Biography-Driven Culturally Responsive Teaching

Socorro G. Herrera is professor of curriculum and instruction at The Kansas State University and executive director of the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual Advocacy (CIMA). Her books include Equity in School–Parent Partnerships, Accelerating Literacy for Diverse Learners, and Crossing the Vocabulary Bridge. She received the 2022 AERA Division K Legacy Award.

• ContentsForeword Geneva Gay viiPreface: My Life, My Work ixAcknowledgments xvIntroduction 11 The Foundations of Biography-Driven Instruction 4The Influence of Politics on CLD Student Education 5Access Denied: Limiting Programs for CLD Learners 6What's Love Got to Do With It? Everything 8The Foundations of Biography-Driven Instruction 9Charting the Course Toward Liberatory Practices 9I Need You, and You Need Me: Learning as a Social Practice 12Teaching and Learning in the Third Space 14Research Into How the Brain Learns 14Making It Happen! How This Book Can Guide Next Steps 172 Biography-Driven Instruction 18Biopsychosocial History 19Confronting Our Reality: Invisible External and Internal Forces 20The CLD Student Biography 27The Sociocultural Dimension 27Reflections on the Sociocultural Dimension 333 Language of the Heart 35The Linguistic Dimension 35Reflections on the Linguistic Dimension 464 Culture-Driven Thought and Learning 47The Cognitive Dimension 47Reflections on the Cognitive Dimension 595 Academics: More Than a Test Score or Grade 60The Academic Dimension 60Reflections on the Academic Dimension 676 Biography-Driven Planning, Teaching, and Assessing 72Contextual and Situational Processes 72Contextual and Situational Teaching 75Biography-Driven Instruction: A Culturally Responsive Method 78Reflections on Valuing the Student in Teaching 927 Activation: A Canvas of Opportunity 93Socioculturally Speaking 94Transparency in Teaching 95Linguistically Speaking: How Vocabulary Fits Into the Picture 99Cognitively Speaking: Creating a Canvas of Opportunity for Disclosure 106Reflections on Activating What Students Know 1108 Connection: Navigating From the Known to the Unknown 112Transformative Comprehensible Input 113Activities Versus Strategies 117Navigating Socioemotional States of Mind 121Scaffolding From Student Words/Thoughts to New Learning 129Students Negotiate Meaning 133Reflections on Connecting Lessons to Our Students' Lives 1369 Affirmation: Evidence-Based Celebration of Linguistic and Academic Learning 137Emotion, Cognition, and Assessment 137Formative Assessment 140Learning Strategies as a Bridge to Summative Assessment 146Review, Rehearsal, and Retrieval 147Reflections on Affirming Student Learning Through Assessment 15110 Biography-Driven Pedagogical Action: Voices of Care, Hope, and Academic Achievement 153A Different Type of Agenda 154BDI and Research-Based Standards 154Action and Transformation: The Schoolwide Impact of BDI 158Voices From the Field 161Through the Eyes of a Student 167Final Reflections 168Glossary 177Appendices 181Appendix A: Critical Reflection Using the Reflection Wheel Journal 182Appendix B: CLD Student Biography Card: Template 184Appendix C: DOTS Strategy (Determine, Observe, Talk, Summarize) 185Appendix D: Mind Map 186Appendix E: Vocabulary Quilt 187Appendix F: Ignite, Discover, Extend, Affirm (IDEA) 188Appendix G: Thumb Challenge 189Appendix H: Uncover, Concentrate, Monitor, Evaluate (U-C-ME) 190Appendix I: Quick Guide to Biography-Driven Instructional Concepts 191List of Instructional Aids Available Online (tcpress.com) :Discussion Guide, Templates, Rubrics, and Checklist 192References 193Index 201About the Author 208