Culturally Specific Teaching Methods

A Sankofa Educational Movement: SoTL as a Subversive Activity : 

A Sankofa Educational Movement: SoTL as a Subversive Activity Culturally Specific Teaching Methods Clark Atlanta University Janice Liddell, PhD

Slide 2: 

What are CULTURALLY-SPECIFIC TEACHING METHODS? Culturally-specific teaching methods are those teaching methods that enable students who have felt ignored in the traditional teaching/learning process to feel visible and valued. In the case of the African Centered Pedagogy, this means using instruction that is culturally both familiar and relevant to our students.

Slide 3: 

Use Culturally specific examples in class While this methodology may appear somewhat obvious to some educators, often times it is ignored, even in environments with culturally diverse students. It is, nevertheless, especially important if the focus is an African Centered pedagogy to incorporate Africana imagery wherever possible in the teaching/learning process—even when the traditional text, if one is used, doesn’t call for it.

In-Class EXAMPLES : 

In-Class EXAMPLES African-American authors: where possible, use primary texts written by Africana authors; if this is not possible, use supplemental texts; when providing examples related to the main points of the course, use those that come from the African experience; Role models: Engage actual practitioners of the course subject or course content who are of African descent or utilize posters, pictures, etc. related to Africana people or the Africana experience.

In-class Examples Cont… : 

In-class Examples Cont… References: when making references to people, places, things, including texts, cite those that are related to the experiences of the students or to experiences of African derived people.

USE Culturally specific Presentational Models : 

USE Culturally specific Presentational Models Use different presentational/teaching models that take into account the primary learning characteristics of the students. Western education is intensely “logical” and “solitary”. For the African-Centered Pedagogy, it is important to integrate other more “intuitive” and “social” teaching characteristics which may be more culturally familiar to the students.

Strategies(Consciously use those strategies that work best with your discipline or course) : 

Strategies(Consciously use those strategies that work best with your discipline or course) Social/Affective: use strategies that are people-oriented; Harmonious: use strategies that stress interdependence and harmonic/communal aspects; that demonstrate practical, utilitarian and relevant purposes for the knowledge sought, highlights wholistic approaches to experiences; stresses synthesis of information and ideas;

Strategies Cont... : 

Strategies Cont... Creative: use strategies that appeal to the adaptive, variable, novel, stylistic, intuitive, especially where students can use oral expression, rhythms, and verve; Nonverbal: include strategies that incorporate varied intonation, body language, movement, etc.

Examples of Presentation Models : 

Examples of Presentation Models Call and-response—those spontaneous reactions and supportive statements of encouragement which involve the speaker and listeners in a dynamic interactional dialogue; Storytelling--ever since ancient times, storytelling in African culture has been a way of passing on the traditions, beliefs, and codes of behavior of a particular society from one generation to the next, as well as maintaining social order. It remains an important mode of interaction in African American culture;

Examples of Presentation Models Cont… : 

Examples of Presentation Models Cont… Use of music/hip-hop, creative writing, and numerous other modes—(also get ideas from students and their environment).

Use relational “reinforcers” : 

Use relational “reinforcers” Relationships are preeminent in African and African-American culture.  In the African Centered Pedagogy relational reinforcers must be a viable part of the teaching/learning environment and relationships must be viewed in a triad: faculty/student, student/student/, student/other (family, friends, extended family, church, community, etc.). Our students say the two main reasons they attend HBCUs/CAU is for the nurturing relationships and the black experience; but how are these quantified and what do they look like?

Ideas for relational reinforcement : 

Ideas for relational reinforcement Faculty should be engaged with students both in and out of classes (attend student extra-curricular activities where possible because students often will strive for achievement to please those faculty who are supportive of them in and out of class—if you have a family, take them to some events.); Develop and encourage student collaborative learning communities—student/student relationships—this is possible across disciplines;

Relational reinforcementIdeas Cont… : 

Relational reinforcementIdeas Cont… Teach/train students how to effectively work in groups—(we often assume students can work within groups, but they must be trained; faculty may need to be trained on effective models of working in groups); Wherever possible, incorporate, encourage, utilize, and validate those relationships students have with “others” (family, friends, extended family, church, community, etc.) where these relationships relate and potentially relate to the course.

final thoughts : 

final thoughts While these teaching methods certainly are not applicable to only African-American students, they are teaching methods which African-American students will find culturally familiar and relevant. Incorporating these and other methods into the teaching/learning landscape and can motivate students to become more engaged with the academic process and the course content in your class, which in turn should lead to higher levels of academic achievement. Be creative.