This section allows for an in-depth reflection and analysis of the previous research that has been conducted on culturally responsive teaching. Within this literature review, the impact and usage of this teaching style are examined, and the significance of this method is demonstrated through many different measures of student achievement. Through this literature review, culturally responsive teaching can be seen through the different academic disciplines and domains of ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
In the past years, culturally relevant teaching has become a promising and compelling educational and ethical consideration and movement inside the classroom. In relevance to the investigative culturally responsive teaching practices that can bring to the classroom, this literature review will evaluate the effectiveness of culturally responsive teaching brings across the different academic domains. As this review aims to bring forth a clear understanding of the prevalence of culturally responsive teaching in American school systems and the blossoming diversity that continues to expand. As diverse students populate today’s classrooms, instruction needs to reflect distinct cognitive and cultural nuances, thus making sure teachers reach all students has never been more important. As classrooms become increasingly diversified, teachers must use culturally responsive teaching practices to address diversity and cultural differences, establish relationships and encourage inclusivity. These recent studies have begun to provide insight into how culturally responsive teaching methods and practices have an impact on students.
Culturally responsive teaching is a tool in effective teaching and learning experiences for students to explore the expression of students' identities with their own limiting stereotypes. "CRT is best understood as a response to traditional curricular and instructional methods that have often been ineffective for students of color, immigrant children, and students from lower socioeconomic families. CRT calls attention to schooling norms where White middle-class values and expectations are privileged while other cultural, racial, and economic histories and community backgrounds are overlooked or degenerated" (Vavrus, 2010). Culturally responsive teaching gives children a sense of importance by teaching a child to embrace who they are and where they come from.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 50.7 million students were projected to attend public K-12 schools in the 2020-2021 academic year, 46% of those students are white; 27% of those students are Hispanic; 14.9% of those students are black; 11.4% of those students are made up of other minority races (NCES). Though with the increasing diversity in schools these statistics are projected to change with an increase in minorities. "To be effective in a diverse classroom, teachers must have an appreciation of diversity. They must view difference as the 'norm' in society and reject notions that any one group is more competent than another. This entails developing respect for differences, and the willingness to teach from this perspective" (Kozleski, 2011). This can be done by implementing culturally responsive strategies. Integrating an array of cultures into each of the academic domains not only educates the student culturally but is also a time for children to build and further connections that come from discussions. "Culturally responsive teaching helps to bridge different ways of knowing and engages students from non-dominant cultures in demonstrating their proficiencies in language usage, grammar, mathematical knowledge, and other tools they use to navigate their everyday lives " (Kozleski, 2011). Although, teachers need to be accounted for as well.
Teachers need to educate themselves to be culturally diverse in order to correctly convey information as well as respect all the diverse backgrounds of their students. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in the 2017-2018 school year, there were approximately 3.5 million full-time and part-time teachers in the public school system, 79% of teachers are white; 7% of teachers are black; 9% of teachers are Hispanic (NCES). If a teacher does not educate themselves it negatively and directly impacts the student-to-teacher relationship rooted in misunderstanding. "The conceptualization and implementation of educational policies, particularly those with serious implications for African American education, are incomplete when they ignore the perspectives of black educators. These educators provide a more inclusive but often neglected voice on educational policy for African American children" (Blaisdell, 2012). A teacher should address all ethnicities, cultures, and races when educating students to promote inclusion, and acceptance, and prompt crucial conversations between students and teachers where students are able to understand differences and learn more about each other.
Without educated teachers understanding, and perspectives of minority and marginalized communities are neglected and/or forgotten. Representation sends a powerful message to students that differences are not limiting. Seeing a representation of diverse ethnicities and cultures supports a child's learning through a student being able to feel connected and represented (Blaisdell, 2012). This notion of having a diverse team of educators goes further than just the teacher level but should be expressed throughout the school, thus everyone in a school is able to express themselves building connections. "CRT works to build an inclusive and welcoming classroom and school environments that can create culturally appropriate approaches to raising academic expectations for all students. This involves teachers proactively using the cultural knowledge and experiences of diverse students to establish a caring school climate. The purpose is to make learning more culturally relevant and effective for this particular population of students" (Varvus, 2010). Representation acts as a mirror where children are able to see themselves through another. When the mirrors are taken away, resources for children are also taken away. A large part of culturally responsive teaching is recognizing, embracing, and respecting each and every student and teacher's diverse and unique differences (Kozleski, 2011). By being aware of different student cultures in the classroom, teachers can build a curriculum around connections that can be made by all students to different cultures with equal representation promoting inclusion. Different groups means that there will be a wide variety of topics to discuss. This benefits the students because they can learn about the many different perspectives of the world around them.
In the 1990s Gloria Ladson-Billings coined the term culturally responsive teaching. Moving forward over twenty-five years culturally responsive teaching is increasingly being implemented by educators. "Culturally responsive teaching is best understood as a response to traditional curricular and instructional methods that have often been ineffective for students of color, immigrant children, and students from lower socioeconomic families. Culturally responsive teaching calls attention to schooling norms where White middle-class values and expectations are privileged while other cultural, racial, and economic histories and community backgrounds are overlooked or degenerated" (Varvus, 2010). This style of teaching has been shown to have an impact on a student's education as evidenced by prior studies. Thus, with the growing diversity in public education classrooms, making sure teachers reach all students has never been more important. Teachers must use culturally responsive teaching practices to address diversity and cultural differences, establish relationships and encourage inclusivity. "A large and increasing proportion (i.e., 48% in 2011 compared to 39% in 2001) of the student population in the United States comes from homes that are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD; U.S. Department of Education, 2014). This demographic change has created cause for concern as research shows that a student's race, ethnicity, cultural background, and other variables (e.g., poverty, assessment practices, systemic issues, lack of PD opportunities for teachers, institutional racism) significantly influence the student's achievement" (Aceves, 2014). being an efficient and effective style of teaching culturally responsive teaching is beneficial for all students while also creating a safe learning environment for all students. The inclusive classroom generated by culturally responsive teaching allows students to build connections and more about themselves and the world around them.