Culturally Responsive Teaching and Academic Success

Tary Tobin, Joe Hoover & Erin ChaparroUniversity of Oregon

Advance Organizer: Topics

I. Definitions, Characteristics, and Examples of Culturally Responsive Teaching

II. Factors Affecting Academic SuccessIII. What Is Known to Help Students Do Well?

Evidence-based?IV. What Else Do Experts Believe Would Help?

And Why?V. Considerations When Making Decisions for

Your Situation

“The mismatch between school andself-identified race is greatest forAmerican Indian students. . .• For American Indian students, only 55 percent of

school-identified American Indian fourth graders and only 60 percent of school-identified American Indian eighth graders choose the same designation.

• The reverse mismatch (percentage of all self-identified students who are assigned the same category by the school) is similar . . . among student who designate themselves to be American Indian, only 44 percent of 4th graders and 65 percent of 8th graders are also reported to be American Indian by the school” (Fischer & Stoddard, 2013, p. 138).

They also found ethnic and racial gaps in achievement, which leads us to wonder if more culturally responsive teaching could reduce those gaps.

• "On average, school-identified American Indians score 60 percent of a standard deviation lower than school identified whites on the NAEP math exam in 4th grade, increasing . . . by 8th grade" (Fischer & Stoddard, 2013, p. 142).

II. Definitions, Characteristics, and Examples of Culturally Responsive Teaching

What is “culturally responsive teaching?”

• What do authors mean when they use the phrases "culturally relevant" to describe teaching, instruction, schooling, pedagogy, intervention, etc.

• What role does diversity play in this?

What is “culturally responsive teaching?” (Continued)

• “Culturally responsive teaching is defined as using the cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for teaching them more effectively” (Gay, 2002, p. 106).

• Teach using culturally relevant symbols, language, dance, art, legends, folktales, games, items, examples, values, customs, and celebrations.

What is “culturally responsive teaching?” (Continued)

• “The social interaction process must be accepted both among students and between students and teacher. Each individual must perceive that she or he is free to assist, free to offer assistance, and free to make personal contact with other students and the teacher” (Shade, 1997, p. 106).

“Culturally Responsive Teaching” for Native American Students

• Includes concepts from cultural traditions and suggestions from community members (Arviso et al., no date; Cross et al., 2011).

• Is NOT focused on “high stakes testing” (Quijada Cerecer, 2014, p. 197).

• Respects “Indigenous” knowledge, languages, ceremonies, festivals, and multicultural books / information . . . (Quijada Cerecer, 2013, p. 612).

• Recognizes and accepts Native students’ “traditional knowledge of storytelling, the rhythm of traditional narratives, the oral structures of these narratives and the importance of this type of literature in the local community” (Zepeda, 1995, p. 14.).

What is “culturally responsive teaching?” (Continued)

For Latino students:• “Used examples that were culturally relevant . . . For

example, students were given opportunities to role play as real estate brokers to sell the homes of Latino celebrities such as Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, George Lopez, and Jennifer Lopez and then calculate the sales commission and tax for these homes” (Shumate, Campbell-Whatley, & Lo, 2012, p. 46).

• Combined with language support, scaffolding, and an interactive style of teaching.

• Results on math quizzes were not different from traditional methods until modified by adding manipulatives and games, then improvement was noticed.

Another study of perspectives of Latino students concluded that it is important to be a

“culturally connected teacher . . . as a framework for understanding the fluid nature of culture and the variety of ways that members of a cultural group express their cultural identities. . . [This] does not conceptualize culture solely in terms of racial/ethnic characteristics of a specific group. Rather, it takes into account the development of hybrid identities that emerge as a result of members of various cultural communities negotiating their identities and forging new socioculturally situated identities. It also highlights the potential for teachers who are not members of the same racial or ethnic group as their students to become ‘connected’” (Irizarry, 2007, p. 27).

