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Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning – Classroom Practices for Student Success, Grades K-12
Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning uses research, best practices and evidence-based teaching strategies to provide practical activities and information to support the modern-day teacher. Beginning with background knowledge and loaded with tons of teacher-ready tools to use right away, this book can ignite growth in your teaching and classroom management.
Written to address all grade levels, this invaluable resource provides novice and experienced educators with a pedagogical framework for implementing culturally and linguistically responsive teaching strategies in today's diverse classrooms. It covers classroom management, academic literacy, academic vocabulary, academic language, and learning environment.
Teachers will be able to implement best-practice instruction with the practical, easy-to-implement strategies and concrete activities provided in the book and learn how to approach their instruction through a culturally and linguistically responsive lens. Educators will feel empowered and excited to implement this framework because it embraces and places value on students' culture and language, allowing them to thrive in the classroom.
This book is ideal for the teacher of grades 1 to 12, and is 216 pages long. If you’re looking for something that repackages SIOP and other ESOL techniques to show how they can be effective in providing opportunities for linguistically and culturally diverse student engagement and learning, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning is what you need.
Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning was written by Sharroky Hollie, Ph.D., who has spent nearly 25 years in education in varying roles such as a middle and high school teacher, central office program coordinator, assistant professor at California State University Dominguez Hills, and president/Chief Education Advocate for the Culture and Language Academy of Success, a K 8 independent charter school that espouses culturally responsive pedagogy as its primary approach.
About Shell Education
Rachelle Cracchiolo started the company with a friend and fellow teacher. Both were eager to share their ideas and passion for education with other classroom leaders. What began as a hobby, selling lesson plans to local stores, became a part-time job after a full day of teaching, and eventually blossomed into Teacher Created Materials. The story continued in 2004 with the launch of Shell Education and the introduction of professional resources and classroom application books designed to support Teacher Created Materials curriculum resources. Today, Teacher Created Materials and Shell Education are two of the most recognized names in educational publishing around the world.
Written to address all grade levels, this invaluable resource provides novice and experienced educators with a pedagogical framework for implementing culturally and linguistically responsive teaching strategies in today's diverse classrooms. It covers classroom management, academic literacy, academic vocabulary, academic language, and learning environment.
Teachers will be able to implement best-practice instruction with the practical, easy-to-implement strategies and concrete activities provided in the book and learn how to approach their instruction through a culturally and linguistically responsive lens. Educators will feel empowered and excited to implement this framework because it embraces and places value on students' culture and language, allowing them to thrive in the classroom.
This book is ideal for the teacher of grades 1 to 12, and is 216 pages long. If you’re looking for something that repackages SIOP and other ESOL techniques to show how they can be effective in providing opportunities for linguistically and culturally diverse student engagement and learning, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning is what you need.
Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning was written by Sharroky Hollie, Ph.D., who has spent nearly 25 years in education in varying roles such as a middle and high school teacher, central office program coordinator, assistant professor at California State University Dominguez Hills, and president/Chief Education Advocate for the Culture and Language Academy of Success, a K 8 independent charter school that espouses culturally responsive pedagogy as its primary approach.
About Shell Education
Rachelle Cracchiolo started the company with a friend and fellow teacher. Both were eager to share their ideas and passion for education with other classroom leaders. What began as a hobby, selling lesson plans to local stores, became a part-time job after a full day of teaching, and eventually blossomed into Teacher Created Materials. The story continued in 2004 with the launch of Shell Education and the introduction of professional resources and classroom application books designed to support Teacher Created Materials curriculum resources. Today, Teacher Created Materials and Shell Education are two of the most recognized names in educational publishing around the world.
216 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
91 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 6, 2021
As a teacher at a Title I school here in Texas, I am confronted everyday with the reality that my education and life experiences are different from the students I teach. My culture, my language, my relationships...they shape who I am and how I approach teaching my students. But their cultures, their languages, and their relationships shape how they approach learning in my classroom. Sharroky Hollie provides a framework for bridging that difference everyday. Validating and affirming who they are as individuals, recognizing and overcoming my own biases, and striving to create lessons that are purposeful and meaningful to them is the bridge to building better relationships and improving educational outcomes. Studies show that culturally responsive teaching benefits a students social, emotional and academic achievement; Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning is a new resource to add to my cultural and linguistic learning toolkit.
