The topic of cultural diversity in the Brazilian education system has been the subject of numerous researches. Many terms are used in the educational initiatives whose purpose it is to take into account the cultural diversity in the educational systems. In the Anglophone (English-speaking) context, the term “multicultural education” is widely used where as in the French-speaking context, the term “intercultural education” more is commonly chosen. In Brazil, both terms (intercultural and multicultural) are used. We have opted in this research paper for the notion of intercultural approach in as far as it puts under the right light theattempts), the variety and hesitations in this domain- (Dasen & Perregaux, 2000).

The striking characteristic of Brazil is its rich ethnic and cultural diversity rooted in a long historic and social process and in the continent-like dimension of its territory. The first discussions about the situation at school of marginalized groups started in the 70's-80's at the same time as the rise of the Afro-Brazilian civic rights movements and of the research on stereotypes and discriminations at school. (Ferrão Candau & Russo, 2010). During the past decade, Brazil has undertaken numerous curriculum reforms aimed at increasing the value of cultures so far marginalized in the school system (Afro-Brazilian or Amerindian). This paper intends initially to undertake a critical analysis of the official documents that have accompanied and backed such reforms. We will in particular analyze the underlying conception of cultural diversity/difference in those documents and where they stand on school’s disciplines to promote integration with students from different cultures. We understand and agree that, to put in practice the public policies of cultural diversity depends on the interest and on the advantages that those policies will bring to the dominant class. Thus, the local culture is in the end excluded and homogeneity is established. To conduct our analysis, we will rely on authors like Kadlubitski & Junqueira (2009) and Canen (2007), who have published articles on that very topic.

Further, we will investigate in the second part of this paper the role of the teacher in the implementation of the curriculum reforms aimed at valuing cultural diversity. The teacher plays a pivotal role in the realization of the intercultural opening of the curriculum. Being able to choose the learning contents, it will guide and define which treatment will be given to the cultural diversity students in class. We will try to define the intercultural approaches in the formation and in the teachers' work in Brazil, we will use Burnett's typology (1994) which classifies such an approach in three categories based on the priority target : (1) programs centered on the curriculum, (2) programs centered on the student and (3) programs aimed at social work.

Finally, we will close the paper presenting the original contribution of teachers in artistic disciplines to the operationalizationin schools of new curricula aimed at the integration of all students and cultures forming the ethnic mosaic of Brazil.

DASEN, P.R. & PERREGAUX, C. (2000), (Ed.) Pourquoi des approches interculturelles en sciences de l’éducation ? Bruxelles, De Boeck FERRAO CANDAU, V. M., & RUSSO, K. (2010) Interculturalidade e educacao em America Latina: uma construção plural, original e complexa. Revista Diálogo Educacional, no 29, pp. 151-169. Kadlubitski & Junqueira (2009) Diversidade cultural e políticas públicas educacionais. Educaçao, no1, pp.179-194. Canen, A. (2007). Multiculturalism and a Research Perspective in Initial Teacher Education: possible dialogues. Policy Futures in Education 5(4): 519-534. BURNETT, G. (1994) Varieties of multicultural education : An introduction (ERIC Digest), New York, ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 372 146). Baribeau, C. Analyse des données des entretiens de groupe. Revue RECHERCHES QUALITATIVES – Vol. 28(1), 2009, pp. 133-148. http://www.recherche-qualitative.qc.ca/Revue.html Official Documents BRASIL. MEC (1996). Lei de Diretrizes e Bases de Educação Nacional – Lei n. 9.394/96. Brasília, DF BRASIL (1997a). Secretaria de Educação Fundamental. Parâmetros curriculares nacionais:pluralidade cultural - terceiros e quarto ciclos do ensino fundamental. Versão preliminar para discussão nacional, Brasília: MEC/SEF BRASIL (1997b). Secretaria de Educação Fundamental. Parâmetros curriculares nacionais:introdução aos parâmetros curriculares nacionais. Vol. 1, Brasília: MEC/SEFBRASIL (1997). Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais: primeiro e segundo ciclos do ensino fundamental. Documento introdudutório. Brasília: MEC BRASIL (1998). Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais: terceiro e quarto ciclos do ensino fundamental. Documento introdudutório. Brasília: MEC BRASIL (2006) RESOLUÇÃO CNE/CP n. 1. Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para o Curso de Pedagogia. Brasília, DF BRASIL. MEC (2008). Documento-Base. Conferência Nacional da Educação Básica. Brasília, DF