The Use of Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies Among Latina/o Student Teaching Interns During Science and Mathematics Instruction of CLD Students

Teacher preparation is a complex process; also complex are the standards that define what novice teachers need to know and be able to do to effectively meet the needs of all of their students. Add the demographic shift in the student population, and there are additional demands on teachers to provide students with the education they need and deserve. Given these changing needs, teacher educators must implement effective strategies to diversify the teaching force and to prepare all teachers to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students. This study sought to document the extent to which Latina/o elementary teacher candidates described and demonstrated culturally responsive teaching strategies using their students’ cultural and academic profiles to inform practice in classroom science and math instruction. The results and conclusions from this study indicate the Latina/o teacher candidates were learning to become culturally responsive classroom teachers. As student teachers they demonstrated many culturally responsive teaching practices and were able to describe and demonstrate culturally responsive teaching strategies to inform their practice in classroom science and math instruction.