Culturally Responsive Instruction

Articles and Lesson Plans for Culturally Responsive Instruction

​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)

1. Create a classroom culture that is welcoming for all learners

2. Provide student choice on assignments

3. Create lessons that connect the content to your students’ culture and daily lives

4. Present content in multiple forms (videos, manipulatives, etc.)

5. Intentionally address visual, tactile, and auditory learners in lessons

6. Allow students to collaborate and work in groups

7. Communicate and work with parents/guardians on a regular basis (email distribution lists, newsletters, phone calls, notes, meetings, etc.)

8. Use instructional materials that relate to a variety of cultures

9. Students support each other for the success of the entire class

10. Include multiple question formats on assessments

Articles/Publications 

• Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Strategies—A list of approaches for establishing a culturally inclusive atmosphere. ​
  

Lesson Plans/Activities

• Culturally Responsive Lessons for Students, K-5—Lesson ideas for elementary school.
  

• Teaching Tolerance—Classroom Activities - Lesson plans for all subject areas and grade levels.
  

Videos

• Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning - This video shows cultural inclusion in an elementary classroom. 

• Culturally Responsive Teaching—Wendy Nelson-Kaufman discusses how she creates a culturally inclusive classroom environment.