Optimising Culturally Responsive Pedagogies in Multicultural English Second Language Classrooms

In the era of globalisation, multilingual and multicultural classrooms are a common phenomenon, in which learners from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds interact in various social and academic settings. The objective of this paper was to explore ways by which culturally responsive pedagogies (CRPs), which acknowledge the linguistic diversity of English second language (ESL) learners and embrace their native languages by fostering a more inclusive, effective and culturally sensitive ESL classroom, can be strengthened. This inquiry was grounded on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, and the multiliteracies framework, which emphasise the importance of exposing students to culturally rich contextually relevant materials and interactions. Thus, applying them to the classroom context will help understand how cultural and linguistic factors impact learning. An interpretive paradigm was used as the basis of this inquiry. A qualitative approach and a case study design were used to gather information from 16 conveniently chosen lecturers through semi-structured interviews. Through the adoption of a thematic analysis method, it was specified that that the adoption of a variety of instructional strategies, such as peer collaboration, technology-assisted learning (TAL), differentiated instruction, and interactive approaches, could strengthen culturally responsive pedagogies. It was also found that the creation of inclusive and conducive learning environments results in students’ increased motivation and engagement when they perceive that their native languages are used in the educational process. The author suggests that, to prepare students for a globalised environment in which English is the universal language, language education policies that respect the heritage of native language speakers are necessary.