Culturally responsive teaching and learning

Another insightful article from Faculty Focus with a focus on effective instructional strategies to enhance teaching and learning in a diverse classroom. 
To view the entire article please go to Five competencies for culturally competent teaching and learning.
 Below I have shared from the article those points which spoke to me.
 1. Culturally competent teaching and learning facilitates critical reflection.
Culturally-responsive teaching engages students in self-awareness activities that lead to reflection on cultural assumptions.
 2. Culturally competent teaching and learning demands respect for others.
Culturally responsive methods such as inter-cultural communication stimulate respect for the needs of all learners and allow every voice to be heard.
 3. Culturally competent teaching and learning involves accommodating individual learners.
Teaching that is respectful and learner focused will naturally involve individual accommodations. Learning about the cultures and languages of individual students provides a foundation for implementing effective accommodations that facilitate learning.
 4. Culturally competent teaching and learning requires the use of intercultural communication skills.
Effective communication with others who are linguistically and culturally different includes the use of techniques like active listening, elaboration, paraphrasing, and restatement.
 5. Culturally competent teaching and learning requires focused activities and intentionally structured environments.
Intentional groupings of students with others from different racial groups have been shown to have a positive impact on students—especially white students.

Irish, C., Scrubb, M., (2012). Faculty Focus. Five Competencies for Culturally Competent Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from:  http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/five-competencies-for-culturally-competent-teaching-and-learning/