Understanding Culturally Responsive Teaching

​Culture and personal experiences can shape learning. Culture includes the beliefs, language, values, and everyday practices that shape people's lives. Scholars have developed culturally responsive teaching methods that draw on students' traditions, backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints to enhance classroom learning. American scholar and author Geneva Gay coined the term culturally responsive teaching in 2000.

Gay acknowledged that when lessons connect to students’ real-life experiences and perspectives, students, especially those from marginalized communities, feel seen and valued in academic spaces, which boosts their participation and overall success. Instead of using a student’s background as a barrier, culturally responsive training embraces everyone’s characteristics and values as assets. Indeed, every student comes to the classroom with unique cultural knowledge and life experiences that shape their understanding and engagement with the world. Culturally responsive teaching values this diversity and treats it as a powerful asset.

In 1990, American theorist and teacher Gloria Ladson-Billings noticed that educators approached children from specific societal groups, like African Americans, differently compared to their White counterparts. She investigated practices employed by African American teachers and what made them effective so she could implement them and teach others.

Through Ladson-Billing’s work, scholars derived three components of culturally relevant pedagogy: deep learning, cultural awareness, and social awareness. Deep learning helps students grow intellectually by building critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Cultural awareness creates a space where students value their own culture while learning to understand others. Social awareness empowers students to recognize and address real-world injustices, especially those affecting marginalized communities.

Traditional teaching methods mostly utilize literature from accepted authors like Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare. While there is nothing wrong with continuing to use such literature, students from non-Western backgrounds may feel left out. Culturally responsive teaching addresses this by introducing other literature from diverse global backgrounds, allowing students to connect with learning material by linking it to their previous experiences.

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to culturally responsive training, they can adopt some basic strategies to make learning more engaging and meaningful. To begin, they can tap into what students already know. Every student brings their stories, backgrounds, and experiences into the classroom. Tapping into that prior knowledge helps anchor new learning and creates rich classroom discussions.

Educators can also make learning relevant by linking lessons to students’ daily lives and communities. For example, they model their teaching around how different families share duties at home and use such models to share activities in class. Additionally, they can highlight and value cultural backgrounds. They can achieve this by using diverse materials and letting students share their experiences to affirm their identities and enrich discussions.

Another strategy is to reflect diversity in a classroom setting. Teachers can ensure that classroom displays, books, and visuals represent various cultures and identities. Moreover, they can foster and build genuine relationships by creating a safe, respectful space where students feel seen, valued, and connected. In turn, this drives engagement and trust. Authentic relationships, for example, blur racial lines and make students feel that, despite their racial differences, they are one.

Culturally responsive teaching has its benefits. First, schools that embrace its practices often see better academic performance, fewer discipline issues, and more engaged learners. Second, honoring students' diverse cultural strengths helps bridge achievement gaps and builds inclusive spaces where every student feels respected and supported. Third, culturally responsive teaching encourages critical thinking and equips students for success in a diverse, global environment.

Dr. Zachary Robbins

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