Date of Award
6-16-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
Program
Differentiated Instruction
Capstone Instructor
Dr. Brian Boothe
Second Reader
Dr. Tosca Grimm
Keywords
Culturally and linguistically responsive teaching, culturally responsive teaching, equity, race, culture, mental health, student engagement, student behavior, literacy
Abstract
Students of color have been historically underserved and underrepresented in the education system due to bias. To combat said racist system, teachers need guidance on how to teach their students of color in an equitable way. Every student deserves the chance to succeed. This paper synthesized multiple researchers’ findings over the effects of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching (CLRT) on students of color via qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies. The findings concluded that CLRT was beneficial to students and would increase their academic achievement via improving their mental health, engagement, behavior, and literacy. A cyclical correlation was found between all four terms; for example, if CLRT improved a student’s mental health, then it would also improve their behavior in class. This was in large part due to the comfortability, self-efficacy, engagement, and interest in the class the student held after CLRT strategies were employed in the class. Despite the positive conclusions, many of the researchers stated a need for more testing on a larger scope and scale to ensure the accuracy of their results.