LITERATURE
REVIEW
ASSIGNMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
In
this
assignment
you
are
required
to
submit
a
500-600
word
review
of
the
three
articles
“The
Magic
of
Culturally
Responsive
Pedagogy
-
In
Search
of
the
Genie's
Lamp
in
Multicultural
Education”
by
Nawang
Phuntsong,
“Transforming
Practice
in
Urban
Schools”
by
Etta
Hollins
and
“The
EPIC
Leadership
Development
Program
Evaluation
Report”.
These
articles
and
websites
can
be
found
in
the
Learn
material
for
Module
6:
Week
6.
Please
write
no
more
than
600
words
in
this
paper.
The
front
matter
(title
page
and
abstract
page)
and
the
back
matter
(References
Cited,
Appendices,
etc)
do
not
count
towards
word
limit.
All
three
articles
should
be
concisely
reviewed
within
this
paper.
Please
do
NOT
write
three
separate
papers.
Try and
use
the
overall
theme
of
the
week
as
a
loosely
overarching
theme
of
your
paper.
Include
the
following
elements
in
your
critique:
1.
Summary
—
Provide
a
brief
overview
of
each
article,
its
intended
audience,
and
its
purpose.
2.
Critique
—
Analyze
the
article’s
strengths
and
weaknesses
providing
evidence
to
support
your
opinions.
3.
Reflection
—
Explain
various
ways
that
you
could
incorporate
the
ideas
expressed
in
the
articles
into
your
teaching
methods.
Also, explain
how
the
ideas
demonstrate
Christian
principles
in
teaching.
Format
the
reviews
in
current
APA
style
and
refer
to
the
Literature
Review
Grading
Rubric
for
the
specific
grading
criteria.
1
Literature Review: Teaching Practice in Urban Schools and Culturally Responsive
Teaching
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Code and Course Name
Instructor
Assignment Due Date
2
Abstract
Teachers play a critical role in shaping the future of children through education. However, racial
and ethnic diversity has emerged as a critical factor in education, especially in urban schools. As
American society increasingly diversifies, so will classrooms become more culturally diversified.
However, to ensure classroom equity amidst cultural diversity, teachers and school leaders must
recognize diversity as an asset, not a liability. In addition, the realization must be accompanied
by a transformation in teaching practice to ensure instructional strategies produce success for all
students regardless of socioeconomic and cultural background. Subsequently, educators must
comprehensively train teachers on skills to deliver culturally responsive lessons. Therefore, this
paper aims to review the literature concerning effective teaching practices in urban schools and
culturally responsive learning to improve learning outcomes in diversified classrooms.
3
Literature Review
Urban schools comprise students from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. These
features make it challenging to deliver impactful lessons and improve student outcomes. Hence,
urban schools must transform their teaching practices to achieve classroom equity. "As each has
received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Peter 4:
10, English Standard Version).
"Transforming Practice in Urban Schools"
Hollins (2006) studied the implementation of structured dialogue to develop teachers
professionally and transform instructional practice. The researcher found that teachers falsely
believed that instructional practice was generic and universal and that learners' responses to
teaching were the same. The structured dialogue occurred through learning communities where
teachers shared their challenges and success, discussed suitable approaches to the challenges and
cooperated on implementation strategies for the proposed solutions. Ultimately, structured
dialogue fostered professional development, cultivated a culture of peer collaboration and
enhanced the teachers' sense of responsibility for struggling students.
The strength of the article is that the initiative was implemented in real-life situations,
and the progress was evaluated through actual student scores. On the other hand, the teachers'
perceptions about the initiative were assessed by analyzing their field notes and reflective
journals. Some teachers may have overstated their impression of the initiative upon realizing the
materials would be analyzed.
4
"The Magic of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: In Search of the Genie's Lamp in
Multicultural Education"
Phuntsog (1999) reviewed relevant literature and proposed a framework to help improve
learning outcomes in culturally diverse classrooms. The main features that emerged included
respect for diversity, an inclusive and respectful learning environment, applying responsive
teaching to all subjects, and curriculums promoting social justice and equity. Meanwhile,
suitable conditions included cultural literacy, cultural self-reflection, caring, trusting and
inclusive classrooms, respect for diversity and transformative curriculums. Lastly, Phuntsog
(1999) proposed the five-spoked wheel comprising personal, micro, macro and global culture as
a culturally responsive teaching framework.