In CaLRTaL, Sharroky Hollie sets out best practice strategies and suggestions for developing a culturally responsive teaching practice. The subject matter is thought provoking and challenging, and requires the reader to make frequent stops to assess their behaviors and responses to the material. It’s powerful, and sometimes made me uncomfortable. In a good - I’m growing - way. Although, in the context of this class, the content was a bit overwhelming for a reader new to the subject matter and/or new to teaching. For me, it would be more effective if presented in tandem with organized learning activities vs. as a book review. Despite the inclusion of much needed breaks by means of questions and assessments, the content is worthy of a class in and of itself. I often found myself rereading sections and examining whether or not I fully understood what Mr. Hollie was trying to say. Some readers might point to this as a sign that the book is doing what it aims: forcing teachers to do the work to become culturally responsive in and out of the classroom. I agree.
However, since one of the central themes of CaLRTaL is validation and affirmation, I think it would be beneficial for the author (or teacher) to acknowledge and affirm that I come to this conversation and this material as a teacher in training and am new to implementing CLR - outside of my own anecdotal experiences in the classroom. Validating and affirming that start point might be a more effective introduction to this text. I would suggest to readers approaching this book from a similar position to flip ahead to page 201, and Hollie’s Continuum of Infusion Levels to being CLR. This continuum is an excellent way to approach the book without feeling like you are deficient or poor or a failure at being CLR right from the start. Using the continuum, I’d say for my first year of teaching, I want to be a Kicker or better by the end of the year, and in my first attempts at being CLR, I’m starting out probably closer to an Emerger or maybe a Splasher. Which, according to Mr. Hollie, are valid levels of being CLR, and that I am working towards the Free Styler level.
So what did I like about CaLRTaL? Lot’s of things. Right from the get go, Mr. Hollie lays out how he defines culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning (CLR), how his definition is different from other CLR (and better?), and what he believes are the key aspects in implementing it in the classroom via validation, affirmation, building, and bridging, or, as he calls it, VABBing. His descriptions and strategies for each of these components resonated with my own experiences trying to get to know my students, and I found his Rings of Culture and Iceberg Concept of Culture illustrations and reflections particularly helpful exercises.
Initially, I found the chapter on pedagogy confusing, but when I returned to the opening paragraphs and the metaphor of jumping into the pool and meeting your students where they are, culturally and linguistically, I reminded myself I’m a student, too! This is a learning experience and Hollie wants his students (his teachers) to learn best practice CLR; sometimes it’s painful and confusing. In picking art lessons that are effective and meaningful to my students, I’m choosing the how/why/what of teaching, but on closer examination, I had to reexamine my answers and whether or not they validate and affirm the students in my classroom. Is there a better way to engage - to build and bridge - their diverse cultures, languages and experiences in my classroom? Absolutely. Using this resource, I reexamined many of my bookmarked lessons for intent and purpose:
What specific activities are to be infused into the general lesson
What makes the lesson culturally and linguistically responsive
As an art teacher, there are innumerable ways to build CLR into lesson selection and execution, but I recognized my error in failing to plan CLR into the lesson from the start - rather than trying to tag it on at the end.
Mr. Hollie divides his book into sections that address five key elements of teaching: classroom management, academic literacy, academic vocabulary, academic language, and learning environment. I particularly liked his suggestions for classroom management, and discussion of the ways in which a student's culture impacts their classroom behavior. In each of these areas of teaching the author asks the reader to challenge their “usual,” and reassess through a cultural and linguistic appropriateness lens. He offers suggestions and options to overcoming obstacles to our lesson planning - vocabulary ideas, center ideas, behavior accommodations and perspective changes, classroom set-ups, decorative materials and more - while always asking the reader to question the how, why and what of the lesson and/or action.
