Culturally Relevant Pedagogies in Diverse Learning Contexts

Culturally relevant pedagogies centre on recognising and integrating the cultural backgrounds, experiences and knowledge that learners bring to the classroom. By building on students’ funds of knowledge and encouraging critical reflection on social identities, these approaches aim to foster engagement, academic success and social justice. In practice, culturally relevant teaching adapts curricula to local communities, employs culturally sustaining narratives and invites learners to co-construct meaning with peers and educators. Across urban, rural and indigenous settings, educators have applied storytelling, translanguaging and community-based projects to bridge the gap between home and school cultures. Digital platforms and collaborative learning environments further extend opportunities for learners to draw upon familial and communal resources. Globally, such pedagogies have demonstrated improved learner motivation, deeper comprehension and enhanced critical consciousness, while also promoting equitable participation and the affirmation of diverse identities.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Culturally Relevant Pedagogies in Diverse Learning Contexts publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in culturally relevant pedagogies in diverse learning contexts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Culturally relevant pedagogy: A teaching framework that validates and incorporates students’ cultural references to promote learning and equity.

Zone of Proximal Development: The gap between what a learner can achieve unaided and what can be accomplished with guided support.

Translanguaging: The dynamic practice of using multiple languages in tandem to build understanding and affirm learner identities.

References

1. Mexican-American preschoolers as co-creators of zones of proximal development during retellings of culturally relevant stories: A participatory study. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy (2020).
2. Folktales as indigenous pedagogic tools for educating school children: A mixed methods study among the Nso of Cameroon. Frontiers in Psychology (2023).
3. Investigación sobre literatura: Conversaciones que involucran el translenguar y temas de immigración en una clase dual/A Literature Inquiry: Discussions Involving Translanguaging and Immigration Issues in a Dual Language Classroom. NABE Journal of Research and Practice (2016).