As schools have become more diverse ethnically and linguistically, the likelihood of cultural mismatches among students, families, and teachers has increased (Frank, 1999). Culturally relevant pedagogy has at its core the understanding that incorporating students‘ culture into the practices of the school and the classroom through culturally relevant curriculum is likely to improve student cooperation, inspire a greater understanding of the educational program, and increase academic outcomes (Brown, 2004). These pedagogies have the potential to be a vital tool toward closing the achievement gap, yet the practices associated with them are in danger of meeting the same fate as multicultural education. A lack of knowledge about the theory, practice, and implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy has led to ineffective attempts to meet the needs of students most at risk (White-Clark, 2005). Using the five themes of Critical Race Theory (Solórzano & Yosso, 2001) as the theoretical framework, the research examined how teachers perceive and implement culturally relevant pedagogy, and how students and their families perceive and evaluate these practices. This research conducted at a inner city, charter elementary school was grounded on Ladson-Billings‘ work on culturally relevant pedagogy and the three concepts of knowledge that she identified that teachers must bring to the classroom and impart to their students: a) Academic achievement, b) Cultural competence, and c) Sociopolitical consciousness (Ladson-Billings, 2001). The educational significance of this study resides in an analysis of its potential to influence teaching practices in many existing classroom settings that have an ethnically diverse population of students. On a micro level, through the use of catalytic validity and ongoing dialogue with the participants, the potential arose for members of the school community to have greater input in the structuring of their children‘s education. As members of the school community engage in future decisions regarding culturally relevant strategies, these research findings offer them an informed and critical perspective to work from.

The increased focus on the implementation of scientifically research-based instruction as an outcome of No Child Left Behind ("Understanding NCLB," 2007) has resulted in the widespread use of scripted reading curricula (Dewitz, Leahy, Jones, and Sullivan, 2010), which typically represents Eurocentric and middle class forms of discourse, knowledge, language, culture, and historical interpretations as academic knowledge (Howard, 2010; Delpit, 2012). In an era where the number of culturally and linguistically diverse students is increasing rapidly (Ginsberg, 2007), it is essential to consider that educational practices relying entirely on prefabricated content may require modification because, as recognized in the funds of knowledge theoretical framework (Veléz-Ibañez, 1988), all students bring a wealth of knowledge to the classroom that should be acknowledged, respected, valued and incorporated into instruction (Gonzalez, Moll, & Amanti, 2005). However, even if teachers are granted the time and permission to modify scripted content in order to build bridges between the prescribed lessons and students' lived experiences, doing so is not easily accomplished when the lives of educators are disconnected from their students (Baeder, 2010). This study investigated the behaviors and ideas teachers have developed as ways to connect with their culturally and linguistically diverse students and their families. Additionally, the study explored how teachers who implement scripted curricula describe the experience of creating culturally responsive lessons intended to specifically connect with their culturally and linguistically diverse students and to connect with students' funds of knowledge. This multiple case study describes how five teachers who implement scripted curricula reported their experiences of creating culturally responsive lessons for particular focal students. Findings are presented in individual case narratives followed by a cross-case synthesis. Findings suggest that teachers were able to carry out culturally responsive instructional practices while implementing scripted curricula; however, participants' CARE lessons did not represent Gay's (2010) ethnic and cultural diversity in curriculum content component of culturally responsive instruction. Additionally, findings indicate that building relationships with culturally and linguistically diverse students was key to adjusting instruction to suit their learning styles. The implications of these findings are discussed in recommendations for in-service teacher professional development and future research.

This integrated methods study used a sequential explanatory design to explore the culturally relevant teaching beliefs of successful emergent literacy Head Start teachers of urban African American boys living in poverty. The study utilized emergent literacy gain scores as a measure of success, a survey of culturally relevant teaching beliefs to describe variation in beliefs within the sample, and two rounds of interviews to explore the context of teacher agency with urban African American boys living in poverty. The four teachers interviewed expressed culturally relevant beliefs integral to their teaching practices. These beliefs were conveyed through descriptions of relationships with parents in and out of the classroom, through of the conditions and challenges of poverty in students' and parents' lives, and through close relationships with parents. The effect of conducting home visits on teachers' identities and the influence of the setting of Head Start on teachers' beliefs and agency were emergent themes in the interviews. The participants used language that seemed to indicate culturally relevant and warm demander approaches to understanding the relationship between student behavior and student engagement and in descriptions of the relationships with parents. The value of teachers' relationships with their students' parents was the most pronounced aspect of successful teaching in Head Start as expressed by the participants. The process of communication among parents, students, and teachers was described as important to student learning. The participants' expressed a variety of approaches to how they understood student behavior, boys' social emotional development, and classroom practices. These Head Start teachers described boys as more active than girls, as more aggressive than girls, and sometimes more challenged to express strong emotions with language than girls. This study provides some insight into the role that culturally relevant teaching beliefs play in Head Start teachers' successful

