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Northern Virginia School Leadership Center
Research Brief
Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies
Prepared for:
Linda Moniuszko, Principal, Antietam Elementary School, Prince William
County Public Schools
Written by:
Roger Baskin, Education Leadership doctoral student
Date:
January 11, 2010
Abstract
Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) is based on developing classroom environments where
students can learn while still being able to reflect upon and incorporate their varied cultural
expressions (language, philosophical perspectives, historical experiences, etc.) through both
instruction and evaluation. This brief explores literature that demonstrates some of the most
contemporary thinking around CRP. It also discusses how school leaders can help teachers to
develop CRP strategies through self-reflective practices such as journaling and through selfexposure practices such as touring the community where they teach.
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Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies
Introduction
The purpose of this research brief is twofold: 1) to identify major tenets of culturally
responsive pedagogy (CRP); and 2) to identify specific strategies school leaders can use to
develop a culture conducive to CRP. These strategies include self-reflective practices such as
journaling and self-exposure strategies like touring the community in which teachers work.
The Idea of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
CRP is a response to both the increasing diversity of schools throughout the country and
the need to incorporate that diversity in instruction and evaluation of student learning. It is an
attempt to develop an environment of openness to diversity within the classroom and to elevate
the status of cultural expressions that historically have been marginalized by dominant cultural
norms (vanden Wyngaard, 2007). Additionally, CRP is intended to validate the perspective of
people of color and English language learners as equal to that of English-speaking white
Americans. Hence, it seeks to go beyond tokenism and instead seeks to make cultural
responsiveness part of the everyday practice of teaching and learning (Richards, H., Brown, A.,
& Forde, T., 2007).
Key to transforming the learning environment is also the transformation of the educator.
One of the major postulates of CRP is the willingness of educators to acknowledge their cultural
grounding and to reconcile those aspects of their unique cultural influence that create barriers in
understanding and respecting the perspectives of cultural expressions different from their own
(Howard, 2006; Gay, 2000). Improved self-awareness comes through intentional reflection and
through purposeful dialogue with people from other cultural backgrounds. This creates a
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synthesis of the familiar culture and the newly learned culture which in turn develops a greater
sensitivity to the learning preferences and needs of students who come from various
backgrounds.
School, according to many who espouse the theory of culturally responsive pedagogy, is
an instrument of cultural domination of one group over groups who do not share the same
cultural and historical privileges. CRP, then, seeks to counter the hegemonic tendencies of one
group by opening up the dialogue of pedagogy to all groups. Ultimately, the classroom becomes
a place of empowerment instead of a place which seeks to strip students of their culture.
The benefits, according to adherents, include greater communication which leads to a
better sense of community within the school context and improved achievement for historically
marginalized groups because their interests and learning preferences are considered in the
planning of instruction. Classroom climate is enhanced through improved relationships between
students and teachers.
The belief of many who promote this theory is that cultural responsiveness can limit
misinterpretation of cultural expressions. For example, the simultaneous underrepresentation of
African American males in advanced academics coupled with their overwhelming representation
in special education classes is interpreted by some CRP adherents as a misinterpretation of what
is deemed cultural capital among African American males—aggressive play, outspokenness,
preference for kinesthetic or musical instruction (Ford & Harris, 1998; Ford, 1996; Gay 2002;
Harris-Murri, King & Rostenberg, 2006; Weinstein, Curran & Tomlinson-Clarke, 2003). A
consequence of this cultural devaluation within the school culture is the relegation of these
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behaviors to special education environments. “Misreading cultural communication cues can
result in behavior issues and incorrect feedback about learning.” (Davis, 2006).
CRP Research
The largest body of research related to CRP deals with approaches to improving literacy.
Most of the studies discuss the significance of using multicultural literature as a way of
developing student interest in reading. Additionally, researchers identify building on student
experiences as a practical means of augmenting student understanding of literature (Conrad,
Gong, Sipp & Wright, 2004; Modla & Wake, 2007).
Another area of research that relates to CRP is that of the cultural influences of learning
preferences. One example is a study that focused on the learning preferences of African
American and white fifth and sixth grade students (Ellison, Boykin, Tyler & Dillihunt, 2005).
This study found that when students were given the option of learning cooperatively (working
together with classmates), competitively (working to demonstrate greater proficiency than
classmates), or individualistically (working alone), the African American students
overwhelmingly preferred to learn cooperatively in comparison to their white counterparts (who
preferred competitive and individualistic options). According to the report, “Some have argued
that cooperation is more connected with cultural values within the African American community
and that African American children are socialized to [collaborate].” (Ellison, et. al, pp. 705-706).
