Culturally responsive pedagogy can be referred as an effective student learning process in a culturally sensitive and student-centered context. It is multidimensional involving participation of students, institutions and the instructional methods.
Many authors contributed to the development of culturally responsive pedagogy; these authors have written various books to bring the attention of the public as well as the school authorities towards these new ways of teaching. To make teaching more effective and helpful for the children and adults in a culturally diverse society such as the USA, several authors have done much important work.
Defined as "that empowers students to maintain cultural integrity, while succeeding academically" Gloria Ladson-Billings first coined the term “Culturally Relevant Teaching”, in 1994. The culturally relevant teaching became popular and came into vogue in the early 1990s, and it has become more widely used in subsequent years across the USA. Taylor is one of the leading authors in “Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Teaching like Our Students' Lives Matter”. Sobel, who is also known for her contributions in her field, contributed to the same book as Taylor (Taylor & Sobel, 2011). After that, many authors contributed towards this field. Many teachers used the instructional strategy in the year 1995. The concept was very popular in the schools and was later adopted by many organizations as a teaching tool.
Among the many leading authors in the culturally responsive pedagogy field, five notable authors are Gloria Ladson-Billings, Taylor, Donna M. Sobel, L. Wlodkowski, and Ginsberg. Others significant authors include Beck, Villegas, Saifer, Dallavis, Kucan and Margaret G. McKeown. Dr. Beck is presently associated with the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Kucan has worked a lot in the field of Responsive Pedagogy and also written many books in this field. She has contributed a lot in “Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction”. Along with McKeown, these two authors have made a significant contribution to “Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction” (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002).
Culturally responsive pedagogy was promoted in schools as it was very helpful for the students. The promotion was in the form of teachers creating an accommodating and inviting classroom culture to reach diverse audiences, integrating cultural awareness in the classroom and sensitivity to cultural needs of students. The idea is that a genuine attitude of interest is likely to yield positive emotions that empower and motivate students.
After culturally responsive pedagogy became famous, several authors wrote many books related to this topic and made great contributions in this field (Beck, Hamilton, & McKeown, 1997). As culturally responsive pedagogy is very famous theme and a raging theme in school instruction, it followed by a majority of the schools in the USA. The research recommends many strategies that must be used for the betterment of the students. Authors like Wlodkowski and Ginsberg in their book “Diversity and motivation: culturally responsive teaching” recommends to motivate responsive teachings in the schools (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 1995).
Beck, Hamilton and McKeown (1997) recommends students in their book “Improving Comprehension with Questioning the Author: A Fresh and Expanded View of a Powerful Approach (Theory and Practice)” to ask questions to expand their knowledge and enhance their vision (Beck & McKeown, 2006). Similarly, Geneva Gay (2010) focuses to practice the responsive teachings in the schools for the better educational future of the students (Gay, 2010).
There are many authors who recommend both students and teachers to learn through their books. To implement this strategy, the teachers must work along with the students. They must select a narrative text to imply the strategies for the responsive pedagogy (Saifer, 2010). The teachers must plan and make questions for the students to answer and appreciate the students to ask questions (Dallavis, 2008). The teachers in the schools must create such an environment that the students should ask their questions. It will further promote the responsive pedagogy (Saifer, 2010). The teachers must support the children to ask questions and improve their teaching skills. Such plans must be created that it becomes absolutely necessary for the students to ask questions (Villegas, 2002).
References
Beck, I. L., & McKeown, M. G. (2006). Improving Comprehension with Questioning the Author: A Fresh and Expanded View of a Powerful Approach (Theory and Practice). New York: Scholastic.
Beck, I. L., Hamilton, R., & McKeown, M. G. (1997). Questioning the Author: An Approach for Enhancing Student Engagement with Text. Delaware: International Reading Association.
Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction. New York: Guilford Press.
Dallavis, C. M. (2008). Extending Theories of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: An Ethnographic Examination of Catholic Schooling in an Immigrant Community in Chicago. Michigan: ProQuest.
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice. New York: Teachers College Press.
Hollie, S. (2011). Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning: Classroom Practices for Student Success. California: Shell Education.
Saifer, S. (2010). Culturally Responsive Standards-Based Teaching: Classroom to Community and Back. California: Corwin Press.
Taylor, S. V., & Sobel, D. M. (2011). Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Teaching Like Our Students' Lives Matter. Leiden: BRILL.
Villegas, A. M. (2002). Educating Culturally Responsive Teachers: A Coherent Approach. New York: SUNY Press.
Wlodkowski, R. J., & Ginsberg, M. B. (1995). Diversity and motivation: culturally responsive teaching. New Jersey: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