African American males often struggle to read on grade level. However, 3 East Texas Title I schools demonstrated exceptionally high levels of reading proficiency with this population. This study addressed the knowledge gap of understanding the instructional practices linked to high reading achievement of third grade African American males in Title I schools in East Texas. Guided by Ladson-Billings's theory of culturally relevant pedagogy, which builds upon academic success, cultural competence, and development of critical consciousness, and supported by Vygotsky's theory of social and cognitive constructivism, the reading instructional practices of the 3 schools were investigated. Research questions focused on the instructional strategies and practices used by the Grade 3 teachers that may explain such high reading achievement in these particular schools. The questions also addressed campus-level administrator supports for guiding effective reading instruction. Through an explanatory case study methodology, the high levels of reading achievement seen in this population were explained. Data were collected from classroom teachers and campus administrators through semistructured interviews, personal reflections, and observations. Through use of a priori codes, open coding with thematic analysis, and axial coding, the key results aligned with the conceptual framework and indicated that the application of culturally relevant pedagogy explains much of the success experienced in the schools. Three themes resonated through the study: relationships, collaboration, and high expectations. This study contributes to positive social change by engendering a deeper understanding of effective instructional reading practices for African American males.

Historically, education in the United States has been tailored to fulfill the needs of White students. As the Latina/o population increases in the United States, we must prepare teachers and school administrators to provide opportunities for an equal education for minority students of all races, cultural backgrounds, or ethnicities. School leadership plays an important role in the effectiveness of educational access for minority students. Leaders must review and modify their practices to ensure that minority students have the opportunity to be productive citizens in our society. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the characteristics of effective high school Leaders of Color and White leaders for Latina/o students in secondary schools and to provide recommendations for further investigation. This study revealed findings related to culturally responsive school leadership for Latina/o student success, with leaders of Color and White allies reporting different perspectives on equity leadership.

Abstract As college populations are becoming increasingly diverse, institutions must find ways to meet the needs of their nontraditional students. Nontraditional adult learners are self-directed, ready to learn, and are internally motivated to engage in problem-centered learning. The purpose of this study was to expand and refine an active learning seminar in a higher education setting to improve the quality of teaching, student engagement, and retention rates. The site of the study was a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in which adult students over 25 constituted 49% of the population. The faculty members at this site predominantly employed traditional instructional methods. Action research was used to explore 6 faculty members' perceptions of active learning approaches before and after they attended an active learning seminar. Before and after the seminar, observations of student engagement, using the Direct Observation Instructional Management (DOIM) checklist, were conducted. Interviews with the faculty members explored their perceptions and needs regarding use of active learning strategies. Interview data were analyzed thematically and pre and post themes were compared. On the DOIM, student engagement was observed to increase in 2 classes. Results, including strategies that increased engagement, were integrated into a seminar that can be implemented at the same HBCU. Social change implications are that faculty members may begin to use techniques that will more effectively engage adult learners, leading to greater retention of knowledge and a likely increase in the graduation rate of students.

Decades of research have noted the importance of parent involvement in students' academic success. Less is known about parent engagement models that aim to increase Latino students' reading achievement. This project study examined the effectiveness of a 2-year parent engagement program implemented to address poor reading achievement of Latino elementary school students in a small urban district. The purpose of this study was to determine disparities in student scores between those parents who participated in the program and those parents who did not participate. The research questions examined parent engagement levels in comparison to increased summative reading scores. Based on 3 foundational theories: cultural capital, deprivation, and social reproduction theories, concerted cultivation and accomplishment of natural growth theories, and funds of knowledge theory, this causal-comparative study used preexisting test score data to analyze the differences between pretest and posttest reading scores. The findings from the dependent- and independent-samples t tests suggested that there was limited evidence to support the claim that Latino 3rd grade students whose parents participated in the parent engagement framework showed a statistically significant greater gain in reading proficiency levels than Latino 3rd grade students whose parents did not participate. The conclusions of this study can be used to inform leadership and teacher professional learning initiatives for low-performing districts planning to implement parent engagement programs intended to raise Latino elementary student reading achievement. Results from this study may positively impact social change by providing culturally relevant parent engagement strategies and thus contributes to the overall reading attainment of districts' Latino students.