On a personal and professional level, I particularly enjoyed reading Chapter 7, Is My Learning Environment Culturally Responsive? The text affirmed much of what I already know about a positive learning environment and I connected with the author's suggestions for creating a classroom that is CLR rich. I know what it feels like to walk past a messy, poorly organized, uninspiring, literacy poor and visually dull Art classroom everyday. A classroom that doesn’t represent the student body. To feel disappointed by bulletin boards that feature art and artists reproduced from slick art catalogs rather than created by students in the classroom, and to wonder daily why hasn’t this art teacher tapped into the amazing talent of the student body? I understand that not every art project is a “success,” and that some students aren’t interested in creating or participating in Art. But my experiences in the gym (I’m a PE paraprofessional) tell me that we have creative, bright, and enthusiastic students who just need someone to inspire them in the Art room. That Art room would be colorful and chock full of images and words and ideas that represent the cultural vibrancy of my school. That classroom will be a welcoming space for teachers and students!
My classroom will be a colorful and word rich positive learning environment for all my art students. All learners, but especially underserved learners, thrive in environments that stimulate language development and literacy acquisition and surround them with language-rich visuals rife with symbols and print. The strategically arranged environment creates the spatial context in which movement and learning activities can take place. Also, the optimal environment provides resources that are rich in context and instructional materials, which include relevant high-interest instructional resources to enhance student engagement in the learning process. I love that Mr. Hollie recognizes that there is no “exact right” answer for the classroom environment and that teachers take many variables into consideration as they organize a positive learning environment for their students.
The Three D strategy:
De-Blumenbaching: All cultures and identities have a place in the classroom
De-Commercializing: Student work should be front and center! *I do think there is a place for commercial items in an art room. Students need visual images of the art and artists we are studying for inspiration, creation, and reference.
De-Superficializing: Integrate items and artwork that purposefully reflect the cultures and identities of my students, and are responsive to who they are as individuals
is a great starting point for any classroom teacher - especially Art teachers. My classroom will be an evolution as the school year progresses and as it evolves, will provide a visual response that validates my students unique identities and experiences, intentionally affirms who they are and what they create and how they see the world, builds on the rapport and relationships we forge in the art room, and provides a bridge for them to utilize their creative minds and practical skills in the greater world.
CaLRTaL is a valuable and information resource for teachers and administrators looking for tangible ways to LOVE THEIR STUDENTS OUTRAGEOUSLY. With its comprehensive look at what works and what doesn’t, and helpful activities and appendices to help teachers new and old VABB successfully and LOVE OUTRAGEOUSLY, Hollie has provided teachers with a valuable guide for implementing and practicing CLR everyday. I do believe CaLRTaL would be more effective with an experienced leader guiding readers through the material (and I think Hollie would agree), but I recommend it - with that qualification, to anyone looking to improve their teaching practice.
In CaLRTaL, Sharroky Hollie sets out best practice strategies and suggestions for developing a culturally responsive teaching practice. The subject matter is thought provoking and challenging, and requires the reader to make frequent stops to assess their behaviors and responses to the material. It’s powerful, and sometimes made me uncomfortable. In a good - I’m growing - way. Although, in the context of this class, the content was a bit overwhelming for a reader new to the subject matter and/or new to teaching. For me, it would be more effective if presented in tandem with organized learning activities vs. as a book review. Despite the inclusion of much needed breaks by means of questions and assessments, the content is worthy of a class in and of itself. I often found myself rereading sections and examining whether or not I fully understood what Mr. Hollie was trying to say. Some readers might point to this as a sign that the book is doing what it aims: forcing teachers to do the work to become culturally responsive in and out of the classroom. I agree.
However, since one of the central themes of CaLRTaL is validation and affirmation, I think it would be beneficial for the author (or teacher) to acknowledge and affirm that I come to this conversation and this material as a teacher in training and am new to implementing CLR - outside of my own anecdotal experiences in the classroom. Validating and affirming that start point might be a more effective introduction to this text. I would suggest to readers approaching this book from a similar position to flip ahead to page 201, and Hollie’s Continuum of Infusion Levels to being CLR. This continuum is an excellent way to approach the book without feeling like you are deficient or poor or a failure at being CLR right from the start. Using the continuum, I’d say for my first year of teaching, I want to be a Kicker or better by the end of the year, and in my first attempts at being CLR, I’m starting out probably closer to an Emerger or maybe a Splasher. Which, according to Mr. Hollie, are valid levels of being CLR, and that I am working towards the Free Styler level.
