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Synthesis

Annaliese M. Gilsinger

Arizona State University

SED 322

Professor Monica Eklund

21 November 2021
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Synthesis

Introduction

This review of literature examines three research articles about culturally relevant

pedagogy. These studies utilize surveys, teachers’ experiences, interviews, and case studies. The

studies had a shared objective of determining the effects of culturally relevant curriculum from

the perspective of teachers and students. Some of the studies have a narrower focus, such as the

article by Martell, but others have a broad view of experiences, like Byrd’s. These varied

research strategies give a comprehensive look into the quality and effectiveness of culturally

relevant curriculum in the classroom.

These three articles integrate research tactics in school settings involving the use of

culturally relevant pedagogy. The first article by Byrd (2016) looks at culturally relevant

pedagogy from a student perspective, which is in contrast to the teacher-oriented perspective that

is usually studied. 315 secondary students were surveyed from the United States about their

experiences with culturally relevant curriculum in the classroom. There was a significant positive

correlation between the use of culturally relevant curriculum and student success in both

academics and identity development, which supports the use of culturally relevant pedagogy.

The second article by Martell (2013) studies students’ cultural and ethnic identities and

the experiences they have had with social studies curriculum. The author is a White male social

studies teacher who applied several types of pedagogy and practices in his classroom, including

critical race theory, student reflections, surveys and interviews, and classroom artifacts to study

the effectiveness of his pedagogy with his students. The study found that the teacher’s use of
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culturally relevant curriculum had a positive impact on his students, but that his use of culturally

relevant pedagogy could be improved.

The third article by Powell (1997) examines the use of culturally relevant pedagogy as it

relates to the needs of students from different cultural and ethnic background. This study utilizes

the experiences and reflections of a White, middle-class secondary teacher over the span of five

years. The study concluded that acquiring cultural sensitivity, reshaping curriculum, and inviting

students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn were the most important factors in successful

culturally relevant curriculum.

Important Themes

All three articles were similar in that they demonstrated a positive correlation between

the success of students and the use of culturally relevant curriculum. These studies also found

that there was a greater amount of student engagement when teachers used culturally relevant

curriculum. Additionally, these articles examined students’ growth in personal identity through

the use of culturally relevant curriculum. This indicates that the use of culturally relevant

curriculum in classrooms increases student academic achievement, student engagement, and

students’ growth in personal identity.

Academic Success

Byrd (2016) used survey data to determine if students’ grades were affected by the use of

culturally relevant curriculum; they concluded that “constructivist practices and promotion of

cultural competence were positively associated with academic outcomes” (p. 5). This supports

the idea that using culturally relevant pedagogy in the classroom can improve students’

achievement.
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Martell (2013) wrote in his article that students were engaging more with the material in

history, which led to greater academic success. Students were more interested in research,

discussions, and forming their own opinions based on history when they were exposed to

multiple perspectives through culturally relevant curriculum (Martell, 2013). He also explained

that students were thinking more critically about materials and lessons, because they were

interested and found the history relevant (Martell, 2013). This improves overall cognition and

willingness to learn.

Powell (1997) noticed that students taught through culturally relevant practices were

more likely to want to learn, which increased their academic success. This was found throughout

the article. Students from other backgrounds, such as English Language Learners, were

especially impacted, as they had an easier time relating their knowledge of their backgrounds and

culture to the curriculum, rather than starting from scratch (Powell, 1996). This indicates that all

students can be impacted academically through culturally relevant pedagogy, but it may be vital

to the success of some students, such as those learning English as a second language.

Student Engagement

Byrd (2016) surveyed students and found that “when teachers use real-life examples and

try to connect to the interests of the students in the classroom, students are more engaged and

feel more connected to their schools” (p. 6). Additionally, the study “indicate[s] that a direct

focus on race and culture in the classroom is beneficial” (Byrd, 2016, p. 6). This indicates that

students feel more engaged and connected to material that involves real life, race, and culture,

which supports culturally relevant curriculum.

