StaehrFenner&Snyder2017_UsingCulturallyResponsiveFramewrkELs

Introduction to Using a Culturally Responsive Framework

Importance of Understanding Cultural Differences in Educational Settings

In today's diverse classrooms, it becomes increasingly important for educators to acknowledge and understand cultural differences as they impact student learning and interaction. A culturally responsive framework emphasizes equity in education by recognizing the various cultural backgrounds of students and their families. This understanding initiates deeper connections between educators and students, ultimately enhancing engagement and achievement.

Case Study: Ms. Kay and Ameena, an English Learner from Saudi Arabia

This case study highlights the experiences of Ms. Kay, a teacher, and her student Ameena, an English learner from Saudi Arabia. It delves into how cultural expectations shape their interactions and the learning experience.

• Parent Involvement: Mrs. Khouri’s initiative to support her child at home showcases the critical role parents can play in education. Mrs. Khouri actively engages in her child’s learning process, demonstrating a strong commitment to her child’s academic success.

Cultural Expectations

Ms. Kay's Perspective

• Assumptions: Ms. Kay assumes that students will utilize the educational materials consistently over the marking period, reflecting a Western approach to schoolwork and assignments.

• Surprise: She is taken aback by the intensity of Mrs. Khouri's engagement and expectations for her daughter Ameena. Ms. Kay realizes that cultural assumptions influence interaction styles and expectations surrounding parent-teacher collaboration.

Mrs. Khouri's Perspective

• Trust in Educators: Mrs. Khouri views Ms. Kay as the expert in the classroom and trusts her professional judgment regarding educational methods.

• Cultural Impact: Her cultural background influences her expectations about learning and task completion, as she holds high standards for Ameena’s education while valuing the role of the teacher as a facilitator of knowledge.

Strategies for Teachers

• Cultural Understanding: Recognizing the role culture plays significantly affects the expectations parents and students hold in educational settings. This can guide teachers in developing a more inclusive curriculum.

• Variations in Learning: Educators must acknowledge cultural variations in learning paces and methodologies, adapting their approaches to meet diverse student needs.

Unpacking Culture

Definitions and Importance

• Cultural Characteristics: Culture embodies a system of shared beliefs, values, and behaviors (Zion & Kozleski, 2005), which provides a framework for understanding individuals’ worldviews.

• Complexity of Culture: It is essential to recognize the complexity and dynamics of culture over time (Saifer et al., 2011), particularly how it shifts in response to social changes and influences.

Identity and Cultural Variability

• Diverse Identities: Individual cultural identities are not static but evolve based on personal experiences, family contexts, and environmental factors.

• Generational Differences: Cultural variations can be pronounced between social groups and generations, influencing communication styles, educational values, and social interactions.

Levels of Culture

Iceberg Analogy

• Surface Level: Refers to visible cultural elements (food, clothing, language), which typically evoke low emotional load in social interactions.

• Shallow Level: Includes cultural rules for interaction and communication, which may carry a stronger emotional weight due to differing perceptions.

• Deep Culture: Encompasses unspoken knowledge and understandings that hold significant emotional charges, leading to potential conflicts or misinterpretations in educational settings.

Reflection on Personal Culture

Self-Assessment Questions

• Cultural Identity: Identify and list your cultural identities, emphasizing those you resonate with most strongly.

• Moments of Pride and Challenge: Reflect on experiences of pride and obstacles faced in navigating these cultural identities.

• Analysis of Norms: Consider how different cultural norms impact personal interactions and understanding.

The Significance of Cultural Responsiveness in Teaching

Cultural Impact on Student Participation

• Scenario Example: The case of Ms. Montrose and her sixth-grade class, which includes a diverse group of English learners (ELs), illustrates the importance of understanding cultural influences on participation and aligning teacher expectations with student backgrounds.

Home-School Mismatch

• Diverse Educational Values: Students may arrive in the classroom with educational values and communication styles that differ from those prevalent in their school environments, necessitating adaptive teaching practices.

Becoming a Culturally Responsive Educator

Understanding Expectations

• Bias Reflection: Educators should reflect on their own cultural biases and implicit expectations regarding student behavior and learning approaches.

• Engagement with Students: Engaging directly with students to learn about their backgrounds and experiences helps create a more inclusive classroom atmosphere.

Building Relationships

• Connection Strategies: Adopt strategies to foster connections with ELs, including home visits, informal discussions, and participation in community events to bridge cultural gaps.

Guidelines for Culturally Responsive Teaching

Overview of Guidelines

1. Assets-Based Teaching:This approach emphasizes the inherent strengths, talents, and capabilities of students. Educators are encouraged to shift their focus from perceived deficits to the unique experiences and assets that each student brings to the classroom. Acknowledging and valuing these strengths cultivates an inclusive environment where students feel empowered and appreciated. For instance, teachers can capitalize on students’ diverse backgrounds by incorporating relevant cultural references in lessons, which can make learning more relatable and engaging.

