Culturally Linguistically Diverse Education

Ubuntu is an African concept often translated as “I am because we are.” More than a simple proverb, it evokes our deep interdependence—the recognition that our individual growth thrives best when it is nurtured... International and multilingual students enrich our classrooms and campuses with invaluable knowledge, diverse perspectives, and rich lived experiences, challenging educators to adopt inclusive and equitable practices. Currently, international students account for about 15% of UC Berkeley's total student population at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. To provide context for the competitive nature of international students enrolling at UC Berkeley, in 2024, over 22,000 international students applied at the undergraduate level; of those, just over 700 were accepted, which calculates... When reflecting on the high level of competition for enrollment at UC Berkeley, it prompts us to consider greater care in offering orientation and support to our international students in our courses. Many such students navigate multiple challenges simultaneously:

Academic language proficiency requirements Cultural adjustments to U.S. academic expectations Different educational backgrounds and learning approaches Teachers can provide multiple ways for English learners to engage with lessons and demonstrate their understanding. What is culturally and linguistically responsive teaching?

It involves leveraging students’ cultural and linguistic experiences, utilizing their background knowledge, and providing multiple ways for students to learn and demonstrate new learning. When we use culturally and linguistically responsive practices, we employ interactive and collaborative learning activities that draw from students’ references and previous experiences to help them make connections to new learning. As a teacher, I found that these practices helped my students engage in the learning process and built up their confidence—even when the learning became challenging. These practices helped my students say, “I think I can,” rather than “I can’t.” Later, as a researcher, I found that teachers who received professional development and coaching on how to use culturally and... So let’s take a look at some activities that support foundational pieces of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching. You may find that you already do some of these activities, or you may find new activities that you will be excited to try.

A cornerstone of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching is having cultural knowledge of the students in your classroom. It is the understanding that culture impacts how we process and learn information. I often started the process of getting to know my students with a questionnaire that I called “Getting to Know You.” In this questionnaire, I asked students to let me know what name they... Before and during lessons, I’d ask students to discuss their own experiences and try to make connections to the topic we studied. This not only helped make the learning relevant for the students but gave me insight regarding how to conduct a lesson. Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education

These online Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education programs are designed to prepare specialist and general K-12 classroom teachers to meet the educational needs of emergent bilingual learners throughout Colorado, the United States and the... The Course of Study section below provides details about the certificate, endorsement and master's degree options for this program topic. Graduates of these programs demonstrate strong knowledge of the field of CLD education, skills in planning and implementing instruction and assessment, and the ability to collaborate and advocate for the academic success of CLD... As the population of multilingual learners in the country and internationally continues to grow, schools increasingly seek teachers licensed to work with CLD students. The majority of our graduates have promotions or new jobs in place upon completion of their program due to the high demand for teachers with these credentials. Though school programs serving multilingual learners go by many names (CLD, ESL, EFL, bilingual, dual language immersion, etc.), our graduate programs prepare you to serve all culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Schools are looking for CLD-trained teachers who know how to integrate language and content area instruction to promote academic, social, and personal growth among their students. These skills apply to teaching multilingual students in this country as well as abroad. You will be in high demand! A culturally appropriate curriculum is essential for creating inclusive and effective learning environments that cater to the diverse backgrounds and identities of students. By integrating students’ cultural experiences into the curriculum, educators and instructional designers can foster a sense of belonging and relevance, ultimately supporting academic success. Such a curriculum promotes the development of critical thinking skills and cultural competence by exposing students to diverse perspectives.

To design a curriculum for a diverse classroom, educators and instructional designers can prioritize building relationships, making learning contextual, demonstrating cultural competence, incorporating diversity into lesson plans and engaging in ongoing professional development. Through these intentional efforts, educators and instructional designers can empower all students to succeed and contribute meaningfully to society. A culturally appropriate curriculum is critical for creating inclusive and meaningful learning environments. By reflecting the diverse backgrounds and identities of students, such a curriculum promotes relevance and engagement in the educational process. Students feel valued and respected when their cultural experiences are acknowledged and integrated into the curriculum. This inclusivity fosters a sense of belonging and supports academic success by making learning more accessible and relatable to students from various cultural backgrounds.

A culturally appropriate curriculum also promotes the development of critical thinking skills and cultural competence by: This critical engagement with diverse content enhances students’ ability to think critically, empathetically and creatively. Additionally, it prepares them to navigate an increasingly interconnected and multicultural world by fostering understanding and respect for cultural diversity. Teaching culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students requires an inclusive approach that values different backgrounds, languages, and learning styles. As classrooms become more diverse, educators must implement strategies that promote equity, engagement, and academic success for all students. This topic provides effective methods for teaching CLD students, focusing on language support, cultural awareness, and instructional techniques that foster a positive and inclusive learning environment.

Culturally and linguistically diverse students come from various backgrounds, including: Each student brings unique perspectives, experiences, and challenges that educators must consider when designing lessons and assessments. Some common challenges for CLD students include: As universities become increasingly aware of the diversity of their teaching and learning communities, we as educators must consider how to integrate multiple cultural and linguistic perspectives into our courses. This can prove challenging in today’s ever-demanding environment of fiscal constraint, increasing class sizes, geopolitical uncertainty and pressure to do more with less. A linguistically responsive instructional approach within the Universal Design for Learning framework offers a practical and effective way to navigate these complexities.

Linguistically responsive instruction is a pedagogical method designed to support multilingual students by integrating content and language learning in meaningful ways. Traditional classroom settings often assume monolingual proficiency, creating barriers for students who are still developing academic language and literacy skills. By recognising and valuing linguistic diversity, educators can create a more inclusive learning environment. Combining our collective experiences in postsecondary English language teaching and faculty development in Canada and internationally, we collaborate with instructors to create supportive, engaging and empowering environments where all students can contribute meaningfully. Students engage more effectively when they encounter materials that reflect their linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Instructors can consider ways to:

Culturally Responsive Teaching is an approach that leverages the strengths that students of color bring to the classroom to make learning more relevant and effective. A major goal of Culturally Responsive Teaching is to reverse patterns of underachievement for students of color. Culturally Responsive Teaching requires teachers to recognize the cultural capital and tools that students of color bring to the classroom and to utilize their students’ cultural learning tools throughout instruction. Although Culturally Responsive Teaching is inclusive of working with students from diverse home language groups, linguistically responsive teaching is called out in Sharroky Hollie’s book, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning (2017). Its essence also lies in viewing students with home languages (other than Standard English) as assets that they bring to the classroom rather than deficits. Principle one of California’s English Learner Roadmap expresses the needs for culturally and linguistically relevant education stating, “The languages and cultures English learners bring to their education are assets for their own learning and...

Drawing on extensive Culturally Responsive Teaching research, New America in their article “Culturally Responsive Teaching: A 50-State Survey of Teaching Standards” (PDF), cites eight competencies that culturally responsive educators possess: California’s English Learner Roadmap Principles Overview

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