Understanding the learning preferences of an ever-increasing, ethnically diverse student
population may have very important implications for teaching and learning. This
information may advance educators’ understanding of how to restructure learning
environments to maximize achievement outcomes. (Ellison, et. al, p. 701)
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Hence, one of the implications for teaching strategies is to understand student learning
preferences and to act on those expressed preferences through instructional and evaluation
methods that are informed by student input. This understanding is consistent with CRP in that it
encourages dialogue between student and teacher.
Developing Culturally Responsive Environments
Leaders play a role in creating an environment conducive to CRP. According to Frank E.
Andrews, Director of Undergraduate Programs at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell:
The foremost challenge in education today is to create learning environments that
maintain and embrace the cultural integrity of all students and raise achievement levels. .
. . For an educational leader the major challenge is to identify effective ways to change
the perception of teachers so that they are willing to deviate from their long-held
traditional beliefs with respect to pedagogy, culture, and learning.
For both academic and moral reasons schools should embrace and celebrate cultural
diversity within the classroom and close the unacceptable achievement gap. Incorporating
diverse students’ cultural experiences into the curriculum and getting teachers to buy-in
to a new pedagogical approach to be positive steps toward effecting change and
increasing learning opportunities. (2007, par. 12-13)
A number of CRP proponents have offered suggestions as to how leaders can develop a
greater awareness of pedagogical needs of students from different cultural backgrounds.
Richards, Brown and Forde (2007) note a number of activities that can be incorporated into
professional development, team meetings, or professional learning communities:
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1. Engage in reflective thinking and writing. (Most agree that journaling is the best way
to do this.)
2. Explore personal and family histories. (This can be done through personal journaling
or as a class project in which the teacher also participates.)
3. Acknowledge membership in different groups. (This can be done through journaling.)
4. Learn about the history and experiences of different groups. (For example, read
books about different cultures, especially those in your school.)
5. Visit students’ families and communities. (For example, hand deliver student progress
reports instead of mailing or giving them to the students at school.)
6. Visit or read about successful teachers in diverse settings. (This may be an
opportunity to create a section in the school’s professional library on this topic.)
7. Develop an appreciation for diversity. (For example, visit local art museums or
cultural institutions.)
8. Participate in reforming the institution. (For example, work on the school
improvement committee or help develop a student diversity group after school.) (pp.
65-66)
Another concept that is used in pre-service teacher preparation incorporates journaling
about teachers’ perceptions of CRP and how those perceptions change over time as they engage
in a conscious effort to implement CRP strategies with their students (Edwards & Kuhlman,
2007). As a part of the project, the teachers are encouraged to learn what knowledge their
students bring to the classroom and to reflect upon how they help students to grow by utilizing
CRP. One journal example demonstrates the growth of one pre-service teacher:
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In the beginning any book would do. I simply found a set of books I had access to and
that met the standards . . . As I got to know my students and as I reflected on my journals
on cultural relevance, I realized that my students were not connecting to these books and
their writing reflected this. As a result, I worked to include books with people of all
cultures as well as nonfiction. (p. 48)
Scholars at the University of Washington, College of Education have developed an
inventory that can serve to help leaders determine the degree to which their school or school
district is culturally responsive and what areas need to be pinpointed for reform (Banks,
Cookson, Gay, Hawley, Irvine, Nieto, Schofield & Stephan, 2001). The five-page inventory is
based on twelve underlying principles (p. 3) that are categorized under the following headings:
1. teacher learning
2. student learning
3. intergroup relations
4. school governance, organization and equity
5. assessment
Bonnie Davis’ book How to Teach Students who Don’t Look Like You: Culturally
Relevant Teaching Strategies (2006) has a number of activities that can be used in conjunction
with in-services and staff meetings. She recommends the following strategies for developing a
culturally responsive environment.
Exploring attitudes:
Pair staff members and create a Venn diagram. Have staff members write their name
above the circles and begin to write differences in separate circles and similarities where the
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circles intersect. The goal is to emphasize commonalities to underscore the humanity of each
participant. The participants can share their results in creative ways. This exercise is helpful in
cutting across ethnic, generational, and gender lines. This can also be done with students in
class.
In another exercise, Davis encourages educators to ask how they would feel if the cultural
situation were reversed. What if your school decided not to honor Christmas and you were a
Christian? What if all members of the senate were Muslim or Jewish and you were not?