So what did I like about CaLRTaL? Lot’s of things. Right from the get go, Mr. Hollie lays out how he defines culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning (CLR), how his definition is different from other CLR (and better?), and what he believes are the key aspects in implementing it in the classroom via validation, affirmation, building, and bridging, or, as he calls it, VABBing. His descriptions and strategies for each of these components resonated with my own experiences trying to get to know my students, and I found his Rings of Culture and Iceberg Concept of Culture illustrations and reflections particularly helpful exercises.
Initially, I found the chapter on pedagogy confusing, but when I returned to the opening paragraphs and the metaphor of jumping into the pool and meeting your students where they are, culturally and linguistically, I reminded myself I’m a student, too! This is a learning experience and Hollie wants his students (his teachers) to learn best practice CLR; sometimes it’s painful and confusing. In picking art lessons that are effective and meaningful to my students, I’m choosing the how/why/what of teaching, but on closer examination, I had to reexamine my answers and whether or not they validate and affirm the students in my classroom. Is there a better way to engage - to build and bridge - their diverse cultures, languages and experiences in my classroom? Absolutely. Using this resource, I reexamined many of my bookmarked lessons for intent and purpose:
What specific activities are to be infused into the general lesson
What makes the lesson culturally and linguistically responsive
As an art teacher, there are innumerable ways to build CLR into lesson selection and execution, but I recognized my error in failing to plan CLR into the lesson from the start - rather than trying to tag it on at the end.
Mr. Hollie divides his book into sections that address five key elements of teaching: classroom management, academic literacy, academic vocabulary, academic language, and learning environment. I particularly liked his suggestions for classroom management, and discussion of the ways in which a student's culture impacts their classroom behavior. In each of these areas of teaching the author asks the reader to challenge their “usual,” and reassess through a cultural and linguistic appropriateness lens. He offers suggestions and options to overcoming obstacles to our lesson planning - vocabulary ideas, center ideas, behavior accommodations and perspective changes, classroom set-ups, decorative materials and more - while always asking the reader to question the how, why and what of the lesson and/or action.
On a personal and professional level, I particularly enjoyed reading Chapter 7, Is My Learning Environment Culturally Responsive? The text affirmed much of what I already know about a positive learning environment and I connected with the author's suggestions for creating a classroom that is CLR rich. I know what it feels like to walk past a messy, poorly organized, uninspiring, literacy poor and visually dull Art classroom everyday. A classroom that doesn’t represent the student body. To feel disappointed by bulletin boards that feature art and artists reproduced from slick art catalogs rather than created by students in the classroom, and to wonder daily why hasn’t this art teacher tapped into the amazing talent of the student body? I understand that not every art project is a “success,” and that some students aren’t interested in creating or participating in Art. But my experiences in the gym (I’m a PE paraprofessional) tell me that we have creative, bright, and enthusiastic students who just need someone to inspire them in the Art room. That Art room would be colorful and chock full of images and words and ideas that represent the cultural vibrancy of my school. That classroom will be a welcoming space for teachers and students!
My classroom will be a colorful and word rich positive learning environment for all my art students. All learners, but especially underserved learners, thrive in environments that stimulate language development and literacy acquisition and surround them with language-rich visuals rife with symbols and print. The strategically arranged environment creates the spatial context in which movement and learning activities can take place. Also, the optimal environment provides resources that are rich in context and instructional materials, which include relevant high-interest instructional resources to enhance student engagement in the learning process. I love that Mr. Hollie recognizes that there is no “exact right” answer for the classroom environment and that teachers take many variables into consideration as they organize a positive learning environment for their students.
The Three D strategy:
De-Blumenbaching: All cultures and identities have a place in the classroom
De-Commercializing: Student work should be front and center! *I do think there is a place for commercial items in an art room. Students need visual images of the art and artists we are studying for inspiration, creation, and reference.
