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What are your students' strengths, both individual and shared across the group?

What are talents outside of the classroom?

Find out your students' interests (questionnaire at the beginning of the year)

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Source: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/for-educators/empathy/questionnaires-for-connecting-with-students-and-families?_ul=1*txsylm*domain_userid*YW1wLVZVeUthVldHX0p5TlpuVDRzbW1iNFE.

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Research examines practices of teachers who are successful with African American students

Two critically acclaimed books:

The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teaching of African American Children

Crossing Over to Canaan: The Journey of New Teachers in Diverse Classrooms

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Professor of Education and Associate for the Center for Multicultural Education, University of Washington - Seattle

Study the success of CRT on underachieving students of color

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Professor of Multicultural Education, University of Washington

Director - Banks Center for Educational Justice, University of Washington

Research includes studying the educational and cultural justice as outcomes of inquiry and pedagogy

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: What you need to know

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: What you need to know

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Written by the Educators Team at Understood

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At a glance

Culturally responsive teaching is a rich, intentional approach woven into every aspect of student learning.

It focuses on the assets students bring to the classroom rather than what students can't do.

It raises expectations and makes learning relevant for all students.

Culturally responsive teaching is a research-based approach to teaching. It connects students' cultures, languages, and life experiences with what they learn in school. These connections help students access rigorous curriculum and develop higher-level academic skills.

Our brains are wired to make connections. It's easier for our brains to learn and store information when we have a hook to hang it on. That hook is background knowledge. Students bring this knowledge to the classroom every day.

But for students of color, English language learners (ELLs), and other underserved student populations, those assets are often overlooked. When that happens, educators miss the chance to use them to support learning. (See recent work by Zaretta Hammond for the neuroscience behind this.)

Culturally responsive teaching values and reflects the assets of all students. By doing that, it raises academic expectations for all learners. It also sends the message that multiculturalism is an asset.

Dive deeper

The benefits of culturally responsive teaching

How culturally responsive teaching, UDL, and SEL work together

For educators: Culturally responsive teaching in the classroom

For educators: How to partner with families

About the author

About the author

Educators Team at Understood is made up of passionate writers, editors, educators, and subject matter experts who have worked in classrooms and with students who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Karla Vigil, MAT is the chief executive officer and co-founder of the

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Culturally responsive teaching is a rich, intentional approach woven into every aspect of student learning. It focuses on the assets students bring to the classroom rather than what students can't do. It raises expectations and makes learning relevant for all students. Culturally responsive teaching is a research-based approach to teaching.

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Former writing teacher

Learned in her teaching how important literacy was to equity and how neuroscience and culture should inform teachers' instructional practice

Blog: CRT and the Brain

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Deep Field of Research has been developed

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Deep Field of Research has been developed

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a look at CRT in all 50 states

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An analysis of teaching standards in all 50 states to better understand whether states incorporate culturally responsive teaching.

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Expectations are raised for all students

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Expectations are raised for all students

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Focus on what the student CAN do

Identify a student's assets and incorporate them into instruction

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It helps students to feel valued and empowered

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It helps students to feel valued and empowered

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When a student sees their self represented, they can develop a sense of belonging

More likely to build trust with the teacher

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It builds cultural competence for both studetns and teahcers

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It builds cultural competence for both studetns and teahcers

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Helps the teacher and student understand different perspectives

Build empathy

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Allows you to show you value your students

CRT can help you teach contexts that exist both inside and outside of the classroom

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Integrates well with UDL (Universal Design for Learning)

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Integrates well with UDL (Universal Design for Learning)

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Using CRT and UDL creates instruction that engages students and is aware of students' needs

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CRT is not a strategy or a program, but an APPROACH woven into all aspects of teaching

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CRT is not a strategy or a program, but an APPROACH woven into all aspects of teaching

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Allows you as a teacher to tap into your students' existing knowledge of a culture

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Learning About Difference and Belonging Through Books

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2. Create a supportive classroom environment

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2. Create a supportive classroom environment

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Learn how to say your students' names correctly

Provide regular messages of affirmation

Create a welcoming classroom by representing the cultures of your students in posters and images you may chose to display, or in materials you use to teach (consider doing a fund knowledge matrix at the start of the year to see what your students know)

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Source: https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/migrantbilingual/homevisitstoolkit/pubdocs/fundsofknowledgeinventorymatrixtemplate.docx

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Find where you can raise your expectations for students

Present, use, and apply strategies that all students can use to help them learn (i.e. note taking skills, creating an outline, etc)

Create a learning environment that lets students know, mistakes are part of the process and you will learn and grow together

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4. Continue your own learning (as a teacher)

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4. Continue your own learning (as a teacher)

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Look for ways you can grow your knowledge of CRT

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Look at the strengths a student's family can bring to your classroom as well

Find ways to include families when language is a barrier

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST.

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Image from : https://www.tes.com/lessons/ktVzK03Wq9c8GA/culturally-responsive-teaching

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Culturally Responsive Instruction

Culturally responsive teaching is a research-based approach that "invites students to bring their expertise to the table" (Fleming, 2019) by identifying and harnessing the assets of students who have historically been underserved in schools. Here are some resources providing an overview to CRT.

Overviews: Research & Resource Guides

Overviews: Articles, Blogs, and Tools

Resources from Zaretta Hammond

Books

Videos and Podcasts

Key Concepts

Funds of Knowledge

Cultural Orientation: Collective vs. Individual

Classroom Resources

Culturally Responsive Books

Academic Language & Literacy

Inquiry and Project-Based Learning (PBL)

Making Local Connections

Student Populations: Resource Collections

American Indian/Alaska Native Students

English Language Learners (ELLs)

Students with Special Needs

Equity Issues

Bias

Race

Culturally Responsive Family Engagement

References

Fleming, J. Personal communication. October 15, 2019.

Fleming, J., et al. (2015). More Mirrors in the Classroom: Using Urban Children's Literature to Increase Literacy. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.

Hamayan, E., et al. (2013.) Special Education Considerations for English Language Learners. Delivering a Continuum of Services. Philadelphia: Caslon Publishing.

Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Rothstein-Fisch, C. and Trumbull, E. (2008). Managing Diverse Classrooms: How to Build on Students' Cultural Strengths. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Vigil, Karla. Personal communication. November 1, 2019.

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Culturally Responsive Instruction: Resource List

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Culturally responsive teaching is a research-based approach that "invites students to bring their expertise to the table" (Fleming, 2019) by identifying and harnessing the assets of students who have historically been underserved in schools. Here are some resources providing an overview to CRT. Resources from Zaretta Hammond Equity Issues Bias Race Fleming, J.