Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices for Educators of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Abstract

Schools within the United States have grown tremendously over the last decade in cultural and linguistic diversity. Teachers have a responsibility to teach all students, regardless of their unique backgrounds or language abilities; however, English language learners and students of color are not receiving the same academic success as their White and English-dominant peers. Rochester City School District Regents exam data illustrates observable racial achievement disproportionality that suggests certain groups of students are not receiving an equitable education. To combat this disproportionality, a handbook and professional development plan was created for Rochester-area teachers at World of Inquiry School (WOIS) to increase their cultural responsiveness and better serve their culturally and linguistically diverse students. Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) is a pedagogy that reflects the need for cultural awareness and inclusion so that all students achieve equally, not just White or European American students. With the implementation of CRE, teachers at WOIS will seek to infuse instruction with culture, foster a climate of rigorous learning and mutual respect, and transform their thinking to expose biases that prevent certain students from achieving academically.