Diverse children circle a globe with books, representing inclusive education.

Beyond Thanksgiving: 5 Steps to Culturally Relevant Education

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Reese Marlowe in Mind & Education October 2026 • 4 min read.

"Transform your teaching: A guide to inclusive text selection and integration for diverse classrooms."


Today's classrooms are increasingly diverse, yet many teachers still rely on traditional, Eurocentric curricula. This can leave many students feeling excluded and disengaged. Research shows that culturally responsive teaching, which uses students' cultural backgrounds and experiences to support learning, is a powerful way to address this issue and empower students intellectually, socially, and emotionally.

Despite the potential benefits, many educators feel unprepared to implement culturally responsive pedagogy. A common challenge is selecting appropriate texts that reflect the diversity of their students' lives. This article provides a practical, five-step guide to help teachers successfully select and integrate culturally relevant texts into their curriculum.

Through a case study approach, we'll follow Ms. Misoni, a third-grade teacher, as she transforms her traditional Thanksgiving literacy unit into a culturally inclusive experience for all her students. These steps are research-based and teacher-tested, offering a pathway to create a more equitable and engaging learning environment.

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Why Cultural Relevance Matters

Research published on August 21, 2023, examines how culturally relevant data can make statistics and data science more meaningful by connecting coursework with students' lived experiences. The approach draws on culturally relevant pedagogy from education and mathematics education. Related research reports that culturally relevant data methods can enhance engagement and understanding, particularly for students from historically marginalized groups.

Limits of Standardization

Culturally responsive pedagogy is presented as a framework for creating equitable and inclusive K-12 classrooms through appropriate strategies, approaches, and pedagogical tools. Its implementation is complicated by barriers that prevent many teachers from using culturally responsive and relevant practices. One 2026 analysis describes a growing tension between standardized testing and culturally relevant pedagogy, especially in schools serving immigrant and culturally diverse students, because test scores remain a primary measure of academic performance.

5 Steps to Culturally Relevant Text Selection and Integration

Diverse children circle a globe with books, representing inclusive education.

Ms. Misoni's journey highlights a structured approach to culturally responsive teaching. By intentionally adapting her lesson plans, she demonstrates how educators can create more inclusive and meaningful learning experiences. Here are the five key steps:

Step 1: Acknowledge the Need for Culturally Responsive Instruction: Start by recognizing the importance of representing diverse perspectives in the classroom. Examine your existing curriculum and identify areas where you can incorporate more culturally relevant materials. Ms. Misoni initially used 'Molly's Pilgrim,' but realized the need to broaden the narrative.

  • Recognize the predominantly Eurocentric narratives in traditional curricula.
  • Understand how these narratives may exclude or marginalize students from diverse backgrounds.
  • Commit to actively seeking out and incorporating diverse perspectives into your teaching.
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Research on Relevant Texts

Recent literature emphasizes that curriculum and instruction must adapt to the changing needs of culturally diverse classrooms. A practical guide for English learner programs states that culturally responsive pedagogy can positively affect students' academic outcomes while also highlighting the need for instructional adaptation. Sharma and Christ's 2017 article identifies five steps for successful culturally relevant text selection and integration, and related literature connects culturally relevant texts with English and literacy learning for English language learners.

Implementation Barriers

Research on culturally responsive teaching identifies challenges involving teacher perspectives, systemic barriers, limited resources, and effects on student outcomes. Reviews of inclusive education likewise describe resistance as an obstacle and argue that participatory approaches, culturally responsive advocacy, and consistent evidence of successful practice are needed. Another analysis highlights difficulties faced by educators, students, and policymakers when creating supportive environments for students with disabilities and special needs.

Related Teaching Frameworks

Inclusive teaching and learning, culturally responsive teaching, and culturally relevant pedagogy are presented as related but distinguishable approaches in the cited guidance and commentary. Comparative discussions emphasize that understanding the differences between culturally responsive and culturally relevant teaching can help educators create more inclusive and equitable learning environments. Other commentary argues that the approaches can also work together rather than being treated as mutually exclusive categories.

Step 2: Get to Know Your Students: Connect with your students and discover their backgrounds. Use reader interviews, personal projects, and class discussions to learn about their lives, families, and communities. This knowledge will guide your text selections and ensure they resonate with your students' experiences. Ms. Misoni used interviews and digital storytelling to understand her students' unique backgrounds.

Transforming Your Classroom

Ms. Misoni's experience underscores the transformative potential of these five steps. By actively seeking out and incorporating culturally relevant texts, educators can create classrooms where all students feel seen, valued, and empowered.

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Designing Inclusive Classrooms

A 2025 qualitative study investigates the principles and practices of culturally responsive teaching and notes that Hispanic students are among those more likely to be affected by current educational structures and teaching practices. A separate 2025 study observes that culturally responsive teaching and self-regulated learning offer principles for designing inclusive classrooms, although they approach the issue from different perspectives. Together, these sources frame culturally responsive education as both an examination of structural effects and a question of classroom design.

