Professional Development's Impact on English Language Arts Teachers' Perceptions of Culturally Responsive Teaching

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 18
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Learning Through Conversation

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative research study is to examine public high school language arts teachers’ understanding of culturally responsive teaching and its relationship to their pedagogical approaches (Ladson-Billings, 1994; Gay, 2010). Open-ended interviews were utilized to document the teaching practices of five high school ELA teachers in western Oregon, and data analysis began during the transcription process. Professional development (PD) and the presentation of the term “culturally responsive teaching,” the school district’s PD theme for the studied school year, was identified as the limiting factor to becoming more culturally responsive, suggesting that improvements in PD that prioritized the inclusion of teacher voice and experience would foster the future success of culturally responsive teaching.

Author

• Carly Ferguson, Oregon State University