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Martell (2013) found that having conversations challenging typical views of history,

which is usually told from a European or American perspective, helped his students connect

more. Some of the students even decided to change their career goals, so they could engage in

learning more about history and help teach it using culturally relevant curriculum (Martell,

2013). Additionally, student interviews indicated that students were more engaged in their

lessons because they could relate to the people or events they were learning about (Martell,

2013). Martell (2013) specifically told the story that follows:

Some of my students of color chose to eat quickly during a scheduled lunch break, and

spent the remainder of their time searching for a famous civil rights-related historical site

nearby, where an iconic photograph was taken during the anti-busing protests of the

1970s. (p. 76)

This indicates growing student engagement in the materials taught in a history class when

culturally relevant pedagogy is applied.

Powell (2013) explains the importance of understanding students’ backgrounds. By

understanding the culture of the students in one’s classroom, they can engage the students using

culturally relevant curriculum (Powell, 2013). Amy, the teacher who is the focus of this study,

said in a journal, “This year my kids brought a giant Mexican rug and tacked it on the wall.

That's where it stayed all year because it lets them say, ‘This space is mine too’” (Powell, 2013,

p. 477). She noticed that by allowing students to bring their culture and identity into the

classroom, they could be more engaged, because they felt safe and welcome (Powell, 2013).

Development of Identity
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Byrd (2016) found that “perceptions of greater cultural socialization and critical

consciousness socialization significantly predicted exploration of ethnic-racial identity” and

“more cultural socialization and critical consciousness socialization also predicted greater

commitment to one’s identity” (p. 5). During the course of this study, Byrd (2016) discovered

that practicing culturally relevant pedagogy created situations in which students were able to

discover their own identities and relate to the identities of their peers.

Martell (2013) discovered that “students of all races agreed at similar rates that they

identified or connected with the people from history and that they learned about their own race or

ethnicity in the class” when culturally relevant curriculum was applied to classroom activities (p.

73). Furthermore, Martell (2013) notes, “in the interviews, students expressed that my attempts

to make history more inclusive of their specific histories helped them further develop their racial

identity” (p. 76). Martell’s survey and interview data, combined with his own reflections,

determined that students felt more connected to their own racial and cultural identities when they

learned about important historical figures of the same racial and/or cultural identities.

Amy realized that students with communication barriers, such as ELLs, require teachers

who are willing and able to see individualism, rather than a teacher who generalizes (Powell,

2013). Powell (2013) points out that seeing individual traits in students who are marginalized or

do not have their own voice can help them develop their own identity and integrate easier into an

American school setting. Amy works toward developing strategies which help all students, but

especially those whose identities could be smothered by integration into an English-speaking

society (Powell, 2013). She applies culturally relevant pedagogy to aid students in developing or

keeping their own identities while helping them succeed in school (Powell, 2013).

Conclusion
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These three articles study the use of culturally relevant curriculum in the classroom by

utilizing student surveys and interviews, case studies, and teachers’ experiences. The findings

indicate that culturally relevant pedagogy increases academic achievement, student engagement,

and development of identity. A concentrated effort by school districts in the United States to

integrate culturally relevant curriculum into the classroom can improve student success. This will

help students of all races, identities, and backgrounds engage in curriculum and succeed in

school, which will help to create critically thinking and high achieving members of society.
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References

Byrd C. M. (2016). Does culturally relevant teaching work? An examination from student

perspectives. SAGE Open, 6(3), doi:10.1177/2158244016660744

Martell, C. C. (2013). Race and histories: Examining culturally relevant teaching in the U.S.

history classroom, Theory & Research in Social Education, 41(1), 65-88, doi:

10.1080/00933104.2013.755745

Powell, R. (1997). Then the beauty emerges: A longitudinal case study of culturally relevant

teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 13(5), 467-484,

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(96)00052-2