The article's strength is that the author enhances knowledge of the topic by summarizing
authoritative sources. The author scrutinizes the articles for weaknesses and gaps in the current
literature. The main weakness of the article is that the proposed framework relies on assumptions
not tested by empirical studies.
"The EPIC Leadership Development Program Evaluation Report"
The EPIC project was an innovative initiative where teachers in well-performing urban
schools shared their practices via a Knowledge System (New Leaders for New Schools, 2011).
The project leaders then used action planning, applied learning assignments and peer resources
from the Knowledge System to help other school leaders and teachers build capacity. The
initiative helped school leaders enhance their leadership skills, incorporate data in performance
improvement processes and learn how to handle complex problems. The program also enhanced
5
teachers' communication skills, encouraged collaboration and made teachers connect
instructional practice to learning outcomes.
The main strength of the project was that teachers learned new skills and instructional
approaches in unmodified environments. Learning from peers may have also motivated teachers
to become transformative. However, the project leaders did not involve participants in needs
assessment, leading to possible gaps in connecting the sessions to authentic work.
Reflection
The common themes from the sources include peer learning, collaboration, transforming
instructional practice and respect for diversity. I would use the ideas to regularly reflect on and
analyze my instructional strategies and seek help from my peers and school leaders. Also, I
would introspect to correct my cultural biases to become a culturally competent teacher. Lastly,
the ideas reinforce the Christian teachings of raising children correctly through the right counsel.
"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1, English Standard Version).
6
References
Hollins, E. R. (2006). Transforming practice in urban schools. Educational Leadership, 63(6),
48-52. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ745562
New Leaders for New Schools. (2011, September). The EPIC Leadership Development
Evaluation Report. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED533493
Phuntsog, N. (1999). The magic of culturally responsive pedagogy: In search of the genie's lamp
in multicultural education. Teacher Education Quarterly, 97-111.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED420632
Paper Outline
I. Paper Topic: Literature Review
II. Introduction: Urban schools comprise students from diverse ethnic and cultural
backgrounds, making delivering impactful lessons and improving student outcomes
challenging.
III. Body
Main point: "Transforming Practice in Urban Schools"
Examples/Details/Explanations:
a) Hollins (2006) studied the implementation of structured dialogue to develop teachers
professionally and transform instructional practice.
b) Structured dialogue fostered professional development, cultivated a culture of peer
collaboration and enhanced the teachers' sense of responsibility for struggling students.
c) The strength of the article is that the initiative was implemented in real-life situations,
and the progress was evaluated through actual student scores.
Main point: "The Magic of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: In Search of the Genie's
Lamp in Multicultural Education"
Examples/Details/Explanations:
a. Phuntsog (1999) reviewed relevant literature and proposed a framework to help improve
learning outcomes in culturally diverse classrooms.
b. Phuntsog (1999) proposed the five-spoked wheel comprising personal, micro, macro and
global culture as a culturally responsive teaching framework.
c. The main weakness of the article is that the proposed framework relies on assumptions
not tested by empirical studies.
Main point: "The EPIC Leadership Development Program Evaluation Report"
Examples/Details/Explanations:
a. The EPIC project was an innovative initiative where teachers in well-performing urban
schools shared their practices via a Knowledge System (New Leaders for New Schools,
2011).
b. The program enhanced teachers' communication skills, encouraged collaboration and
made teachers connect instructional practice to learning outcomes.
c. The main strength of the project was that teachers learned new skills and instructional
approaches in an unmodified environment.
Main point: Reflection
Examples/Details/Explanations:
a. I would use the ideas to regularly reflect on and analyze my instructional strategies and
seek help from my peers and school leaders.
b. I would introspect to correct my cultural biases to become a culturally competent teacher.
