Bilingual Teacher Candidates: Addressing Cultural Assumptions in Standardized Mathematics Assessment for Elementary Students Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

This study explored how bilingual Latine teacher candidates (TCs)—undergraduate students in a teacher preparation program working toward obtaining a teaching license and identifying as individuals from Latin America or of Latin American descent, using the gender-neutral term in Spanish, “Latine”, to encompass all genders—identified and addressed cultural assumptions in mathematics questions on the STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) test. Twenty Latine TCs who were enrolled at a major southern research university (pseudonym: Southland University) program reviewed fifth-grade STAAR mathematics questions to assess cultural assumptions and suggest revisions for cultural relevancy. The findings reveal that the TCs identified cultural assumptions in questions about probable unfamiliar currency, non-standard measurement units, and culturally specific terms that could impede students’ understanding. In their revisions, the TCs proposed simplifying language and provided contextual examples to enhance clarity, aligning with the first tenet of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP). However, few revisions addressed CRP’s second and third tenets, which involve fostering cultural competence and critical consciousness. This study underscores the importance of integrating comprehensive CRP training in teacher preparation programs to better equip TCs to create culturally responsive teaching practices. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about improving the cultural relevancy in standardized tests and supporting diverse student populations in achieving academic success.