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Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Best Practices for Culturally Responsive Instruction

1. "Recognize, understand, and value the forms of diversity that exist in society and their importance in learning to read and write" (International Reading Association, 2010).
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  • Teachers should, ultimately, be culturally aware. Being culturally aware should entail:

    • Valuing diversity as a key asset in our society. With diversity, a literate society can shift into a culture that is fair-minded, more adaptable to change, and more productive in social change.

    • Demonstrating an understanding of the various forms of diversity that exist in our society (ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic status, etc.). 

      • In particular, this awareness should focus on individual and group differences that marginalize some and privilege others (now or in the past).

    • Recognizing the ways in which the various forms of diversity interact with reading and writing development; this may include identifying how students of diversities may struggle with reading and writing or how literacy instruction is being presented to them.

      • With this in mind, teachers should adjust instruction to effectively reach their students; for example, teachers should understand the relationship between second-language acquisition and literacy development, and then construct suitable accommodations or adjustments to instruction. ​

2. "Use a literacy curriculum and engage in instructional practices that positively impact students’ knowledge, beliefs, and engagement with the features of diversity" (International Reading Association, 2010).
 

  • Teachers are already aware that engaging learning experiences result in students developing deep understandings and becoming intrinsically motivated. However, teachers should take this a step further by taking the diversities of students into account when crafting such learning activities. When creating a culturally-responsive curriculum, teachers should:

    • Be aware of the various forms of diversity that exist among their students and in the surrounding community.

      • Additionally, being aware of ones' own cultural identity and the cultural identities of colleagues could aid in understanding how to deliver responsive instruction.

    • Use differentiated instruction and instructional resources, particularly those of which that focus on the diversities of the students in the classroom.

      • Most importantly, such materials should center on valuing differences and similarities among people (for example, literature that depicts the experiences of marginalized groups and how they overcome challenges).

    • Design engaging instruction that puts students in the “drivers’ seat” of their own learning.

      • For example, crafting an engaging critical literacy lesson that focuses on a social issue affecting a form of diversity, particularly one of which students in the classroom or the school belong to. Those who do not identify with said diversity will be acquainted with it, and will still be engaging in an enriching learning activity.

3. "Develop and implement strategies to advocate for equity" (International Reading Association, 2010)

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  • When constructing a culturally responsive curriculum, fair-mindedness should be a key tenet.  When teachers tie equity into critical literacy instruction, this ensures that students of a range of diversities can view school as “relevant” to them, increasing their motivation to learn. Strategies of including cultural fair-mindedness into literacy instruction may include:

    • Providing students with learning experiences linking the community with the school; in particular, activities that involve linking the cultural identities of the community to the school.

    • Encourage students to become advocates for social change in societal practices that are biased or prejudiced against certain groups with lesson activities in critical literacy.

      • This entails guiding students to develop understanding of the concept of prejudice, as well as the forms of prejudice (such as racism) and types of prejudiced practices (such as discrimination).

4. "Help children see themselves as literate beings and then assess how accurately they and their cultures are represented in the materials and literacy practices we teach" (Leland, Lewison, & Harste, 2013). 
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  • Just as it was said that it is important to ensure that students of various diversities are motivated by viewing learning as "relevant" to their lives, part of this motivation stems from being fairly represented in learning materials. Specifically, it is important for students to feel represented in literature selections in the classroom.

    • Teachers should pick books that contain characters from non-mainstream groups portrayed in empowering ways.

      • For example, such characters are leaders instead of followers.

    • With each literature selection, teachers should consider how students would view the book.

      • In particular, teachers should consider whether or not the student would be offended or embarrassed by the book.

    • Teachers should select books that are culturally authentic and demonstrate cultural sensitivity. Some criteria to assess such books may include:

      • Does the book avoid lumping characters into “cultural conglomerates”? (For example, Koreans are referred to simply “Asian”.)

      • Does the book use their language accurately?

      • Would the cultural group represented consider the literary character as their own?

      • Does the book authentically depict their customs, traditions, etc.?

      • Would members of the cultural group represented be offended or embarrassed by this book?

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