Enhancing Core Reading Programs With Culturally Responsive Practices

Abstract

AbstractCulturally responsive instruction uses, “cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them.” Because approximately 75% of districts choose to use one of the various publisher‐created reading programs, it is imperative for teachers to understand how to utilize culturally responsive teaching practices within the context of such programs. The components of culturally responsive instruction can be addressed within practices many teachers already use while implementing core reading programs (i.e. demonstrating care for students, incorporating opportunities for student collaboration, and strategically using instructional techniques to elicit better engagement). This article provides teachers with specific examples to illustrate how cultural responsiveness can be achieved when teachers thoughtfully consider the learning and communication styles of culturally and linguistically diverse students when planning cooperative learning and engagement strategies.