Culturally Competent
Pedagogy: Inclusiveness that
Extends beyond Diversity
Shuntay Z. McCoy., PhD., MSW
Narketta Sparkman-Key., PhD., HS-BCP
Old Dominion University
Workshop Objectives
● Deconstruct the differences between diversity and
culturally competent inclusiveness
● Define culturally competent pedagogy and highlight it as
a method of inclusivity
● Engage in culturally competent pedagogy through selfassessment
● Provide interactive examples of engaging in culturally
competent pedagogy and how it may be actualized by
participants
Introductions
● Please share the following with your colleagues
● Your Name
● Your current role
● Why you selected this workshop
What words come to mind when you think
about cultural competence?
Collaborative Activity
1. Critical Thinking
2. Awareness
3. Safety
4. Welcome
5. Inclusiveness
6. Language
7. Sensitivity
8. Access
9. Raising Consciousness
Cultural Competence Perspectives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U42MApeXi9w
Diversity within the Institution is…
● The state or fact of being different
● Unlike the ‘norm/majority’
● The presence of individuals representing more
than one national origin, color, religion,
socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation,
etc…
Diversity
versus
● Quickly quantified; reduced
to the presence of…..
● Recognition of difference to
mainstream cultures
● End game of
numbers/tolerance
Cultural Competence
● Process of qualitatively
understanding individuals
● Systemic evaluation of
institutional practices
● End game of cultural
inclusion
Cultural Competence is…
● “A process by which individuals and systems respond
respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures…races,
…religions and other diversity factors in a manner that
recognizes, affirms, and values their [inherent] worth [and
dignity]” (NASW, 2001).
● Considers power dynamics
● “The ability to influence, control, and dominate resources
and access to resources” (Johnson, 2006).
Cultural Competence is also…
●Considers individual and institutional privilege
● “When one group has something of value that is
denied to others simply because of the groups we
belong to, rather than because of anything they’ve
done or failed to do” (Johnson, 2006).
Cultural Competence is also...
●A recognition of the connection between power,
privilege, and oppression
● “A relationship in which the dominant [privileged]
group benefits from the systemic abuse, exploitation,
and injustice directed at a subordinate group” (Ore,
2014).
(Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, n.d.)
Cultural
Destructiveness
I make a conscious effort [use
my power] to destroy cultures
that are different from my
own or from what I think will
work best for others.
Cultural Incapacity
I am unwilling to be useful or
helpful to other cultures.
……“We take care of our own.”
“We are all that is important.”
(Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Issacs, 1989).
Cultural Blindness
I believe that culture/color and
dimensions of diversity are
unimportant.
…… “All people are the
same.”
Cultural Precompetence
I realize that my responses to
cultural difference are more
often than not culturally
destructive and I am trying to
understand how to respond
culturally
competently/proficiently.
(Cross, et al., 1989).
Cultural
Competence
Cultural competence is
characterized by a
commitment to social
and economic justice.
Cultural
Proficiency
I hold culture in high esteem
and that it is my organizing
frame of reference and the
foundation by which I
understand relationships
between individuals, groups,
organizations, systems, etc.
(Cross, et al., 1989).
Cultural Competence
Responsibilities and Challenges
●Thorough self-reflection
● It is often an uncomfortable
process
●Development of and
engagement in authentic
cross-cultural
relationships
● Recognition of our
contribution to the
marginalization of culturally
diverse populations
●Resisting inequality of the
current power hierarchy
● Engaging in an evaluation
of both individual and
systemic practices
Culturally Competent Pedagogy
● “Empowers students intellectually, socially,
emotionally, and politically by using cultural
referents to impart knowledge, skills, and
attitudes” (Ladson-Billings, 1995, p. 18).
● Also called culturally relevant pedagogy,
cultural responsiveness, cultural congruence,
and cultural appropriateness (Saint-Hilaire, 2014).
Cultural Competence Self-Assessment
(Please take 8-10 min to complete the table exercise)
What were your aha moments when
engaging in this reflection?
Identifying Best Practices for Inclusiveness in
Higher Education Pedagogy (from presenters and
other colleagues)
1. Share yourself (let students get to know you)
2. Assess students’ initial assumptions of who you are (5questions you assume about me…i.e car I drive etc;
then use their assumptions to reveal their existing bias’)
3. Assess what’s important to students during the first
class. Create anonymous list of what they identify.
Allow students to interview each other to determine
which list or ‘pie-chart’ reflects their peers
values/priorities
4. Utilize PBS ‘Race the Power of Illusion’ exercises to
identify existing diversity within your classroom
5. Utilize “poll everywhere” online software to create a safe
and anonymous space for students to ask risky
questions they need to ask to advance in their learning.
Answer the questions as the instructor as opposed to
having other students respond.
Identifying Best Practices for Inclusiveness in
Higher Education Pedagogy (from presenters)
● Privilege Walk (can be located online)
● Dimensions of difference exercise
● Think back to when you were 12 years old. How did you identify by gender?
● Female, Male, Transgender
● Now group yourselves accordingly…if you identified as female stand in to my right, if male stand to my left,
and if transgender come to the front of the room
● What do you see? What do you notice? Within your respective groups talk about what this meant to you (i.e.
what defined this status) within your school, community, family? How could this play out in our class?
● How did you identify by Race/ethnicity?
● Black/African American, White/European American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, Biracial, another
group
● Now group yourselves accordingly
● What do you see? What do you notice? Within your respective groups talk about what this meant to
you (i.e. what defined this status) within your school, community, family? How could this impact our
class?
Practices for Inclusiveness in Higher Education
Pedagogy (from presenters) continued
● Dimensions of difference continued….
● How did you identify by Geography?
● How did you identify by Socioeconomic Status
● If you were poor and knew that your parents struggled to meet your basic needs; if you were wealthy
and had ample resources; if you defined yourself as middle class)
● ***within your respective groups line up on a continuum of income based on economics highest to
lowest….discuss with your group why you feel you occupy the position you do.
● Going back to your seats think about what stood out to you during this exercise?
● Who would like to share
● Final Thought: The important thing you will be asked to do within the context of this class is to
engage your diversity
Supportive Resources
● Individual Assessment Resource
● Implicit Bias Project
● Cultural Intelligence Center
● Cultural Competence Continuum
Contact Information
Dr. McCoy smccoy@odu.edu
Dr. Sparkman-Key nsparkma@odu.edu
References
Cross, T. L., Bazron, B. J., Dennis, K. W., & Isaacs, M. R. (1989). Towards a culturally competent system of care. CASSP
Technical Assistance Center, Georgetown University Child Development Center, Washington, D. C.
Furrey, M. (2007). Cultural proficiency continuum [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from:
http://www.ccps.org/District/Department/25-Social-Studies/1330-Cultural-Profciency.html
Johnson, A. G. (2006). Privilege, Power, and Difference (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Journal, 32,
465-491
National Association of Social Work (2001) Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice.
Washington, DC: Author.
National Education Association. (n. d.). Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/.
Ore, T. E. (2014). Social construction of difference and inequality: Race, class, gender, and sexuality (6th ed.) New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Saint-Hilaire, L. (2014). So, how do I teach them? Understanding multicultural education and culturally relevant
pedagogy. Reflective Practice, 15, 592-602.
Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (n.d.) Retrieved from www.samsha.gov