Culturally Inclusive, Responsive, and Accessible Teaching and Learning:
A General Approach for Teaching in any Discipline
Author: Sarah Taylor, MSW, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work
Good culturally inclusive, responsive, and accessible teaching is really just good teaching, especially in a place like CSUEB, where our learners are extraordinarily diverse across many domains of human experience, including, but not limited to: race/ethnicity, socioeconomic background, (dis)ability status, sexual orientation, gender, age, immigration experience, religion, and culture. If we are only teaching to students who learn from traditional pedagogical techniques, we are reaching only a small number of the students in each class.
Becoming a diversity-sensitive educator is about being in a state of constant learning. Even after many years of experience, I still make mistakes, and that is okay. The goal is to be self-reflective about teaching, so that mistakes are opportunities to hone skills and to engage the class in a discussion about lifelong learning and cultural humility. My mistakes, and transparency about them, have led to critical dialogues that have allowed students to share their own experiences in interacting with diverse individuals without feeling judged.
Culturally inclusive, responsive, and accessible teaching is more about pedagogical practices than about the content being taught. Integrating articles, films, activities, and books related to diversity is necessary, but not sufficient, for reaching diverse learners. If the overall teaching approach stifles dialogue, leaves some students unable to access the content, and inhibits self-reflection, it is unlikely that deep learning will take place, regardless of the content of the course.
In my classes, I strive to create a culturally inclusive, responsive, and accessible learning community with the following characteristics:
- Casts instructor as the lead learner and frame-maker.
- Supports an accessible, safe, respectful environment for all.
- Builds on strengths and perspectives that all learners bring.
- Holds high expectations for students while providing a lot of support.
- Meets learners where they are at.
- Sets an explicit goal that the ideal is for all students to succeed.
Some of the strategies I use to create this learning community include: 1) Self-Reflection and Support; 2) Access for all students; 3) Respectful classroom environments; 4) Opportunities for collaboration and student feedback; and 5) Fun, intentional communities.