De-Superficializing: Integrate items and artwork that purposefully reflect the cultures and identities of my students, and are responsive to who they are as individuals
is a great starting point for any classroom teacher - especially Art teachers. My classroom will be an evolution as the school year progresses and as it evolves, will provide a visual response that validates my students unique identities and experiences, intentionally affirms who they are and what they create and how they see the world, builds on the rapport and relationships we forge in the art room, and provides a bridge for them to utilize their creative minds and practical skills in the greater world.
CaLRTaL is a valuable and information resource for teachers and administrators looking for tangible ways to LOVE THEIR STUDENTS OUTRAGEOUSLY. With its comprehensive look at what works and what doesn’t, and helpful activities and appendices to help teachers new and old VABB successfully and LOVE OUTRAGEOUSLY, Hollie has provided teachers with a valuable guide for implementing and practicing CLR everyday. I do believe CaLRTaL would be more effective with an experienced leader guiding readers through the material (and I think Hollie would agree), but I recommend it - with that qualification, to anyone looking to improve their teaching practice.
September 19, 2021
I've not finished this yet (the pandemic hit and I never finished the course I was reading it for) but it's given me a lot of food for thought in my journey of becoming a more actively anti-racist educator. I do plan to go back and finish it at some point!
April 7, 2021
This book was required for a teacher certification assignment and I am so glad I was introduced to it. We never realize how important culture is and how it affects communication. I have learned to embrace culture and use it to build lessons that students can relate to. I also learned that my own bias does affect my student's ability to learn and I must put them aside if I want o be an effective and efficient teacher. Also do not accept silence as understanding engage the English Language Leaners and set up activities that require them to speak.
July 20, 2013
Good book with some good ideas...together with Responsive Classroom and ENVoY strategies, a teacher is enabled with a number of approaches you can implement immediately.
July 24, 2024
A good read for anyone in the educational setting, but especially classroom teachers!
August 13, 2025
This had great points, but i feel like I do alot of this already. I liked the one I read for my grad class better.
December 18, 2024
“All language is good.”
Overall, solid resource for educators. I do think Hollie could have fleshed some things out better. Did find the portion discussing “offensitive” as odd. The way it’s presented makes it sound like a method commonly used in social media spaces to disingenuously engage with someone. The book is also a bit too informal in some parts that left me thinking of a phrase my students often say: “Put the fries in the bag”, or in other words, get to the point.
Some of the strategies presented were things I was already doing in my classes with my Spanish speaking students. Did learn other ways I could better support them. Found the “using student slang as a springboard” strategy super fascinating. Trying to figure out how to incorporate that into a lesson outside of just mimicking “skibidi” and “Ohio rizz” to the chagrin of my students.
Greatly appreciated the resources section at the end. Looking forward to checking some of the books out and seeing how I can incorporate them into my Robotics/Technology courses.
Overall, solid resource for educators. I do think Hollie could have fleshed some things out better. Did find the portion discussing “offensitive” as odd. The way it’s presented makes it sound like a method commonly used in social media spaces to disingenuously engage with someone. The book is also a bit too informal in some parts that left me thinking of a phrase my students often say: “Put the fries in the bag”, or in other words, get to the point.
Some of the strategies presented were things I was already doing in my classes with my Spanish speaking students. Did learn other ways I could better support them. Found the “using student slang as a springboard” strategy super fascinating. Trying to figure out how to incorporate that into a lesson outside of just mimicking “skibidi” and “Ohio rizz” to the chagrin of my students.
Greatly appreciated the resources section at the end. Looking forward to checking some of the books out and seeing how I can incorporate them into my Robotics/Technology courses.
July 1, 2018
I was prepared to rate this a 3 because I felt like it did so much talking - about- instead of really delving into four how to really develop a culturally responsive learning practices. if you're TOTALLY new to CLR, student-directed learning, it's a good resource. If you've got more experience, its a fast read, but the appendices of strategies are GOLD and what really bumped up the rating for me.
June 9, 2022
I didn't like the book at all !!! It wasn't that I necessarily disagreed with the content and ideas of the book but, it is just tooo detail and all over the place. Yes this is something that need to change in our classrooms, all children should be respected and made to feel that they are important. But this is a societal problem and teachers can't solve it by themselves. It was a long, hard and boring read for me.
