Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

A bold, brain based teaching approach to culturally responsive instruction

To close the achievement gap, diverse classrooms need a proven framework for optimizing student engagement. Culturally responsive instruction has shown promise, but many teachers have struggled with its implementation―until now.

In this book, Zaretta Hammond draws on cutting edge neuroscience research to offer an innovative approach for designing and implementing brain compatible culturally responsive instruction.

The book includes:

• Information on how one’s culture programs the brain to process data and affects learning relationships
• Ten "key moves" to build students’ learner operating systems and prepare them to become independent learners
• Prompts for action and valuable self reflection

Zaretta Hammond, M.A. is a teacher educator and international education consultant. Ms. Hammond is a former high school and community college writing instructor. Through her company, Transformative Learning Solutions, she supports schools, school districts, teacher education programs, and other institutions to understand the integration of culturally responsive practices, the science of learning, and authentic assessment. She designs professional learning programs to help instructional coaches build their skills and capacity in these areas.

She is also the author of the bestselling book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students (Corwin, 2015). In addition to her expertise in culturally responsive pedagogy, Ms. Hammond is a strong literacy practitioner. She is a member of the advisory board for UnboundEd’s literacy organization, CORE Learning. She also sits on the Learning Policy Institute’s science of learning and development research advisory committee.