Change Beyond the Classroom

Culturally responsive teaching gives educators a way to use thoughtful, inclusive instruction to influence learners' lives beyond their time in the classroom. Northeastern's 2024 guidance describes the use of culturally responsive strategies as a step toward meaningful change in education. The source presents educators as having a distinctive capacity to shape students' futures through inclusive instructional choices.

Practice in Real Classrooms

Case studies from equitable educators across disciplines show how culturally responsive teaching can support diverse students' academic and social development in higher education. A 2022 case study examines instruction and co-teaching in an inclusive urban high school classroom where teachers sought to provide responsive and empowering instruction. A 2024 study also describes how educators can promote equity and social justice by valuing and respecting students' cultural identities.

This approach not only enriches the learning experience but also fosters a deeper understanding of different cultures and perspectives. It equips students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.

Take the first step today: reflect on your current curriculum, get to know your students, and begin exploring the wealth of culturally relevant texts available. By embracing these strategies, you can create a more equitable and engaging learning environment for all.

The 2017 article frames culturally relevant text integration as a response to growing diversity in U.S. schools and the importance of texts reflecting students’ identities and experiences.[1]

Another 2020 discussion reports that only 18 of 171 texts recommended by Common Core Standards were written by non-white authors, a separate curriculum representation measure that contextualizes the guide’s focus.[2]

A five-step text-integration guide for teachers

PopulationTeachers[1]
SettingU.S. schools[1]
Times cited53[1]

What the evidence around this guide leaves constrained

  • The reported count of non-white authors concerns a set of recommended texts, not all classroom materials or the effects of this guide.[2]

Questions a direct evaluation could address

  • Would teachers using the five-step process select different texts than teachers who do not use it?[1]
  • How consistently can teachers apply the process across settings with differing student populations and available texts?[1]

Sources

  1. Five Steps Toward Successful Culturally Relevant Text Selection and Integration (Wiley, 2017)
  2. PROGRAM DESIGN: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR CREATING EL PROGRAMS WITH A FOCUS ON SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT (2020)

About this Article -

Written with AI assistance from published research, and reviewed by the Mystum team. See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1002/trtr.1623, Alternate LINK

Title: Five Steps Toward Successful Culturally Relevant Text Selection And Integration

Subject: Pharmacology (medical)

Journal: The Reading Teacher

Publisher: Wiley

Authors: Sue Ann Sharma, Tanya Christ

Published: 2017-08-14

Everything You Need To Know

1

What is culturally responsive teaching and why is it important?

Culturally responsive teaching is an approach that leverages students' cultural backgrounds and experiences to enhance their learning. It is important because it addresses the issue of exclusion and disengagement often found in classrooms that rely on traditional, Eurocentric curricula. The implication is that by incorporating diverse perspectives, educators can empower students intellectually, socially, and emotionally, creating a more equitable learning environment.

2

What are the five steps for selecting culturally relevant texts and what is their significance?

The five steps are: 1. Acknowledge the Need for Culturally Responsive Instruction, which involves recognizing the importance of diverse perspectives and identifying areas for improvement in the curriculum. 2. Get to Know Your Students, which involves understanding students' backgrounds to inform text selections. These steps, when followed, help educators move beyond traditional themes and create meaningful learning experiences for all students. The implication is that by following these steps, educators can create classrooms where all students feel seen, valued, and empowered.

3

Why are traditional curricula often problematic?

Traditional curricula often rely on Eurocentric narratives, which can exclude or marginalize students from diverse backgrounds. This is significant because it can lead to students feeling disengaged and undervalued. By acknowledging this and actively seeking out diverse perspectives, educators can create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.

4

How did Ms. Misoni implement culturally responsive teaching?

Ms. Misoni, a third-grade teacher, transformed her Thanksgiving literacy unit to be culturally inclusive. She started by acknowledging the need for change, recognizing the limitations of her existing curriculum and seeking to incorporate more diverse materials. She then got to know her students through interviews and digital storytelling, understanding their unique backgrounds to guide her text selections. The significance of Ms. Misoni's approach lies in her practical application of the five steps, demonstrating how educators can create more inclusive and meaningful learning experiences by intentionally adapting lesson plans.

5

What does it mean to 'Get to Know Your Students' and why is it important?

Getting to know your students involves connecting with them and discovering their backgrounds through methods such as reader interviews, personal projects, and class discussions. This is crucial because it provides educators with insights into students' lives, families, and communities, allowing them to select texts that resonate with their experiences. The implication of this step is that by understanding their students' backgrounds, educators can ensure that the chosen texts are relevant, engaging, and affirming, thereby fostering a deeper connection to the material and promoting a sense of belonging for all students.

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