Culture and cultural beliefs play a significant role in a student’s learning. Students bring their own cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences into the classroom, which can impact their engagement, motivation, and understanding of the content being taught. As an educator, it is crucial to recognize and value the diversity of students’ cultures and incorporate instructional strategies and materials that are culturally responsive.

In planning my lesson, I made several instructional decisions to ensure that the lesson was culturally responsive and met the diverse and specific needs of my students. Firstly, I selected materials that represented a variety of cultures and perspectives. For example, I included books and stories that featured characters from different cultural backgrounds, allowing students to see themselves and their experiences reflected in the curriculum. By using culturally diverse materials, I aimed to engage and motivate students by making the content relevant and relatable to their own lives.

Additionally, I incorporated instructional strategies that encouraged student participation and collaboration. For instance, I included group discussions and cooperative learning activities that allowed students to share their own cultural experiences and learn from their peers. This not only fostered a sense of inclusivity and respect for different cultures but also provided opportunities for English language learners to practice their language skills in a supportive and interactive environment.

To adapt and differentiate my plan for students with diverse cultural backgrounds, English language learners, and students with exceptionalities, I incorporated various scaffolding techniques. For example, I provided visual aids, such as pictures and diagrams, to support understanding for English language learners and students with exceptionalities. I also used differentiated instructional strategies, such as providing additional support or extension activities based on individual student needs. By tailoring the instruction to meet the specific needs of each student, I aimed to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

For the next day’s lesson, I would integrate listening and speaking skills while reviewing the learning objective. I would begin by selecting a culturally diverse story that features characters with different adventures and experiences. I would read the story aloud to the students, pausing at key points to ask comprehension questions and encourage students to compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of the characters. This activity would allow students to practice their listening and speaking skills while also reinforcing the learning objective of comparing and contrasting.

To further support the integration of listening and speaking skills, I would incorporate a group discussion activity. I would divide the students into small groups and provide each group with a set of discussion questions related to the story. Students would take turns sharing their thoughts and opinions, using evidence from the text to support their ideas. This activity would not only enhance their listening and speaking skills but also promote critical thinking and collaboration.

In conclusion, by considering the impact of culture and cultural beliefs on student learning, I made instructional decisions that were culturally responsive and met the diverse and specific needs of my students. By incorporating culturally diverse materials, using instructional strategies that encouraged participation and collaboration, and adapting the plan to fit the learning needs of all students, I aimed to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment. The activity for the next day’s lesson would integrate listening and speaking skills while reviewing the learning objective, allowing students to practice their skills while reinforcing the content.