Culturally-responsive teaching by design: From principles to practice

What does the research say?

Culturally-relevant / responsive / sustaining / validating teaching (CRT) comprises a significant body of mutually enriching scholarship committed to the collective empowerment of historically marginalized learners (Banks, 2015; Gay, 2013; Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2014; Lee, 2017; Nasir, Rosebery, Warren & Lee, 2006; Nieto, 2000; Alim, Paris & Wong, 2012; Sleeter, 2012). For over three decades, CRT scholars have stressed the importance of using the cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of students with diverse identities as conduits for teaching them more effectively, (Gay, 2002). 

In addition to the body of research on the benefits of culturally-responsive teaching, there is an equal significant body of research of the harm that is done when: 1) the culture of learners is either not valued or simply ignored  (Ladson-Billings , 2022; Nasir, 2011),   2) teachers attribute inaccurate characterization of academic ability and behavior to students based on race and ethnicity (Cherng, 2017), 3) teachers are unaware how their attitudes can shape their treatment of students and affect what students ultimately learn  (Spencer, Logel, Davies, 2016), 4) none of the course content and learning materials reflect the culture and identity of learners  (Bishop, 1990), and 5) instructional strategies neglect to engage the learners motivation, interest, values, and sustained attention (Darling-Hammond et al., 2020; Nieto 2000).

Why is it important?

In high school classrooms across the nation, students are missing opportunities to connect their culture and identity to their learning, contributing to low motivation, a disengaged attitude, underachieving performance, or worse absenteeism  or increased drop-out rates (Sleeter, 2024). Evidence makes clear that students from marginalized identities have lower academic outcomes than their counterparts who identify with a mainstream cultural norm and come to the learning environment from a place of privilege [i.e. white, heteronormative, middle class, able-bodied etc.] (McFarland et al., 2018). Researchers posit that these lower academic outcomes can be improved if the students’ learning experiences were more tailored to their lived identities in culturally responsive ways (Howard, 2020, 2021). However, few pre-service or in-service teacher training opportunities have fulfilled this need, leaving educators poorly equipped to infuse culturally-responsive teaching practices into their day to day routines (Hernandez, 2022). 

What are the implications for education?

There is a growing concern about student attendance and the rise of chronic absenteeism in the years following the pandemic. “A group of more than 400 researchers offering advice about education during this time urged that schools provide the most personalized and engaging instruction possible” by prioritizing authentic, culturally-responsive learning experiences (Darling-Hammond, Schachner & Edgerton, 2020, p.59).

reDesignED applies this important research to the fullest extent possible.

reDesignED also offers teacher professional learning opportunities on Culturally-responsive teaching by design.