowledging cultural differences. It is the conscious effort to understand, respect, and engage with the values, communication styles, and traditions of people from diverse backgrounds. It means stepping into someone else’s worldview—not to agree, but to appreciate and empathize.

During his master’s studies in English at Youngstown State University, with a focus on TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), Olalekan encountered this truth firsthand. In TESOL classrooms, cultural diversity isn’t just present—it’s the very fabric of the environment. Students arrive with different first languages, educational systems, and cultural assumptions, making the classroom a dynamic space for both teaching and learning.

“Multicultural awareness,” Olalekan explains, “is more than just a teaching objective. It’s the bridge that connects people, making dialogue and understanding possible.”

Language and Culture: Two Sides of the Same Coin

One of the central insights from Olalekan’s career is that language instruction cannot be divorced from cultural understanding. Whether teaching in Lagos, Kaduna, or Ohio, he observed that students learn language more effectively when it is taught alongside the culture that shapes it.

For instance, idioms, humor, politeness strategies, and even basic conversational cues differ widely across cultures. A simple phrase like “How are you?” may be interpreted as a polite greeting in the U.S., but as a sincere invitation for a health update elsewhere. Without cultural context, such nuances are lost—or worse, misinterpreted.

In his teaching roles—from IELTS coaching at School Outside International to his current work as a Writing Tutor at Youngstown State—Olalekan prioritizes culturally responsive pedagogy. This approach doesn’t just improve language acquisition; it fosters respect and collaboration in the classroom. When students feel that their identities are valued, they are more open to learning—and more open to others.

TESOL as a Platform for Global Understanding

TESOL classrooms are uniquely positioned to foster multicultural awareness. Every lesson, discussion, and peer interaction becomes a chance for students to:

• Challenge stereotypes

• Debunk media-driven biases

• Develop empathy for perspectives unlike their own

Olalekan’s students, many of whom come from diverse linguistic and ethnic backgrounds, are encouraged not just to speak English—but to share their stories. These stories become powerful tools for intercultural understanding. A writing prompt asking about traditions, for instance, might reveal how holidays are celebrated differently in Nepal, Nigeria, or Nicaragua. A debate on social issues becomes a way to learn about gender norms in different cultures.

“It’s amazing to see students become ambassadors of their own cultures,” says Olalekan. “They begin to realize that their voices matter—not only in English but in shaping how others view their part of the world.”

Through carefully designed language exchanges and community projects, TESOL instructors like Olalekan help students move from passive learning to active cultural exchange—a vital skill for anyone hoping to function, and lead, in today’s interconnected world.

Multilingualism as a Strength, Not a Barrier

Multicultural awareness also means reframing multilingualism as an asset. Too often, students learning English are made to feel that their native languages are a liability or a “problem” to overcome. This view undermines students’ confidence and erases their cultural identities.

Olalekan challenges this mindset by embracing multilingual identities. He encourages students to draw on their native linguistic resources when learning English. This not only validates their experiences but also promotes translanguaging—a pedagogical strategy where students use multiple languages to construct meaning.

When students are empowered to use their full linguistic repertoire, they become more confident, creative, and connected to their peers. Such classrooms, rich in diversity and inclusion, sow the seeds of peace: not through forced conformity, but through mutual respect.

Education as a Tool for Peacebuilding

Olalekan’s belief in multicultural awareness as a peacebuilding tool is rooted not only in theory but also in lived experience. His work at Airtel’s customer relations office exposed him to real-world conflict resolution, where communication breakdowns—often due to cultural misunderstandings—had to be mended with patience and empathy.

Bringing that same ethos into the classroom, he emphasizes that TESOL educators are not merely instructors of grammar and vocabulary. They are cultural mediators, peacebuilders, and role models.

In today’s climate of global migration, racial tension, and cultural polarization, this role has never been more important. Teachers must prepare students not just for tests—but for life in a multicultural world. This includes:

• Promoting dialogue over debate

• Valuing different worldviews

• Teaching conflict resolution skills rooted in empathy

By doing so, TESOL educators contribute to a more resilient and inclusive society, where differences are not threats but opportunities for growth.

Bringing Multicultural Awareness to All Classrooms

Though Olalekan’s expertise lies in TESOL, his message resonates far beyond language education. Every classroom, from STEM to the arts, benefits from multicultural awareness. All educators can adopt practices that:

• Diversify curriculum content

• Invite students to share cultural perspectives

• Address bias and microaggressions

• Build global competencies through digital collaborations

Even small changes—like including literature from non-Western authors or discussing news from international sources—can shift student mindsets toward global thinking.

Looking Ahead: Education for a Peaceful Future

As Olalekan continues his academic and professional journey, his vision remains clear: education must lead the way toward peace. His research into cognitive linguistics and composition teaching underscores how language shapes thought—and how the way we teach language can either entrench divisions or heal them.

“Multicultural awareness isn’t a side topic,” Olalekan says. “It’s the foundation of everything we do as educators.”

Indeed, peace does not begin at peace summits. It begins when a student from Yemen, learning English in Ohio, feels heard. When a Nigerian teacher uses local proverbs to explain American idioms. When a classroom in India reads about life in Brazil. These moments, small and sincere, are the building blocks of a more peaceful world.

A Call to Action

In a time of fragmentation, multicultural awareness offers unity. It fosters not only better communication, but deeper understanding. It equips students to navigate diversity with grace, curiosity, and confidence.

Olalekan Lawal’s work is a testament to the transformative power of this awareness. As educators, policymakers, and global citizens, we must follow his lead—embedding multicultural competence into every level of education.

Only then can we hope to build a world where peace is not the exception, but the expectation.

*Olalekan Lawal, an Educator, wrote from the United States of America.