Responsive Schooling for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

A strengths-based approach to making sure what we teach is central to who we teach.

Rapidly changing and diverse student populations necessitate culturally responsive schooling. It can be a challenging balancing act for educators to respect diversity and teach to each student’s needs while adhering to restrictive curricula that mandate the use of standard English. Responsive Schooling for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students offers a balanced approach to developing students’ academic language proficiency while simultaneously honoring, acknowledging, and valuing the richness of their home and community languages and cultures.

Debbie Zacarian and Ivannia Soto provide a practical framework within which schools and educators can make students’ personal, cultural, and social identities central to the curriculum by drawing on the experiences and interests they bring to the classroom. Filled with examples of responsive teaching and opportunities to reflect on current practice, the book is a rich resource for teachers and school leaders alike.