The growing number of minority populations living in the United States makes it mandatory that all health care organizations seek to be culturally sensitive. There is no consensus on the definition of the term cultural sensitivity. The goal of this thesis is to define what cultural sensitivity means in a rural health center, from the perspective of the staff as well as the Hispanic patient. Anthropological methods, such as participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and archival data analysis, show that the qualities that Hispanic patients value in a clinic are 1) attention, 2) availability of Spanish language, 3) financial assistance, 4) solution to their health problems, 5) presence of Hispanics around the clinic, and 6) clinic services. Furthermore, 90% of staff responses indicate acceptance and respect of patients health beliefs and practices. Results demonstrate that while the clinic is culturally sensitive, there are a few recommendations that would improve the quality of care that Hispanics receive. Based on the results of the data collection, a practical model for other rural health centers to build upon a culturally sensitive health care system is developed.

This thesis examines how traditional medicine workshops offered by an Aboriginal health centre contribute to capacity re-building through self-care in two local communities in Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Health disparities that exist between Aboriginal people and the rest of the population have prompted a need to better understand health determinants that are of relevance in these communities including the importance of culture, tradition, and self-determination. A variety of qualitative methods were employed in this work including in-depth interviews, focus groups and “art voice.” The use of art voice on Manitoulin Island advances decolonizing methodologies by emphasizing how the incorporation of locally and culturally relevant methods or “methods-in-place,” is an effective way to engage communities in the research process. Results show the need to approach traditional teachings, health programs, and research from an Aboriginal worldview and indicate that more frequent workshops are required to empower youth and adults to practice and share traditional knowledge. Furthermore, a continuum exists in which the interest in language, culture, and tradition increases with age. Capacity can therefore be re-built over time within communities promoting autonomy and self-determination through self-care. Findings can be expected to further inform the traditional programming in participating communities, enhance existing Aboriginal determinants of health models by including traditional medicine as an element of self-care, and can act as a springboard for the inclusion of unique place-based methods into community-based research projects in the future.

This multiple-case study investigated six teachers’ perspectives on their teaching practices and cultural integration in a Chinese heritage language school. This research also explored how the teachers’ instructional practices were linked to Ladson-Billings’ theories on culturally relevant pedagogy (1994). Qualitative in nature, multiple data sources were included, such as semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and teachers’ artifacts. Data analysis included both within- and cross-case analysis. Within-case analysis showed that each teacher had her particular method of fostering students’ language learning. They also had unique ways of teaching Chinese culture; one held that culture is embedded in literature, another held that culture is the daily life of a group of people, another held that culture is gained through reading, a fourth held that culture is transmitted from one generation to the next, another held that culture is analyzed in relation to other cultures, and, finally, one teacher perceived that culture is hybrid and multifaceted. Based on the central tenets of culturally relevant pedagogy, four themes emerged from the cross-case analysis: (a) motivational and skill-building strategies to promote academic success, (b) individual, plural, and progressive ways to integrate and reconceptualize Chinese culture, (c) rebalancing authority to share power with students, and (d) culture identity development to enhance self-empowerment. Despite the link between the current study and Ladson-Billings’ theory, differences were found. For example, the Chinese teachers viewed heritage language learning as a way to help students connect their family members rather than to become active agents in the larger society. Besides cultural facts, the teachers incorporated cultural virtues and cultural reconceptualization. Instead of focusing on questioning inequities, the teachers encouraged students to build harmonious relationship with other ethnic groups. As the existing studies emphasized minority education for Mexican and African American students, the present study shed new light on language and culture instruction for Chinese Americans. This study suggests four implications: (a) developing heritage language teachers’ professional knowledge about implementing a “student-centered” approach, (b) enhancing heritage language teachers’ critical cultural awareness, (c) investigating heritage language teaching from diverse sociocultural backgrounds, and (d) introducing the theory of culturally relevant pedagogy in heritage language education. / text