Academic Essay: Intercultural Pedagogy

In order to truly understand and support intercultural pedagogy, we must first direct our attention to culturally responsive pedagogy. Gay (2010) defines culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) as teaching “to and through [students’] personal and cultural strengths, their intellectual capabilities, and their prior accomplishments” (p. 26). CRP is premised on “close interactions among ethnic identity, cultural background and student achievement” (p. 27). CRP includes the recognition of how an instructor may teach “to and through” the assets and strengths students bring with them to the classroom. This concept brings Dr. Tara Yosso’s theory to mind, encompassing her community cultural wealth framework (2005). The six forms of capital that Yosso details are 1) aspirational, 2) linguistic, 3) familial, 4) social, 5) navigational and 6) resistant. In centering this framework, Yosso “emphasizes the connections between racialized cultural history and language and the value of bilingual education.” We know that students of color come to their PreK12+ schooling with language and communication skills; by centering not just the student’s perceived academic excellence—but also their linguistic capital—we move toward more equitable educational structures that disrupt language hegemony. Employing Yosso’s framework can invoke culturally sustaining practices that will enhance an intercultural pedagogy agenda.