According to Dr. Matthew Lynch (2011) culturally responsive instruction is, “a student-centered approach to teaching in which the students' unique cultural strengths are identified and nurtured to promote student achievement and a sense of well-being about the student's cultural place in the world.” There are several components to a well-structured culturally inviting classroom. Patricia Schmidt (2005), author of Culturally Responsive Instruction: Promoting Literacy in Secondary Content Areas, states that these are:
High expectations
Positive relationships with families and community
Cultural sensitivity
Active teaching methods
Teacher as facilitator
Student control of portions of the lesson
Instruction around group and pairs
Differentiation is an essential component to Tier 1 in the KyMTSS system and should be embedded in core classroom instruction for all students. It is a key component of improving instruction in response to the needs of all learners, thus addressing achievement gaps for targeted populations of students.
How can I be a culturally inclusive educator? (Schmidt, 2005)
Create a classroom culture that is welcoming for all learners
Provide student choice on assignments
Create lessons that connect the content to your students’ culture and daily lives
Present content in multiple forms (videos, manipulatives, etc.)
Intentionally address visual, tactile, and auditory learners in lessons
Allow students to collaborate and work in groups
Communicate and work with parents/guardians on a regular basis (email distribution lists, newsletters, phone calls, notes, meetings, etc.)
Use instructional materials that relate to a variety of cultures
Students support each other for the success of the entire class
Include multiple question formats on assessments
Articles/Publications
Lesson Plans/Activities
Videos