Recognizing and Responding to Cultural Differences in the Education of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

Cultural differences between educators and culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students can have negative effects on the education of CLD learners. Much of the special education literature pertaining to the education of CLD learners has focused on biased assessment practices that lead to overrepresentation. It is important to consider that overrepresentation is also a function of inappropriate referrals from general education teachers. Understanding how cultural differences can influence the teaching/learning process is paramount if educators are to provide culturally responsive instruction. This article describes a variety of ways that culture influences teacher-student and teacher-parent interactions and provides recommendations to help educators respond to the educational needs of CLD students with and without disabilities.