ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING MODEL ON CIVICS LEARNING OUTCOMES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

This study investigates the effect of a culturally responsive teaching (crt) model on the civics learning outcomes of elementary school students. grounded in both banks’ multicultural education theory and vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the research explores how integrating students’ cultural backgrounds into the curriculum can improve their civics knowledge, foster positive attitudes toward civic engagement, and enhance classroom participation. a mixed-methods approach was adopted, involving a pretest-posttest design to assess changes in knowledge and attitudes, alongside qualitative data from classroom observations, teacher interviews, and student focus groups. quantitative findings indicate a statistically significant improvement in civics test scores and heightened interest in community participation among students exposed to the crt model. qualitative results complement these findings by highlighting increased student engagement, deeper connections with the material, and greater willingness to discuss civic issues. these outcomes suggest incorporating culturally relevant examples and inclusive pedagogical strategies can bolster civics education for diverse student populations. the study’s limitations include its relatively short duration, limited geographic scope, and small sample size, which may affect the generalizability of the results. future research should consider longitudinal designs, larger samples, and multiple contexts to capture the long-term impact of crt on civic engagement. overall, the results emphasize the potential of culturally responsive practices to reinforce the foundational civic competencies of young learners and underscore the need for teacher preparation programs to prioritize culturally inclusive methods.