Use of African Proverbs as Tools for Teaching in U.S. Public Schools

(Grant & Asimeng-Boahene, 2006)

• “Using proverbs along with other aspects of folk literature (i.e., fairy tales, fables, legends, and myths) can help all students, especially African Americans, develop an awareness of Africa’s contribution in forming moral and democratic principles” (p. 18).

• He that has never traveled thinks that his mother is the only good cook in the world .

• A cockroach does not need to dress up to live in a king’s palace . . . (pp. 20-22).

They conclude that “teachers must:

1. Reexamine their own deficit perspectives about cultures other than their own.

2. Take an activist stance in creating a truly global community.

3. Learn about the traditions and practices of other cultures.

4. Incorporate into their teaching cultural traditions” (Grant & Asimeng-Boahene, 2006, p. 22).

Freedom Schools are another example of culturally responsive teaching for African

American students: • "Freedom Schools serve children in grades K-12 for six to eight

weeks [in the summer] and integrate reading, conflict resolution, and social action in an activity-based curriculum that promotes social, cultural, and historical awareness.

• Books in the curriculum particularly provide African American children with positive cultural messages .

• Being a culturally responsive teacher at Freedom Schools means that one is a part of a larger, collective social justice movement" (Jackson & Howard, 2014, pp. 156-160).

III. Factors Affecting Academic Success

• “If the classroom instruction and social organization are compatible with the students’ cultural cognitive style, this may enhance their learning and achievement” (Bui & Fagan, 2013, p. 60, emphasis added).

• “The culturally based education hypothesis is not an alternative to a high-standard academic curriculum” (Demmert & Towner, 2003, p. 17).

Many factors affect academic success!

• Pre-school learning (being talked to, listened to, read to, etc., at home).

• Number of books in the home, parents model reading.

• ATTENDANCE! • Quality of teaching.• School climate & resources.• Type of curricula used.• Personal characteristics (intelligence, ability,

motivation, etc.).

“AI/AN youths experience significantly higher rates of alcohol and illicit drug use, have an earlier onset of use, and experience more severe consequences [than] . . . any other ethnic/racial group .

Deaths attributable to alcoholism among AI adolescents . . . were . . . more than 15 times those of the same age group of all races combined .

Drug and alcohol abuse by AI youths has been found to be associated with academic failure . . .” (Dickerson & Johnson, 2012, pp. 56-57, emphasis added).

“The Seventh Generation Program is an urban after-school alcohol prevention program . . . [with] an emphasis on core AI/AN [American Indian/Alaska Native] values and concepts associated with the Medicine Wheel of the Northern Plains tribes” (Dickerson & Johnson, 2012, p. 60, emphasis added).

IV. What Is Known to Help Students – Any Students -- Do Well Academically? Evidence-based Teaching Methods?

High vs. Low Expectations

• Reflection question: Do you have high expectations for all students in your classroom?

1. Set high expectations.– Low expectations perpetuate students fulfilling prophecies and

narrow curricula that does not meet the instructional and cognitive needs of students.

2. Be aware of your own biases and how those biases are impact student achievement in your classroom. 3. Provide yourself with strategies to keep your biases in check.4. Use instructional delivery principles that have been shown to be effective for all students.

Effective Instruction for All

Explicit and effective instruction will include:* clear goals and objectives.* well-designed instruction and instructional routines.* clear modeling.* active engagement and participation.* informative feedback.* application of new learning. * practice and periodic review.* interaction with other students.* frequent assessments, with re-teaching as needed.

IES Practice Guide Recommendations• Screen for reading problems

and monitor progress.• Provide intensive small-

group reading interventions.

• Provide extensive and varied vocabulary instruction.

• Develop academic English• Schedule regular peer-

assisted learning opportunities.

Six Effective Components of Comprehension Instruction

• Clarify important vocabulary.• Preteach key ideas. • Create background knowledge.• Ask students to think about the text in relation to

their own lives.• Use background knowledge.• Embrace student questioning about words and ideas

in text.

