Top 6 Ways To Make Teaching More Culturally Responsive

Teaching and learning have undergone and will continue to undergo many changes.

With technological advancement, teachers have more options to incorporate interactive and engaging instructional methods that promote easy learning and student retention in their classes.

One of the approaches to follow is culturally responsive teaching which helps manage the diversity of cultures and learning styles and engages students in inquiry-based learning and problem-solving.

Culturally responsive teaching is based on the understanding that we learn best when we can connect with the material.

For culturally responsive teachers, this means weaving together their students’ different experiences, habits, communication styles, and perspectives throughout the learning process.

This article contains detailed information on the top 6 Ways To Make Teaching More Culturally Responsive

Top 6 Ways To Make Teaching More Culturally Responsive-Explained

1. Know Your Students

To develop a deeper understanding of your students, ask them about their lives and families.

As teachers, it is your duty to learn the behaviours, backgrounds and challenges your students are facing so you are better equipped to address them and you can also learn about the cultures of the families by visiting their communities, Meeting their families, and discussing the hopes and aspirations of parents for their children.

An effective way to learn about students is by Distributing questionnaires that allow your students to share a bit more about their backgrounds, and their learning styles.

Also, considering having face-to-face communication will help create an open dialogue between you and your students, and will encourage them to open up about things like their hobbies and favourite subjects.

In addition to doing this at the beginning of the semester, it is also essential to engage in regular check-ins at the end of the section with the students.

Sometimes during a school year, some students may have to go through some negative experiences, some students may end up homeless, deal with a parent divorcing, or cope with their own life-changing circumstances.

The more you know about them, the better you empathize with their situation and provide them with assistance.

2. Address Your Own Biases

In an educational setting, Every educator brings some sort of personal bias into the classroom though it can be difficult to dictate them but addressing them is vital to becoming a culturally responsive teacher. Unconscious biases can also contribute to flawed thinking.

Our beliefs and biases are also shaped by our friends, family and even education. It may take many forms such as gender, culture, colour, food, or academic.

When a teacher has that personal bias in him/her, students perceive the teacher as being unfair or that grading practices are not consistent from one student to another.

For example, implicit bias may result in a teacher thinking women can’t excel at math or that introverted, quiet students don’t understand the lesson because of their limited participation.

3. Pronounce Names Correctly

This may sound simple but it is important to respect the culture of your students by learning the proper pronunciation of their names, it demonstrates mutual respect and your commitment to their success.

Teachers who do not take time to know the names of their students show they lack respect for their students.

Teachers should learn the correct pronunciation of student names and express interest in the etymology of interesting and diverse names.

4. Storify It

Storifying teaching can enhance students’ learning, retention and motivation, as well as bring enjoyment to learning activities

The brain is wired to remember stories and to use the story structure to make sense of the world which explains why every culture has creation stories.

When we tell traditional stories, they play a big role in teaching lessons about morality and manners and the brain stores this information because it can create a coherent narrative about the topic.

Stories and storytelling are useful to attach meaning to learning thus making new information more comprehensible, relatable and relevant, consequently increasing retention, as well as bringing enjoyment to learning activities.

Read Also: Why Multicultural Education Is Crucial In Our Diverse World

5. Respect Student Culture

Every student has their own various characteristics, they come to the classroom with a set of behaviour that makes them unique.

A primary goal of culturally responsive education is to help all students become respectful of the multitudes of cultures and people that they’ll interact with once they exit the educational setting.

Sharing and listening is an important way to validate culture. Having students interview family members about cultural practices and traditions or write about important learning experiences that the student has experienced in his home community are just two of the many ways that students can explore their heritage.

Students should be given opportunities to share their feelings, beliefs, values, and perspectives, and they should be taught to receive and embrace this information

while still honouring the differences of their classmates. Activities and learning opportunities that allow students to celebrate both their own culture and those of others should be incorporated into lessons.

Inviting guest speakers to class or joining an online event is another way to embrace the culture and a student’s background. Spend time understanding your students so you can teach them different cultural backgrounds and interests.

6. Involve Family And Community

Engaging families and communities can make learning culturally responsive.Studies show when parents and community members are engaged in schools, students perform better, attendance increases and dropout.

When parents and communities are involved, students are more likely to attend school regularly, complete homework, earn better grades, have better social skills, maintain better relationships with their parents, and have higher self-esteem.

Involvement can occur in several different ways, including parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaborating with the community.

Schools involve parents and community members in many ways. Parents help with homework, community members assist with school events or make decisions with teachers and principals about how to improve student achievement

Educators should communicate with families, not just when there is a discipline issue, but when something positive occurs.

Strong family and community relationships are critical components of positive school culture and Educators must be strategic and thorough in their efforts to establish and nurture relationships with parents and the community.

parent–teacher conferences are the only time many parents can come to school, so strive to make it a positive experience. Focus on the achievements of the student, create a plan for areas that need improvement, and ensure that parents are greeted with a smile and a treat

Finally, educators should try to create time for impromptu conversations and organic check-ins, this can enable families to feel more included and more comfortable.

Conclusion

Finally, as they say, consistency leads to success.

The real trick is to use these strategies regularly to make your teaching culturally responsive, take it as part of your instructional routine rather than doing them randomly every now and then.