Culturally Responsive Teaching
Culturally responsive teaching is not a new phenomenon. Several researchers have been conducted on culturally responsive teaching (Buzzetto-Hollywood, 2023; Gay, 2010; Gay, 2013; Gay, 2002; Harris et al., 2021; Harris et al., 2018; Howard, 2020; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Stembridge (2019). According to Matias (2013), culturally responsive teaching is not just responding to teaching better or an intellectual revolution; it is connected to the civil rights movement and focuses on racial justice for everyone. Gay (2010) has conducted several works on culturally responsive teachings and defines it as “using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them” (Gay, 2010, p. 31; Gay, 2013, pp. 50-51; Muniz, 2019).
Vavrus (2008) argued that the student population in the United States has become increasingly racially and culturally diverse, while teachers remain almost 90% white. Warikoo et al. (2016) noted that a growing percentage of students of color in public schools today make up the majority of students and most of the teachers that teach them tend to be white. Chang and Halpin (2016) explained that the students of ethnic and racial backgrounds are the majority in US public schools, while the ethnic and racial minorities of the teachers represent less than 20% of the schools. White et al. (2015) noted “the demographic changes that will occur with the majority of American families being ethnic families of color by the year 2050” (p. 248). In another study, Martorell et al. (2014) mentioned that by 2050 ethnic minorities are expected to be the majority in the United States. Martorell et al. (2014) also expressed that more than half of the children population will consist of minority children by 2023. Dickson et al. (2016) posit that culturally responsive teaching “can improve the educational experiences of students from diverse cultural, linguistic, and ethnic groups and lessen educational disparities” (p.151). Abacioglu et al. (2020) point out that student achievement and engagement increase when culturally responsive teaching is used. At the same time, Harmon (2012) noted that culturally responsive teaching is one of the most effective methods for meeting culturally different students’ learning needs. According to Gay (2010), culturally responsive teaching is comprehensive, multidimensional, validating/affirming, transforming, emancipatory, and empowering. According to Bassey (2016), when culturally responsive teaching is implemented, students are empowered. When working with diverse students, it is imperative that the instructor teaches from an inclusive approach to increase student engagement and belonging. Bassey (2016) suggests that teachers are successful when they use the student’s culture as the driving force for learning. When teaching diverse learners, instructors must consider the needs of the learner. “When planning for instruction, educators must be aware of their student’s readiness to learn, their interests, and their learning profile, which includes learner preferences, strengths, and challenges” (Kieran & Anderson, 2019, p.1203). This allows the instructor to tailor a learning experience that meets the student’s needs, not a one-size-fits-all model. This approach includes the individual’s needs instead of one learning style. Kieran and Anderson (2019) suggest that instructors should know students’ previous learning experiences. This can be helpful to ensure the student is processing and understanding the information. There are many learning styles, and this must be considered when teaching diverse students. Lightfoot et al. (2013) explained culturally responsive strategies that can be used in the classroom. These include hosting a special event to celebrate young people’s cultural heritage and connecting it to the curriculum. The programs can include English as a second language, heritage language classes, bilingual educations programs, reading stories from African American writers, and taking into account social class and variations in one’s culture.