Building Background Knowledge

Alejandro’s small adobe house stood beside a lonely desert road.

Beside the house stood a well, and a windmill to pump water from the well. Water for Alejandro and for his only companion, a burro.

It was a lonely place, and Alejandro welcomed any who stopped by refresh themselves at the well. But visitors were few, and after they left, Alejandro felt lonelier than before.

Step 1: Prepare & Identify Background Knowledge

Step 1 Teacher pre-reads material for the upcoming lesson to determine background knowledge students need to maximize understanding of the text.

Example: HM Level 2.1 Theme 3 Around TownBackground Needed: cities, community, family, subways, transportation

Step 2: CRP ProvidedBackground Knowledge

Step 1 Teacher pre-reads material for the upcoming lesson to determine background knowledge students need to maximize understanding of the text.

Step 2

Teacher determines if comprehensive reading program provides sufficient background knowledge.

Example: Jamaica Louise James• CRP provides: “Preparing to Read” - Subway stations• Ask yourself is this enough information for my students?

Step 3: Introduce or Front LoadStep 1 Teacher pre-reads material for the upcoming lesson to determine

background knowledge students need to maximize understanding of the text.

Step 2 Teacher determines if comprehensive reading program provides sufficient background knowledge.

Step 3 If Yes, introduce background knowledge as outlined in the comprehensive reading program. Actively engage students in this process. If No, prepare to “front load” by: 1) Teaching additional background knowledge needed to better understand the passage and/or,2) Selecting and reading aloud a short story or passage that provides the necessary background knowledge.

Step 1 Teacher pre-reads material for the upcoming lesson to determine background knowledge students need to maximize understanding of the text.

Step 2 Teacher determines if comprehensive reading program provides sufficient background knowledge.

Step 3 If Yes, introduce background knowledge as outlined in the comprehensive reading program. Actively engage students in this process. If No, prepare to “front load” by: 1) Teaching additional background knowledge needed to better understand the passage and/or,2) Selecting and reading aloud a short story or passage that provides the necessary background knowledge.

Step 4 If students have prior knowledge, choose a procedure to activate that knowledge:

1) Ask students questions and engage them in a discussion to activate their background knowledge.

2) Activate prior knowledge using the KWL strategy or graphic organizer.

3) Brainstorm the topics/questions that might be covered in the upcoming reading selection.

Step 4: Activate Necessary Background Knowledge

How you can help allstudents to achieve.

• Set high expectations for all.• Develop and use strategies to manage your

own possible biases.• Use explicit instructional principles partnered

with active engagement for all students.– Example: Provide background knowledge.

V. What Else Do People Believe Would Help?

Even if not yet an “evidence-based practice” – but may have practice-based evidence – or be logical and should be tried and evaluated.

Guidance from the Native community: (from Sprague, Vincent, Tobin, & Pavel, 2013; Vincent, Sprague, Pavel, Tobin, & Gau, in press). • Teachers should have culturally relevant pre-service

and in-service training.• In lessons, teachers should use of tribal traditions,

customs, and languages.• Educators should encourage parents’ participation in

school events and local policy making.

Ways to develop “culturally responsive teaching/curricula/interventions”

• School administration builds alliances with students’ families and communities .

• Teachers engage in “reciprocal dialogue with students, . . . empower and legitimize” their voices (Quijada Cerecer, 2013, p. 612).

Providing services in a culturally appropriate way may mean: • scheduling “around tribal ceremonies or

events,• opening meetings with a blessing or words of

welcome from tribal elders or other officials, • or translating brochures and handbooks into

the parents’ and families’ primary language” (Faircloth, 2011, p. 80).

• Culturally responsive teachers should be aware of individual differences, avoid stereotypes, and keep up-to-date with changing cultural conditions:– “Over 60% of American Indians now reside in

urban or suburban areas” (Eitle, Johnson-Jennings, & Eitle, 2013, p. 1470; see also Friesen et al., 2012).

