| This qualitative case study took place in a racially, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse community. It involved interviewing 11 teacher volunteers from a high school in a culturally diverse community in New York, each at different stages of their teaching careers, to obtain their perceptions about the value of implementing culturally responsive teaching (CRT) in their instruction to enhance the learning opportunities of students from culturally diverse backgrounds. The broad objective of this inquiry was to seek ways of establishing a pedagogy appropriate for students from diverse backgrounds. The specific aim was to use teachers' perceptions about implementing CRT techniques in their instruction to effectively satisfy the learning, academic achievement, and socioemotional health of their culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Participants responded to interview questions by completing and returning the interview questionnaire they were given. Five participants further participated by explaining more fully how they believed the CRT techniques they employed in delivering classroom instruction enhanced opportunities for the CLD students. The data collected from the responses of all participants were examined and sorted according to similarities and differences. The analysis of responses received by all teachers revealed they all agreed that CRT methods were the best approach for reaching and engaging CLD students in the classroom and thereby maximizing opportunities for them to attain success in their academic achievements, and for addressing their socio-emotional health. In addition, all teachers expressed support for more professional development (PD), especially in CRT on-going programs to enable them to be better educators of CLD students. The findings of the study implied that not all teachers were adequately trained to effectively teach students from diverse backgrounds. It is recommended that schools' governing bodies institute PD programs with the specific aim of engaging all teachers in compulsory on-going involvement in the acquisition of skills required for addressing the needs and interests of CLD students. Schools' officials should also create regular in-house workshops and lectures to keep teachers current with new CRT techniques recommended by the on-going research in the field. |
