Empowering Bilingualism: The Role of Culturally Responsive Leadership in Sustaining Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Innovating Curricular Designs for Bilingual Teacher Education in the US: Programs, Policies and Partnerships

Abstract

Objectives. The purpose of this study is to examine how culturally responsive leadership (CRL) supports and sustains culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) in the context of bilingual and biliterate education. While culturally responsive pedagogy is centered in the classroom, culturally responsive leadership reforms school-wide leadership by mandating responses to school climate and culture to meet the needs of the school population. Furthermore, CRL practices include providing professional learning opportunities to develop teacher-self efficacy, helping teachers familiarize themselves with their school neighborhoods and community, becoming highly visible throughout the school and knowing students’ unique contexts, recognizing students by first names, praising individual students for academic growth, providing socioemotional supports for students, and developing relationships with the community they serve (Gay 2018; Viloria 2019).
It aims to:
● Empower educational leaders to address the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse students.
● Highlight the role of principals in fostering inclusive school environments.
● Advocate for policy, pedagogy, and leadership practices that validate students’ cultural and linguistic identities.
Theoretical Framework. The study draws upon multiple frameworks:
● Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) (Ladson-Billings, 1995; Gay, 2018)
● Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) (Paris & Alim, 2017)
● Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005)
● Dimensions of Principal Leadership (Grissom & Loeb, 2011)
● Critical Consciousness and asset-based leadership perspectives focused on equity, cultural relevance, and advocacy for marginalized populations.
Method. This is a qualitative conceptual inquiry grounded in literature synthesis and practitioner narrative. The author uses:
● A critical review of scholarly literature on culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogies.
● Testimonial and practitioner reflections, including interviews with a school.
● Policy and framework analysis to align leadership practices with equity-based educational reform.
Materials. Sources of evidence include:
● Scholarly articles and theoretical texts from education researchers (e.g., Gay, Paris, Ladson-Billings, Khalifa).
● Survey data (e.g., New America’s 50-State Survey of Teaching Standards).
● Practitioner experiences and narrative case studies.
● Tables and models comparing traditional vs. culturally responsive leadership, and frameworks for CRP and CSP.
Findings. Key findings and conclusions:
● CRL enhances equity, improves student outcomes, and fosters positive school climates.
● CRL enables bilingual and biliterate education to thrive by affirming students' cultural identities and integrating community knowledge.
● Successful implementation requires intentional policy advocacy, professional development, and community engagement.
● Coaching, strategic planning, and support structures are vital to sustain CRL under political and resource constraints.
Significance. This work contributes significantly to:
● The evolving discourse on leadership for equity and justice in bilingual education.
● Understanding how school leadership intersects with pedagogy, identity, and cultural affirmation.
● Offering a practical guide for school leaders and educator preparation programs aiming to serve linguistically and culturally diverse students.
● Emphasizing the importance of leadership development and coaching in making culturally responsive education sustainable and impactful.
Culturally responsive and sustaining leadership is about creating educational spaces where all students feel validated, respected, and capable of achieving their full potential.

Author

• Lourdes Viloria, Texas A&M International University