Preparing Preservice Teachers to Support Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students Through the Implementation of a High Leverage Practice

The student population of United States (U.S.) schools is becoming more culturally and linguistically diverse. Similarly, students identifying as culturally and linguistically diverse students represent approximately 54% of students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2023). Despite increased ethnic diversity among students, the teacher workforce remains relatively homogenous, with most teachers identifying as White. Consequently, many new teachers feel ill-equipped to implement effective, evidence-based instructional practices to support culturally and linguistically diverse students. To prepare preservice teachers to meet culturally and linguistically diverse students' unique needs, teacher preparation programs must embed culturally relevant pedagogy and high-leverage practices (Aceves & Kennedy, 2024) into their curricula. This dissertation consists of three papers describing effective methods teacher preparation can use (e.g., explicit teaching, field placements, and practice-based opportunities) to equip preservice teachers with evidence-based practices to support culturally and linguistically diverse students. Paper 1 begins with a pilot study describing the use of explicit teaching, mixed-reality simulation, and performance feedback to prepare preservice teachers enrolled in a special education methods class to implement culturally responsive teaching practices to support culturally and linguistically diverse students. Paper 2, a systematic literature review, explores specific methods teacher preparation programs use to prepare culturally relevant preservice teachers. It introduces a culturally relevant pedagogical framework (Gay, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Paris, 2012), details various methods teacher preparation programs use to embed culturally relevant pedagogy into their curricula, and describes the impacts of teacher preparation curricula on preservice teachers' attitudes towards supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students. Finally, Paper 3 extends the pilot study design and participant pool from Paper 1 and the theoretical framework from Paper 2. Paper 3 also examines how using explicit teaching, mixed-reality simulation, and performance feedback impacts preservice teachers' knowledge of and attitudes about a culturally relevant high-leverage practice. The results of this dissertation indicate how intentionally embedding culturally relevant pedagogy and a high-leverage practice into teacher preparation program curricula positively impacts preservice teachers' knowledge of and attitudes toward evidence-based instructional practices that support culturally and linguistically diverse students. The findings also provide recommendations for future research and teacher preparation programs.