February 16, 2024
Hollie's 'Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning' is a profound eye-opener, urging educators to introspect and acknowledge their own biases, while equipping them with effective strategies to become more responsive and inclusive. The book brilliantly delineates methods that not only enrich the teaching experience but also significantly enhance student engagement and understanding, particularly in content and language-based subjects such as English or History. Hollie's approach is meticulously crafted, offering a plethora of strategies that are both innovative and practical, fostering an environment where diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated. However, while the vast majority of these strategies are exceptionally beneficial for content subjects (History, Languages, etc), their applicability in more quantitatively focused subjects like Mathematics is somewhat less pronounced. Despite this, the foundational principles of cultural and linguistic responsiveness articulated in this book are universally valuable, providing a crucial framework for educators striving to create more inclusive and effective learning spaces.
April 11, 2024
This is a great book for learning new strategies for CLR. The book provided examples and tips to implement CLR into the classroom in a productive way.
Much of the book aims to provide understanding of what culture really means and how to use that understanding to relate and connect with students. Rather than shallow interitations of culture or confusing culture with race, the books aims to provide a deeper exploration of what being culturally responsive really means.
The reason for the 4 star rating was simply because of the amount of unnecessary writing. At times it felt as though I was reading a college level paper, that had a word count requirement. The book consisted of a lot of repetitive and fairly vague points. Clarification, examples, or evidence was not always provided along with statements, leaving the reader a be lost until later in a chapter.
Overall, the information provided was extremely helpful in understanding the deeper meaning of CLR and how it can be implemented into a classroom.
Much of the book aims to provide understanding of what culture really means and how to use that understanding to relate and connect with students. Rather than shallow interitations of culture or confusing culture with race, the books aims to provide a deeper exploration of what being culturally responsive really means.
The reason for the 4 star rating was simply because of the amount of unnecessary writing. At times it felt as though I was reading a college level paper, that had a word count requirement. The book consisted of a lot of repetitive and fairly vague points. Clarification, examples, or evidence was not always provided along with statements, leaving the reader a be lost until later in a chapter.
Overall, the information provided was extremely helpful in understanding the deeper meaning of CLR and how it can be implemented into a classroom.
January 21, 2022
As an urban educator I loved this book and found it extremely valuable. The only thing keeping it from five stars was that there was some repetition that sometimes tripped me up wondering, didn't I just read that, or was that another book. For sure all educators can benefit from learning more about cultural and linguistic responsiveness.
As a follow up, another great book to read of you enjoyed this one is "Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain" by Zaretta Hammond.
As a follow up, another great book to read of you enjoyed this one is "Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain" by Zaretta Hammond.
May 25, 2020
Great book for educators seeking to incorporate Culturally and Linguistically Responsive instruction within their classroom. I do feel as if much of the information found within the book was information I already knew, however, I realize not everyone might. I agree wholeheartedly with Hollie’s suggestions and approaches.
September 7, 2020
Every single educator needs to read this book and apply the truths Hollie discusses. I think that any attempt at a detailed review would fall short of the wealth of knowledge provided by this book. In a time when students have so much chaos going on in their every day life, teachers going the extra mile to teach them the way their brain learns makes such a difference.
January 16, 2021
While this book contains helpful tips and tricks for loving students well, it is developed from the thought that if something is related to culture it must be good. Not until the last chapters did the idea of situational appropriateness begin to develop.
September 5, 2018
The title really bothered me, but it was an easy and quick read for teachers to be reminded on how to be a culturally relevant teacher.
April 3, 2019
Excellent
An updated version of traditional teaching ideas with lots of ideas for multilingual and multicultural classrooms that are practical and support academic success
An updated version of traditional teaching ideas with lots of ideas for multilingual and multicultural classrooms that are practical and support academic success
August 12, 2019
A sensible approach and many practical applications in the appendices.
July 3, 2020
I found this to be even more useful than the more introductory "practices" book. But can be used in tandem to broaden teaching practices and better serve all students.
July 24, 2020
Great! Very helpful ideas for cultivating culture in the classroom. I go back to it often.
