Week of the Young Child (WOYC) – Wednesday: Culturally and linguistically responsive teaching

 

Culturally and linguistically responsive teaching involves early childhood educators acknowledging the legitimacy of different ethnic groups to embed students (Black) culturally and linguistically content into the community of learning environment, so students (Black) see themselves where there is connection between home and school experiences bringing an appreciation of heritages (Gay, 2000).  It is key that early childhood educators engage and support students (Black) cultural and linguistic disciplinary techniques which are important to embed into various teaching methods as part of classroom management.  Hillard (2002) has observed that ‘culture is nothing more nor less that the shared ways that groups of people have created to use and define their environment’ (p. 89) which has to be taken under consideration as part of inclusive settings valuing every student and their families particular Black which will lead to reducing and/or eliminating the need to suspend or expel Black students from program at-large, 

 

It’s time for early childhood educators to take a deep archaeology of self of one’s cultural bias of students (Black) who do not reflect their cultural background, knowledge and disposition.  Those cultural lens can be reflective with implicit and explicit bias (verbal, non-verbal) in actions displayed by students (Black) exhibiting inappropriate behaviors which may led towards expulsion or suspension responsive as way to resolve situations.  The cultural perspective of early childhood educators can affect how one engage students (Black) to active participants, engaged, and successful in the community learning environment through culturally and linguistically responsive teaching ensuring the Black student feels safe and belonging seeing themselves in all aspects of activities, classroom design and culturally and linguistically in individualization goal plan in conjunction of working collective with family members towards the students success.

 

Culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices required a transformation required for effective implementation of early childhood educators perception of Black students and respond to the cultural norms of students micro level effective in his/her life.  Therefore, to ensure early childhood educators are culturally and linguistically responsive teachers must have access to professional development should include knowledge of (a) their implicit bias and impact on decision making in engagement with Black students towards the reduction of suspending and/or expelling Black students who need to be in the community learning environment engaged in culturally developmental age appropriate practices, (b) continued learning and working with mentor/coach to culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices for Black students and how those practices will be implemented, (c) a critical self-reflection in assumptions of Black students and reframe from insight of the cultural experiences and (d) incorporate strategies/techniques to prevent and addressing what has been deemed inappropriate behaviors from the lens of Black culture.  Again, it is critical to gain an in-depth knowledge, comprehension and application embedding the cultural effective. 

 

References:

 

Gay, G.  (2000).  Culturally responsive teaching:  Theory, research, and practice. 
     Teachers College Press.  

 

Hillard III, A. G.  (2002).  Language, culture, and the assessment of African
     American children, in:  L. Delpit & J. K. Dowdy (Eds.).  The skin that we
     speak:  Thoughts on language and culture in the classroom (New York, Free
     Press), 86-105.