Learning about the community:
Travel as much as possible. Travel helps to create an awareness of various cultures. As a
way of getting to know students and their culture, ask students to bring in a family dish from
home. Davis also recommends becoming friends with people of other cultures. When possible,
she also recommends living in an integrated neighborhood and sending your children to
integrated schools. Some schools also take bus tours of the community that feeds into the
school. This is typically done when teachers first return to work and before students come back
from summer break.
Instructional practices:
Davis has a section of her book that focuses on instructional strategies for diverse
learners. Some of her recommendations include allowing students to create a dictionary of math
terms that includes pictures and definitions. Students use these picture dictionaries when taking
tests. For science instruction, students can choose one organ of the body and write a story, with
illustrations, from the perspective of the organ. For reading instruction, Davis recommends
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asking an author or storyteller from a local cultural institution to come to the class and share with
students.
Assessments:
Davis encourages teachers to view test-taking as a cultural practice. Teachers should
teach their students the language of the testing culture. She also encourages teachers to have
students create their own test questions and to translate them into the language typically used in
tests.
Conclusion
An essential part of developing a climate of CRP is providing teachers space to reflect
upon their own cultural influences and how that may impact the way they teach. Journaling is a
major way suggested by most CRP researchers. Secondly, offering teachers an opportunity to
learn more about the community they serve through greater interaction with parents and other
members of the community can help teachers to create lessons that are relevant to the culture of
the neighborhoods in which they teach. Third, offering teachers an opportunity to learn various
instructional approaches that can create cultural connections is a way of developing greater
teacher success and student achievement. Finally, offering educators an opportunity to evaluate
themselves and their institution through inventories can provide insight into what is working and
what may need to be addressed to insure success for every student.
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References
Andrews, F. E. (2007). The role of educational leaders in implementing a culturally responsive
pedagogy designed to increase the learning opportunities for diverse students. Academic
Leadership, 4 (4), pp. 1-10.
Banks, J.; Cookson, P.; Gay, G.; Hawley, W.; Irvine, J. J.; Nieto, S.; Schofield, J.; & Stephan, W.
(2001). Diversity within unity: Essential principles for teaching and learning in a
multicultural society, Center for Multicultural Education, College of Education,
University of Washington, Seattle.
Conrad, N.; Gong, Y.; Sipp, L. & Wright, L (2004). Using text talk as a gateway to culturally
responsive teaching. Early Childhood Education Journal, 31 (3), 187-192.
Davis, B. (2006). How to teach students who don’t look like you: Culturally relevant teaching
Strategies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Edwards, S. & Kuhlman, W. (2007). Culturally responsive teaching: Do we walk our talk?
Multicultural Education, 14 (4), 45-49.
Ellison, C.; Boykin, A. W.; Tyler, K. & Dillihunt, M. (2005). Examining classroom learning
preferences among elementary school students. Social Behavior and Personality: An
International Journal, 33 (7), 699-708.
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Ford, D.Y. & Harris III, J.J. (1998). Multicultural gifted education. New York: Teachers College
Press.
Ford, D.Y. (1996). Reversing underachievement among gifted Black students: Promising
practices and programs. New York: Teachers College Press.
Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Gay, G. (2002). Culturally responsive teaching in special education for ethnically diverse
students: Setting the stage. Qualitative Studies in Education, 15, 613-629.
Harris-Murri, N.; King, K. & Rostenberg, D. (2006). Reducing disproportionate minority
representation in special education programs for students with emotional disturbances:
Toward a culturally responsive response to intervention model. Education & Treatment
of Children, 29 (4), 779-799.
Howard, G. (2006). We can’t teach what we don’t know: White teachers, multiracial
schools. New York: Teachers College Press.
Modla, V. & Wake, D. G. (2007). Using a culturally-responsive approach to multicultural
literature: Preparing pre-service teachers to work with all students. College Reading
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Richards, H.; Brown, A. & Forde, T. (2007). Addressing diversity in schools: Culturally
responsive pedagogy. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39 (3), 64-68.
Stuart, D. & Volk, D. (2002). Collaboration in a culturally responsive literacy pedagogy:
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vanden Wyngaard, M. (2007). Chapter 8: Culturally responsive pedagogies. Teaching City
Kids, Joe L. Kincheloe & Kecia Hayes (Eds.), 121-129.
Weinstein, C.; Curran, M. & Tomlinson-Clarke, S. (2003). Culturally responsive classroom
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