3-110 - Culturally-Responsive Teaching and Learning: Lessons Learned and Strategies for Educators

Session Type: Conversation Roundtable

Integrative Statement

The cultural, linguistic, and racial/ethnic diversity of the United States student population continues to grow (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2017a). This increase in diversity highlights the continued education achievement disparities between students of different groups (Snyder, de Bray, and Dillow, 2018). For example, in 2015, White students outperformed their Black and Latino peers in reading and math (NCES, 2017b; 2017c), and the 12th grade White-Black achievement gap in reading was larger than it was in 1992 (NCES, 2017b). In 2017, English Learners (ELs) underachieved compared to their non-EL peers in 4th, 8th, and 12th grades (NCES, 2018). One particular strategy for reducing disparities among marginalized cultural, linguistic, and racial/ethnic groups may be to educate students in ways that capitalize on cultural strength and provide teachers with strategies to support students from multiple backgrounds (APA Presidential Task Force on Educational Disparities, 2012). However, despite recognition of the potential for culturally-responsive classroom materials and teaching practices, many teachers report they are unprepared to instruct racial and ethnic minority students, or ELs (Banilower, Smith, Weiss, Malzahn, Campbell, & Weis, 2013).

In this roundtable moderated by Rebecca McGill-Wilkinson, education researchers will discuss their work and experiences exploring, developing, and testing culturally-responsive practices and interventions to support the academic achievement of students from underrepresented groups. These researchers have worked with students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and their teachers, and with students from multiple backgrounds including Black students and ELs.

Sub Unit

• Education, Schooling

Moderator

• Emily Doolittle, Institute of Education Sciences

Panelists

• Leslie Babinski, Duke University

• Catherine Bradshaw, University of Virginia

• Jan Edwards, University of Marlyand

• Marta Sanchez, University of North Carolina Wilmington