Implementing a Scripted Literacy Curriculum: A Culturally Responsive Approach

Abstract

This qualitative case study researched the strategies fifth-grade teachers used to integrate culturally responsive instructional practices when using a scripted literacy curriculum. Research recommendations in the fields of differentiated instruction and multicultural education are often in direct conflict with the pedagogical philosophy of cultural literacy, the body of research associated with E.D. Hirsch’s Core Knowledge curriculum. This study addressed expressly this tension. Data collection included observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis with three participants. Data analysis involved open-coding, analytic coding, and then thematic coding. The results showed that teachers who modified the curriculum used two specific culturally responsive strategies: developing a caring classroom community and supporting access to challenging curriculum through entry task activities. The results demonstrated a potential intersection of culturally responsive teaching, differentiated instruction, and multicultural education. Keywords: culturally responsive, Core Knowledge, cultural literacy