Cultural Diversity, Motivation, and Differentiation

The cultural experiences of students significantly impact how they respond to classroom experiences. Classrooms are likely to be more effective in developing the capacity of students from a broad range of backgrounds if teachers understand how culture can shape learning and how teachers can develop classrooms that tap into the intrinsic motivation of culturally diverse learners. This article proposes key principles and provides examples for developing classrooms that are motivating for diverse learners.