– “The number of mixed-race American Indian/Alaska Native children is increasing with over 40% . . . reporting at least one additional racial identification” (Eitle et al., 2013, p. 1471).

Culturally responsive teachers can be effective with students from diverse cultures.“White teachers are overrepresented in public schools, comprising 82% of the teaching force (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2012).

. . . Initially used to describe an effective teacher of . . . students in Alaskan Schools . . . The warm demander’s approach to authority is considered to be culturally responsive classroom management for racially diverse students in urban and high poverty schools . . . balancing discipline and care to provide a highly structured learning environment” (Ford & Sassi, 2012, pp. 2, 5).

Advice from experts working with African American students and youth from other ethnic and racial groups in California:

• “Focus on the plural and evolving nature of youth identity and cultural practices .

• taking into account contemporary/evolving community practices .

• [and] problematic elements expressed in some youth cultural practices” (Paris & Alim, 2014, pp. 85-86)

An Oregon example:NAYA Youth and Family Center

Serves Native American children and families in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area (Cross, Friesen, & Naher, 2007; Friesen et al., 2012).Provides “Positive Indian Parenting (PIP), a curriculum designed to promote . . . appropriate parenting practices in Indian families” (Cross et al., 2007, p. 11).Offers many other services, such as:• Grade 8/9 transition, high school math, and science summer

programs.• Healing circle domestic violence prevention program.• Cultural arts program. (from http://nayapdx.org/)

• “High school graduation rates 5 times that of all Indian children within the Portland Public schools . . .

• Students who participate in the Culture, Arts, and Sports programs have significant increases in their daily school attendance rates and benchmark achievement rates as well as decreases in behavioral incidents or referrals” (Cross et al., 2007, p. 13, emphasis added).

More about Attendance vs. Being Absent

• Read Dr. Christopher Kearney’s research on functional assessment of reasons for being absent, school refusal, being truant (e.g., Kearney, 2002).

• On average, a very big problem for Native Americans.

• What good does it do to have the best curriculum if they are not there?

• 2 strategies, based on either an avoidance problem or an outside attraction problem.

Cultural Adaptation of Interventions

• Take an intervention that is known to be “evidence-based” because of research with one population (e.g., mainstream, primarily white).

• Adapt it for the culture you are interested in• Can you still implement the intervention with

fidelity?• Will it be successful?• Can you take data to evaluate it?

Cultural Adaptation of Interventions, continued

• For more on this, see Bernal, Jiménez-Chafey, & Domenech Rodríguez (2009), who describe methods used for adaptations for different groups, including:

• Puerto Rican.• Mexican American.• Asian American.• Different nations.An example of the process of cultural adaptation of an intervention: Castro-Olivo, S. M. (2014). Promoting Social-Emotional Learning in Adolescent Latino ELLs: A Study of the Culturally Adapted Strong Teens Program. School Psychology Quarterly. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/spq0000055They recommend community involvement and carefully

considering whether adaptation is really needed.

• VI. Considerations When Making Decisions for Your Situation

6 things to know – and to help your students understand:

1. Your goals: Understanding across diversity, avoiding misunderstandings, building a classroom learning culture.

2. Your own culture(s) – heritage, current group (generation, region).

3. Traditions, “standard” generalities, research “on average” for groups of interest.

6 things to know – and to help your students understand, continued:

4. Variations on that! Assimilation, youth, mixed race heritage, adoption, unique individual interests: “Managing persons by group identity may work in theory, but in practice with real human beings, human relations . . . disintegrate and sour” (Bauerlein, 2015, p. 59).

5. “Code switching” and how to move in different circles.

6. How to get all this information – (a) learn from published research (like you are doing today!) and (b) gather your own information by dialogue, listening, and collecting your own data.