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Michèle was hurrying to class. How, she thought, could she offer the students in her African American English in Society and Schools class a method of understanding, comparing, and abstracting the studies they had been reading in class? The heuristic described in this study evolved from a desire to capture aspects of several seminal studies that illustrated how African American English was deployed in classrooms for productive work with African American students. Michèle recalled that whenever she asked graduate students or practicing teachers what they, other teachers, and schools might do to improve the schooling of students of color, one of the most consistent responses was Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP). However, when pressed and asked what one would detect in classrooms where CRP is being put into practice, few were able to specify what an observer might see. Specifying the dimensions of CRP and its relationship to the heuristic had not been on Michèle's mind. Even so, it was during the class discussion that the heuristic's relevance to CRP became clearer. Jonathan, who had been tapped as a teaching assistant in an English language arts methods class, believed HiTCRiT could be modified to use with teacher education candidates, as a substitute for the standardized lesson planning tool used in the department. He piloted its use with the class the following semester. Utilizing HiTCRiT to explain research and existing practices as well as to assist teachers in creating culturally relevant instruction modified and shaped it, creating a more robust tool. Thus, the HiTCRiT came into being and came to inform our thinking and teaching practice.

The author shares his experience in effecting change in an AP English Literature and Composition course by employing book trailers as an assessment. Using multimodal responses fostered a shared classroom space that combined the students' preferred, everyday communicative modes with the canonical literature study required by the curriculum. This inclusive space proved valuable in helping a diverse group of students produce competent literary analyses and in scaffolding their comfort and efficacy with the language of literature study.

This document provides an introduction to culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) and critical race theory (CRT) in education research. CRP focuses on challenging institutional structures and cultural practices to promote student achievement and well-being by incorporating and valuing students' cultural strengths. CRT examines how race and racism are embedded in social structures and institutions, aiming to understand and challenge systemic racism and racial inequalities. The document also includes summaries of articles that explore the concepts of culturally responsive pedagogy and culturally sustaining pedagogy in education. These articles emphasize the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives and experiences into the curriculum and teaching practices to promote equity and social justice. They also discuss the barriers faced by students of color in traditional educational settings and propose strategies to address these challenges. The articles draw on theories such as critical race theory, raciolinguistics, and sociocultural theory to inform their analysis. Overall, the articles highlight the need for culturally relevant teaching methods and inclusive classrooms that value students' diverse backgrounds and identities. [Extracted from the article]

In response to a class assignment on the 1960s, the student author used the device of a fictional character paging through a family photograph album to demonstrate how the Vietnam War and the events of the sixties affected one family. Reveals details of daily life, such as the cost of bread, as well as major events. (LS)

The article provides insights on how topic, character and community are sites of potential for making social, emotional and academic connections which provides students opportunity to explore issues related to empathy.