Explain why educational leaders should be familiar with the characteristics of culturally responsive teaching practices? Summarize how understanding culturally responsive teaching may impact your classroom and pedagogical practices?

1. Cullen. K.A. (2016, March 21). Culturally responsive disciplinary literacy strategies instruction. In Crandall, B. R., Lewis, E., Stevens, E.Y., Robertson, J. M., O’Toole. J. E., Cullen, K.A., …McQuitty. V. (Ed.), Steps to success: Crossing the bridge between literacy research and practice. Mine Library.  https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/steps-to-success/chapter/12-culturally-responsive-disciplinary-literacy-strategies-instruction/

• Read chapter 12 of this textbook. The end of the chapter is of particular focus on how to apply culturally responsive teaching practices.

2. Ebersole, M., Kanahele-Mossman, H., & Kawakami, A. (2015, November 5). Culturally responsive teaching: Examining teachers’ understandings and perspectives. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 4(2), 97-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.11114/jets.v4i2.1136

• This research study reviews a course related to ethnicity and education and how teachers perceive culturally responsive teaching. Culturally responsive teaching was recognized to be about conceptualizing culture and enhancing teaching activities.

3. Fennell, F. (2007). Curriculum focal points: What’s your focus and why? Teaching Children Mathematics, 14(5), 315–316. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41199914

• The article helps the educator to focus on what is important in the classroom. Content is centered on defining what differentiated instruction is and the challenges that can occur with differentiated instruction. Practical methods to deal with challenges and create tasks for diverse academic need groups that are meaningful are discussed.

4. Katz, J., & Sokal, L. (2016). Universal design for learning as a bridge to inclusion: A qualitative report of student voices. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 12(2), 36-63. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1118092.pdf

• This resource is a qualitative report in which the practice of inclusive education is examined from the perspective of the students involved in the learning processes. Focus is centered on how educators can be mindful of the effects of inclusive practices on students.

5. Samuels, A. J. (2018). Exploring culturally responsive pedagogy: Teachers’ perspectives on fostering equitable and inclusive classrooms. SRATE Journal, 27(1), 22-30. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1166706.pdf

• This article discusses educator perspectives on culturally responsive pedagogy. Strategies for use in the K-12 setting are reviewed.

6. Schiller, E., and Joseph, J. (2010). A framework for facilitating equitable discourse in science classrooms. Teacher’s Toolkit. Science Scope, 56-60. https://equitableclasses.weebly.com/uploads/5/3/8/1/53818217/equitable_science_classrooms.pdf 

• This reference is based on a middle school science classroom and provides a framework that will help you create a risk-free classroom environment where inquiry-based learning can flourish.

7. Stanford, B., & Reeves, S. (2009). Making it happen: Using differentiated instruction, retrofit framework, and universal design for learning. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 5(6), 1-9.

• This resource reviews how the traditional classroom environment does not always work well with diverse learners. Aspects of differentiated instruction retrofit framework, and Universal Design for Learning are introduced. The article offers vignettes for learning application.

8. What is Inclusive Teaching? (n.d.). Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. OSU.EDU.  https://drakeinstitute.osu.edu/instructor-support/inclusive-teaching

• This resource discusses inclusive teaching practices as a range of approaches to teaching that ensures diverse needs and backgrounds of students are met in the learning environment. Inclusive teaching principles are reviewed.

Infographics
1. Eaerickson. (2014, July 28). What is (and is not) differentiated instruction? Socialsaltlick. https://socialsaltlick.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/what-is-and-is-not-differentiated-instruction-infographic-2/

• This infographic resource is created to define the components of differentiated instruction. Concepts that are often confused for being differentiated instruction are reviewed.

Optional Videos

1. Avenues: The World School. (2013, March 1). Grant Wiggins – Understanding by Design (1 of 2) [Video]. YouTube.

• In this video resource, Educator Grant Wiggins discusses the instruction model of Understanding by Design (UbD). Discussion is focused on how to improve student achievement, clarify learning goals, create assessments for true student comprehension of instructional concepts, and generate effective learning activities.

2. TEDxTalks. (2015, May 6). Practical diversity: Taking inclusion from theory to practice, Dawn Bennett-Alexander, TEDxUGA [Video]. YouTube.

• This video resource from TEDTalks discusses how inclusion, in theory, can be applied to practice. Educators can use this resource to assist in identifying personal bias(es) of their own perceptions to use to eliminate discrimination in practice.