Date of Award
6-19-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Timberly Baker
Second Advisor
Debra Smith
Abstract
This qualitative case study investigated the integration of culturally responsive teaching strategies in high school science classes. The problem addressed in this study is that teachers are underprepared to employ culturally responsive teaching strategies to facilitate academic success in science courses for culturally and linguistically diverse students. By investigating the integration of culturally responsive teaching strategies during instruction, improvements can be made to the effectiveness of professional development centered on culturally responsive teaching strategies found in the Ready for Rigor framework. The conceptual framework that served as the foundation for this study was Hammond’s (2015) Ready for Rigor framework. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and instructional observations were held with current science teachers in high schools in the school district to determine the extent to which strategies learned in a previous professional development session are implemented during instruction. The fifteen participants in the study were identified using purposeful sampling to match the overall demographic of science teachers in the RDP public charter school district. Questions regarding the understanding of culturally responsive teaching, instructional strategies used to promote academic success for students, and the impact of those strategies were asked through the questionnaire and during the interview. Instruction was observed using indicators from the Rubric for Equity and Excellence. Data was analyzed using Saldana’s (2016) topics-to-categories-to-themes framework. Five themes were identified during the study: strategies such as dialogue and infusing culture result in higher student engagement and achievement; (d) cultural competence and Communication; (e) classroom culture and management. The implications of this study showed that participants’ reported use of culturally responsive strategies frequently surpassed what was observed during the instructional observations. Recommendations for ensuring that culturally responsive strategies are consistently implemented during instruction include creating ongoing professional development regarding culturally responsive teaching techniques to ensure strategies are mastered and consistently incorporating student culture and experiences into the curriculum and physical classroom environment. Future research should consider teacher preparation programs, and the methods used to prepare prospective teachers to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students. Keywords: Achievement gap, culture, culturally responsive teaching, instruction
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Pamela Chanell, "Integration Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies in High School Science Classes" (2026). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1160.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1160