September 23, 2020
This book feels like a giant "here's how I lost 70lbs and got in the best shape of my life" ad. Lots of talk and no follow through
April 7, 2023
Easy read, great info, and also full of tips and resources. Overall recommended!
October 24, 2023
best author and required reading I’ve ever had in academia, love Hollie !!!!
January 20, 2025
A wonderful read for any educator looking to improve their pedagogy and make learning more accessible for their students! 🥰
March 19, 2025
3.5 rounded up.
July 10, 2025
I thought it was concisely written, and communicated important information to educators looking to implement SEL strategies to their classrooms. I appreciate the amount of examples for each pedagogy.
November 27, 2020
I read and review books on my blog, Rachel's Reading. Check it out for 100's more like this!
This was the very first book I started reading to prepare for having my own classroom. My best friend bought it for me for my birthday and I dove right in. This was a really accessible book that I honestly enjoyed. Hollie discusses the tenants of teaching in a way that is Culturally and Linguistically Responsive. He talks about grammatical structure in different dialectal forms of English and how to encourage your students to use those, but also to learn to translate them into academic English. He teaches us to affirm our students home cultures, while also preparing them for the outside world.
I've done a lot of reading and work with multiculturalism and how to not center the white experience. Because I want to teach in high need schools where the majority of my students won't be white, I felt it was really important to check my privilege early on, so that when I enter the classroom, I'm able to apply that knowledge rather than learn it as I go. My goal is to give all my students the best education I can provide them. Hollie's book was a wonderful first read and gave me ideas on how I can apply it right away.
This was the very first book I started reading to prepare for having my own classroom. My best friend bought it for me for my birthday and I dove right in. This was a really accessible book that I honestly enjoyed. Hollie discusses the tenants of teaching in a way that is Culturally and Linguistically Responsive. He talks about grammatical structure in different dialectal forms of English and how to encourage your students to use those, but also to learn to translate them into academic English. He teaches us to affirm our students home cultures, while also preparing them for the outside world.
I've done a lot of reading and work with multiculturalism and how to not center the white experience. Because I want to teach in high need schools where the majority of my students won't be white, I felt it was really important to check my privilege early on, so that when I enter the classroom, I'm able to apply that knowledge rather than learn it as I go. My goal is to give all my students the best education I can provide them. Hollie's book was a wonderful first read and gave me ideas on how I can apply it right away.
November 1, 2013
The author makes a powerful case for the importance of serving the currently underserved- irrespective of traditional labels such as race. He argues that culture, more than race, is a factor in the failure of schools to meet the needs of these students. I particularly appreciated a "Pause to Ponder" prompt on p. 25 that asked the reader to consider why students are underserved and what their needs were. I'd argue that, as a school system, we haven't adequately done this yet... and largely due to this, are failing to meet these students' needs. The key point the author makes is responsiveness- that teachers (and to a larger extent, school systems) must respond to the students in their classrooms. The techniques and strategies described in the book are excellent ideas, but run the risk of becoming gimmicks if the first step of responsiveness in not taken. To whom are we responding? Who are the underserved students in the room? With which cultural and linguistic behaviors do they most identify? The author's structure of "Validate, Affirm, Build, and Bridge", while laudable,loses its foundation without an accurate measurement of what and who to validate.
January 22, 2016
Teacher book. Read this for a professional development course at school. Also saw the author speak at an academy last summer. I like the premise of the book. That students' cultures and languages need to be validated and affirmed because that validates and affirms the student. It offers teaching strategies and classroom set-up that embrace what the students are bringing into the classroom. I'm glad I read the book but was not super impressed by the way it was written. I also thought that it could have made a nice article, rather than a book. Everything important was covered in the first two chapters and the rest of superfluous.
September 11, 2015
This was a great read about cultural responsiveness in the classroom and how to get there. There was definitely an overlap of information from my ESL and reading background, but it was a great refresher. I really liked the set up of anticipation guides at the start of each chapter. The appendices include some NUA practices and are worth the price of the book alone. They include lists of culturally responsive books for the classroom, read aloud activities, literacy strategies, protocols for increasing student engagement, and call and response examples.
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