2. Student-Centered Learning:Involving students actively in shaping their learning experiences is crucial for promoting engagement and ownership. Educators should encourage students to share their interests, questions, and feedback, allowing them to help guide the curriculum. This could involve project-based learning that aligns with students' personal experiences or interests, thereby fostering an environment where students are more invested in their education and feel that their voices are heard and respected.

3. Valuing Languages and Cultures:Integrating students' cultural backgrounds, including their languages and traditions, in lesson planning enhances the relevance of the curriculum. Teachers should recognize the significance of linguistic diversity, providing students opportunities to express their identity through language. Celebrating multilingualism can include incorporating diverse literature, facilitating discussions in different languages, and creating activities that honor various cultural traditions, which not only enriches classroom dynamics but also fosters mutual respect among peers.

4. Challenge and Support:Setting high academic expectations for all students is essential, but so is providing the appropriate support to navigate these challenges. Educators should be cognizant of varying learning paces and cultural backgrounds when designing lessons. It is important to offer differentiated instruction and scaffolding techniques that help students develop confidence while striving toward challenging goals. For example, this may involve breaking down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps while also encouraging critical thinking and resilience.

Classroom Look-Fors for Each Guideline

• Guideline 1:Ensure that every student’s name is pronounced correctly; this simple act of respect fosters a sense of belonging. Show genuine interest in students' home languages by encouraging them to share and utilize their languages in classroom discussions or activities. Implementing bilingual resources, such as literature and instructional materials, affirm students’ identities and create a rich, inclusive literacy environment.

• Guideline 2:Establish clear, student-friendly learning objectives that are easily understood and aligned with students’ interests. Promote collaboration by designing group activities that allow peer interaction, fostering teamwork and communication skills. Incorporate goal-setting practices that empower students to articulate their learning objectives, facilitating ownership of their academic progress and successes.

• Guideline 3:Provide a breadth of multicultural materials that accurately reflect the diverse identities of students. Actively involve community members in lessons by inviting them to share their expertise or cultural stories, thus enriching the curriculum with real-world connections. Utilize bilingual resources extensively, not simply as tools, but as integral components of everyday learning that celebrate linguistic diversity.

• Guideline 4:Ensure equitable access to grade-level materials through strategically structured small group work. This allows educators to differentiate instruction and provide tailored support to meet diverse learning needs effectively. By fostering an environment that promotes critical thinking through varying group dynamics, educators can challenge all learners while ensuring that they receive the support needed to thrive academically.

Final Thoughts

• Collaboration Importance: Emphasizing the need for collaboration among staff, families, and community members to foster a supportive learning environment for ELs.

• Advocacy Role: Promoting cultural awareness, inclusivity, and equitable practices within educational systems to adequately support ELs and facilitate their success.

• Reflective Practice: Encourage educators to continuously reflect on their teaching practices to ensure alignment with culturally responsive frameworks, adapting strategies as necessary.

To enhance her classroom's cultural responsiveness and sustainability, Ms. Montrose could learn several practices from Ms. Mahmoudi:

1. Emphasizing Culturally Relevant Curriculum: Ms. Mahmoudi effectively integrates her students' cultural backgrounds into the curriculum. Ms. Montrose can adopt this approach by incorporating diverse perspectives and materials that reflect the cultures of her students, ensuring that all backgrounds are acknowledged and valued.

2. Building Strong Relationships: Ms. Mahmoudi creates solid connections with her students and their families, fostering trust and communication. Ms. Montrose should focus on relationship-building through regular engagement, such as home visits and community involvement, to understand her students’ backgrounds better and to establish a supportive environment.

3. Encouraging Student Voice: Ms. Mahmoudi encourages her students to express their thoughts, experiences, and questions. Ms. Montrose should prioritize student voice by allowing her students to share their cultural narratives in class discussions, promoting an inclusive atmosphere where every student's perspective is respected.

4. Adapting Teaching Methods: Ms. Mahmoudi employs various teaching strategies tailored to her students' diverse cultural learning styles. Ms. Montrose could adopt differentiated instruction techniques to meet the varied needs of her classroom, ensuring that every student has equal opportunities to succeed.

5. Community Engagement: Ms. Mahmoudi actively involves community members in her lessons, which enriches cultural understanding. Ms. Montrose might consider inviting guest speakers from different backgrounds or organizing community events to celebrate the diversity in her classroom.

By integrating these practices into her teaching, Ms. Montrose can create a more culturally responsive and sustaining learning environment for her students.

Two ideas for drawing on students' cultural backgrounds and experiences to make critical connections to content in the classroom are:

1. Culturally Relevant Curriculum: Integrate students' cultural perspectives into the curriculum by including diverse materials and texts that reflect their backgrounds. This can involve selecting literature from various cultures or discussing historical events from multiple viewpoints. For instance, if students come from different cultural backgrounds, lessons could focus on comparing cultural traditions or narratives related to a common theme, enhancing relatability and engagement with the content.

2. Student Voice and Personal Narratives: Create opportunities for students to share their personal stories and experiences related to the content being taught. This can be structured through assignments that allow students to explore a concept in relation to their own lives, such as projects that encourage them to investigate how specific cultural practices influence their understanding of a topic. This not only validates students' cultural identities but also enriches peer learning through diverse perspectives.