A Training Intervention for Middle School Teachers on Culturally Relevant Instruction and Culturally Relevant Classroom Management Strategies

Author

Vivian Yakpo Newton, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Date of Award

Summer 5-31-2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Advisor

Dr. Gary Reglin

Committee Member

Dr. Mary Vogel

Keywords

Culturally Relevant Education, Cultural Diversity, Classroom Environment, Middle School Teachers, Cultural Awareness

Abstract

A Training Intervention for Middle School Teachers on Culturally Relevant Instruction and Culturally Relevant Classroom Management Strategies.

Vivian Yakpo Newton, 2020: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice.

Keywords: Culturally Relevant Education, Cultural Diversity, Classroom Environment, Middle School Teachers, Cultural Awareness This applied dissertation was designed to determine the effectiveness of the Middle School Teacher Training Intervention on the application of culturally relevant instruction and classroom management instructions by teachers in a Title I middle school in the southeastern United States.

This school lacked culturally relevant instruction and behavior management, despite its teachers having undergone the training program. It also had significant identifiable gaps in the academic achievement of its students, which raised questions about the efficacy and inclusivity in its educational environment. The lack of cultural competence of middle school teachers and administrators contributes to the suboptimal performance of students from minority communities in the United States, which was reflected in the Title I middle school located in the southeastern United States.

The researcher conducted interviews and focus-group discussions with teachers in a Title I middle school in the southeastern United States with 808 sixth through eighth graders. Ten teachers participated. Their perceptions of the state and effectiveness of culturally relevant instruction and classroom management instructions in teacher training and teaching practice were explored. The findings indicated that the training program had influenced the adoption of culturally relevant instruction and behavior management strategies in the school, although the teachers with more than 10 years of experience were influenced more than those with fewer years. More experienced teachers used more complex, diverse, and broader instructions and behavior management strategies than their less experienced colleagues.

However, the prevalence of single strategies among all participants indicated the pervasiveness of underlying self-efficacy beliefs and indecisiveness in choosing multiple strategies due to reactance and inability to translate theory into classroom practice. Future interventions should focus on translating theory into practice to facilitate instruction and behavior management practices that are truly culturally relevant.

NSUWorks Citation

Vivian Yakpo Newton. 2021. A Training Intervention for Middle School Teachers on Culturally Relevant Instruction and Culturally Relevant Classroom Management Strategies. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. (386)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/386.