| Research literature on minority education suggests cultural-match and culturally responsive teaching as appropriate educational strategies to bridge English language learners (ELLs)' achievement gaps. However, there is little theory-based understanding of the basic premises of cultural-match and culturally responsive teaching in relation to non native English-speakers' intercultural learning processes. A grounded theory approach was used to investigate how four in-service non native English-speaking ELL teachers were moving beyond traditional teaching practices when instructing ELL classrooms.;Two questionnaires, classroom observations and in-depth interviews were used to collect data during the academic years 2007--2008 and 2008--2009. Demographic data showed that participants were three female and one male with 05--29 years of teaching experiences; two were US-born citizens and two were US permanent residents. Participants learned English as PK-12 ELL students, shared the same cultural background with the majority of ELL students, and the mutual perception tests regarding these teachers' effectiveness revealed that they were effective teachers.;Findings indicated that there are no casual relationship between non native English-speaking teachers' cultural competence development and the application of culturally responsive teaching principles when teaching diverse ELL classrooms. From a culturally responsive teaching approach, data analysis highlighted teachers' role and place in promoting the attainment of ELLs' ultimate learning goal within a pluralistic society: the development of a bilingual-bicultural identity. Research results also demonstrated that participants held some comparative/absolute advantages; however these were little exploited by their educational institutions.;Overall the results challenge the traditional cultural-match assumptions recommended by some scholars (Haberman, 1986, Banks, 1998, Ladson-Billings, 1995 etc.). Findings suggest that the cultural-match as an effective educational strategy can be supported only when the following teaching - learning conditions are accomplished: (a) creative use of non native English-speaking teacher's comparative/absolute advantages; (b) implementation of culturally responsive teaching to foster students' full-range human potential; (c) non native English-speaking teacher's commitment to be considered as role model by ELLs and their families; (d) non native English-speaking teacher's commitment to apply transformative/servant leadership styles when teaching diverse ELL classrooms and; (e) teacher's willingness to be involved in ongoing training in culturally responsive pedagogy.;Key words: beyond as good as, cultural competence, cultural-match, culturally responsive teaching, non native English-speaking teacher and comparative advantages. |
