Becoming a culturally and linguistically responsive educator

Purpose This article shares the results of a year-long collaborative inquiry between a university professor, a classroom teacher and an instructional coach. As part of our school–university partnership, we studied our own culturally and linguistically responsive teaching (CLRT) practices and reflected on ways to develop curricula that focus on the linguistic and cultural experiences of students. Our goal was to examine how research on CLRT can be interpreted and enacted across different educational contexts and professional roles. Design/methodology/approach We engaged in reflective journaling and inquiry group discussions to examine our instructional practices through self-study, which served as both a research tool and a professional learning method. We reviewed literature on content-area teaching, academic language, CLRT and best practices for educating MLLs. We met bimonthly and reflected on how CLRT was being enacted in both K–12 and university settings. Findings Our findings emphasize the value of pedagogies built on students' cultural and linguistic knowledge while advancing academic English. Our translanguaging and sheltered instructional practices highlighted the effectiveness of these strategies in classroom contexts. These practices illustrate how equity-centered instruction can be deepened to amplify the voices and agency of MLLs and summarize the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for teachers to become culturally and linguistically responsive. Originality/value These practices illustrate how equity-centered instruction can be deepened to amplify the voices and agency of MLLs and all learners. Because we come from different professional positions, our perspectives complement each other and represent a more thorough view of the possibilities for implementing culturally and linguistically responsive practices.