What Does a Culturally Inclusive Classroom Really Look Like?

When we talk about culturally inclusive classrooms, it’s important to remember that identity isn’t one-dimensional. It’s complex and layered—shaped by race, gender and gender identity, socio-economic status, sexual identity, ethnicity, religion, and more.

Building inclusive classrooms means rethinking some long-held habits and intentionally shifting our mindset. It’s less about adding one more thing and more about changing how we see and engage with students.

That shift often looks like this:

• Moving from viewing culture as a single story to understanding culture as lived experience
• Shifting from exclusive practices to inclusive engagement
• Replacing judging with curiosity and exploration

Respect at the Centre

At its heart, a culturally inclusive classroom is built on respect. It honours the knowledge students bring with them from their homes and communities—and treats that knowledge as an asset, not a barrier.

Some key practices make this visible every day.

Teaching That Responds to Students

Teachers in culturally inclusive classrooms take time to learn about each student’s known—their experiences, language, interests, and strengths. That knowledge becomes the foundation for instruction, allowing lessons to intentionally scaffold from the known to the new (Clay).

High expectations are non-negotiable. Teachers closely observe student progress and adjust their pedagogy when learning stalls, rather than lowering expectations.

Making Space for Student Voice

Inclusive classrooms create space for meaningful discussion. Students are invited to share their perspectives, listen respectfully to others, and explore topics that actually matter to them. When students feel heard, engagement deepens—and learning becomes more authentic.

Using Cultural Knowledge with Purpose

Cultural knowledge isn’t an add-on; it’s used intentionally. Community members are welcomed into classrooms to share their stories and experiences. Reading materials, interdisciplinary projects, and teacher read-alouds reflect students’ home communities while also offering windows into people and perspectives from around the world.

When classrooms reflect who students are—and who they are becoming—learning feels relevant, respectful, and real. That’s the power of a culturally inclusive classroom.

A culturally inclusive classroom recognises that identity is complex and multi layered and encompasses race, gender and gender identity, socio-economic status, sexual identity, ethnicity, and religion. As we build culturally inclusive classrooms we need to be mindful about shifting from:

– viewing culture as a single story to viewing culture as lived experience.

– exclusive practices to inclusive engagement.

– judging to exploring.

Culturally inclusive classrooms are built on respect. They value the knowledge students bring from their homes and communities. The key tenets of a culturally inclusive classroom include:

• Teachers adopt a student responsive pedagogy by taking time to learn about each student’s “known” and use this known as a foundation for lessons that are planned to scaffold from the known to the new.
• Teachers hold high expectations for each student, carefully observe progress and adjust the pedagogy when progress wanes.
• Teachers make space for discussions that value student voice and respectful listening. Discussion topics focus on what matters to students.

Cultural knowledge is used intentionally. Community members are invited to share their stories. Reading materials, multi subject projects, and teacher read-alouds reflect the home community, people, and perspectives from around the world.

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Beyond the Apple Discussion Guide: Building Culturally Inclusive Classrooms

Beyond the Apple Discussion Guide: Building Culturally Inclusive Classrooms Aligned to culturally responsive pedagogy & universal design for learning

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP)

• Values students’ cultural identities as assets
• Builds on students’ lived experiences and community knowledge
• Maintains high expectations while providing responsive support
• Emphasises student voice, critical thinking, and belonging

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

• Multiple means of engagement (why students learn)
• Multiple means of representation (how content is presented)
• Multiple means of action and expression (how students show learning)

What Is a Culturally Inclusive Classroom?

A culturally inclusive classroom recognises that identity is complex and multilayered—shaped by race, gender and gender identity, socio-economic status, sexual identity, ethnicity, religion, and more.

Aligned with CRP, inclusive classrooms:

• Treat culture as lived experience, not a single story
• Honour students’ home knowledge as instructional assets
• Replace deficit thinking with curiosity and exploration

Aligned with UDL, inclusive classrooms:

• Remove barriers to learning through flexible design
• Provide multiple entry points so all learners can engage meaningfully

At the centre is respect—for students, families, and communities.

Reflection & Discussion

1. Rethinking Culture

(CRP: Cultural competence | UDL: Engagement)

• When you hear culturally inclusive classroom, what comes to mind?
• Whose culture is most often reflected in your classroom environment and materials?
• Where might classroom practices unintentionally present culture as a “single story”?
• How are students’ lived experiences already visible in learning?

2. Responsive Teaching & High Expectations

(CRP: Academic success | UDL: Representation & Action)

Culturally responsive teachers build instruction from what students already know.

• How do you learn about students’ experiences, language, interests, and strengths?
• How does that knowledge shape lesson planning and instructional choices?
• When learning stalls, how do you adjust tasks, materials, or pedagogy—without lowering expectations?
• What do high expectations for all students look like in daily practice?

Optional reflection:
Identify one student and one cultural or personal asset that could be used more intentionally in instruction.

3. Student Voice, Materials, and Community

(CRP: Critical consciousness | UDL: Engagement & Expression)

• How do students share their voices and listen respectfully to others?
• Whose perspectives are represented in texts, examples, and tasks? Whose are missing?
• How are students offered multiple ways to express understanding?
• How might families or community members contribute knowledge or expertise?

Action Step

• What is one small shift you could make this week to increase inclusive engagement?
• Which CRP or UDL principle does this shift support?
• What support would help you sustain this practice?

Reminder

Culturally inclusive classrooms are not built all at once.
They grow through intentional reflection, responsive design, and action—grounded in respect and high expectations for every learner.