Chapter Three of Content Area Reading is titled “Culturally Responsive Teaching in Diverse Classrooms.” This chapter focuses on how teachers respond to those cultural differences by using different scaffolding methods when instructing.
Why should we pay attention to this? Vacca, Vacca, and Mraz write that “the rapidly changing demography of the United States and its schools is transforming the country into a society that is increasingly multicultural” (CAR, 54).
Our schools are changing. Our student groups are changing. Therefore, as teachers, our instruction needs to adapt with the changes in order to best teach every student.
This multicultural instruction starts with cultural understanding, and this understanding can be approached in the following ways:
- Contributions – emphasizing culturally specific celebrations/holidays within curriculum
- Additive – integrate themes related to multicultural concepts and issues into the curriculum
- Transformative – promote understanding of different ethnic and cultural perspectives by continually providing opportunities for reading, reflection, and discussion among students
- Decision-Maiking/Social Action – provide opportunities to engage activities and projects dealing with cultural themes, issues, concepts, etc.
However, one time inclusion of multicultural concepts is not enough when working with a diverse group of students. Teachers need to do more and can do more by including multicultural literature within their curriculum. The texts chosen must be solid texts from which to teach and must provide opportunities to learn about cultural norms relating to family, morality, sex roles, dress, and values. These criterion will help ensure the students are getting the most out of the texts. When using these texts it is important to note that not every student will approach them in the same way. Different cultures have different views on education and different methods for attaining an education; therefore, it is necessary for teachers to be aware of this fact and make sure the students stay on the same page throughout instruction.
One way for a teacher to keep students on pace is to create a culturally responsive classroom with the following characteristics:
- High Expectations – support students and push them to learn more
- Positive Relationships – include families and communities in this group to help foster as much support for students as possible
- Cultural Sensitivity – create curriculum that addresses different cultures and teaches students to respect all cultures
- Active Teaching Methods – have a variety of instruction methods to reach every student
- Teacher As Facilitator – be present in the classroom working closely with the students
- Student Control – let students have some control of each lesson whether that be in group work or class discussions
- Low Anxiety Instruction – create pairs and groups to let students work with each other to understand the material in a low anxiety environment
To further reach every student in your classroom, look at linguistic differences. Pay attention to the students who might not know English as well as others and understand that they can learn just as well with a little extra help and time. Provide adequate support for your English Language Learners. Adapt your instruction to be easy to comprehend while at the same time providing just as many opportunities for complex reasoning/growth with strategies like simple language instructions, vocabulary development activities, intensive and extensive reading activities, activities centered on active learning and engaged learning, and writing strategies for practice with language skills.
It is important to remember that every student can learn in your classroom no matter what cultural roadblocks may occur. Working together with the students to get over those roadblocks will help ensure the best possible learning for every single student in your classroom.
Literacy for Language Lovers 