Culturally Responsive RTI Strategies University of Hawaii Manoa Center on Disability Studies Pac Rim 2009 Kiriko Takahashi Kati Corlew [email protected].

Culturally Culturally Responsive Responsive

RTI StrategiesRTI Strategies

University of Hawaii ManoaUniversity of Hawaii Manoa

Center on Disability StudiesCenter on Disability Studies

Pac Rim 2009Pac Rim 2009

Kiriko TakahashiKiriko Takahashi

Kati CorlewKati Corlew

[email protected]@gmail.com

NH cultu

re &

valu

es

Evidence based

strategiesCulturally Responsive

RTI

Background of the StudyBackground of the Study

Status of NH students in Hawaii SchoolsStatus of NH students in Hawaii Schools

1.1. Overrepresentation in SPEDOverrepresentation in SPED

2.2. Western and Non-Western Western and Non-Western incongruenceincongruence

3.3. Language issueLanguage issue

OverrepresentationOverrepresentation

In 2005, In 2005, 43% 43% of children of children receiving receiving special education special education services in Hawai‘i were services in Hawai‘i were Native HawaiianNative Hawaiian..

In Hawai‘i alternative In Hawai‘i alternative schools, schools, more than half more than half the the student student in SPED in SPED is is Hawaiian/Part-Hawaiian.Hawaiian/Part-Hawaiian.

Cultural incongruenceCultural incongruenceAcademic instruction is often Academic instruction is often

based on based on Western values Western values & & expectations & expectations & rarelyrarely considers NH considers NH culture culture as a means to support as a means to support learning. learning.

LackLack of of resources & teacher resources & teacher competence competence to address the to address the cultural cultural variables variables in in assessmentassessment procedures & procedures & instructionalinstructional supports. supports.

LanguageLanguage

Many Many NHNH students students speakspeak PidginPidgin as their first language as their first language and lack proficiency in and lack proficiency in standard Englishstandard English..

NH students do NH students do notnot receivereceive ESLESL services in schoolservices in school..

The Purpose of this ProjectThe Purpose of this Project

Infuse cultural values & activities with Infuse cultural values & activities with evidence base strategies to engage evidence base strategies to engage students.students.

Enhance ethnic pride for NH students. Enhance ethnic pride for NH students.

Enhanced engagementEnhanced engagement + Ethnic pride+ Ethnic pride

Positive view of school Positive view of school better rates of attendance, increased better rates of attendance, increased

participation, reduced students in SPED. participation, reduced students in SPED.

Culturally Responsive Culturally Responsive means…means…

to to value, considervalue, consider, and , and integrateintegrate individuals’ individuals’ culture, language, heritage, culture, language, heritage, and and experiencesexperiences to lead and support their to lead and support their learning learning and development. Culturally and development. Culturally responsive educators responsive educators useuse their their understanding of the understanding of the experiences lived by experiences lived by studentsstudents in the design of in the design of instruction and instruction and interventions interventions (Boesch, 1996, Ladson-(Boesch, 1996, Ladson-Billings, 1992). Billings, 1992).

Year 1 GoalsYear 1 Goals

Establish rapport with piloting Establish rapport with piloting schools.schools.

Kua O Ka La Public Charter Schools, Kua O Ka La Public Charter Schools, King Intermediate, and Castle High King Intermediate, and Castle High SchoolSchool

Identify NH cultural values and Identify NH cultural values and activities.activities.

Identify evidence based strategies for Identify evidence based strategies for reading and mathematics.reading and mathematics.

Native Hawaiian Values & Native Hawaiian Values & TeachingTeaching

Creating Creating OhanaOhana atmosphere. atmosphere.

AlohaAloha to each student. to each student.

Chanting to build cultural pride and Chanting to build cultural pride and knowledge.knowledge.

Talk storyTalk story..

KukakukaKukakuka - mediate student disputes and - mediate student disputes and teach students to mediate each others’ teach students to mediate each others’ disputes.disputes.

Food to show sharing.Food to show sharing.

Believe in them (Believe in them (alakai, kuleanaalakai, kuleana).).

Working in groups (3-4 students), Working in groups (3-4 students), encouraging encouraging LokahiLokahi..

Creating student Creating student ownershipownership. Having dialogues . Having dialogues with students about what works and what with students about what works and what does not work in class.does not work in class.

Treating students as individuals and being Treating students as individuals and being respectful and fair. “respectful and fair. “Being realBeing real.”.”

Teaching by and through examples Teaching by and through examples creating relevance creating relevance add cultural component add cultural component to the lesson so the lessons are not to the lesson so the lessons are not disconnected from what students already disconnected from what students already know. know.

Pre-survey ResultsPre-survey Results

Teachers and Professional DevelopmentTeachers and Professional Development

They had 13.91 years of teaching They had 13.91 years of teaching experiences on average. experiences on average.

18% of them were Native Hawaiians (NH18% of them were Native Hawaiians (NH11.5% of them had professional 11.5% of them had professional

development (PD) on Response To development (PD) on Response To Intervention (RTI)Intervention (RTI)

26.9% of them had PD on Culturally 26.9% of them had PD on Culturally Relevant Teaching (CRT)Relevant Teaching (CRT)

13.2% of them had both PD on RTI and 13.2% of them had both PD on RTI and CRT. CRT.

The The PDPD experience on CRT/RTI experience on CRT/RTI significantly influenced significantly influenced their their understandingunderstanding level of CRT or level of CRT or RTI. However, their PD RTI. However, their PD experience experience didn’t affect didn’t affect their their current current use use of CRT or RTI. of CRT or RTI.

Pre-survey results Pre-survey results continuedcontinued

Average % of NH students in a class = 48.89% Average % of NH students in a class = 48.89%

Average % of SPED students in a class = Average % of SPED students in a class = 26.75%26.75%

In the classes taught by the 6 SPED teachers, In the classes taught by the 6 SPED teachers, 61.3% of their students were NH students on 61.3% of their students were NH students on average. average.

In the reading classes highly populated by SPED In the reading classes highly populated by SPED students, 82.5% of the students were NH.students, 82.5% of the students were NH.

Factors Affecting Student Factors Affecting Student LearningLearning

1.1.Family Family SupportSupport

2.2.Attendance Attendance

3.3.EngagementEngagement

Engagement and cultural Engagement and cultural relevance, two main topics of relevance, two main topics of RTI and CRT, were marked 3RTI and CRT, were marked 3rdrd and 6and 6thth ranks; we ranks; we need to need to enhance teachers’ personal enhance teachers’ personal value of cultural relevance value of cultural relevance as as a means to improve student a means to improve student learning. learning.

NH ValuesNH Values

By teachers’ ethnicity (NH or non NH), By teachers’ ethnicity (NH or non NH), they were they were no significant difference no significant difference in in their perception of important NH their perception of important NH values important to enhance student values important to enhance student learning. learning.

PonoPono

KuleanaKuleana

LaulimaLaulima

How Do Teachers Determine How Do Teachers Determine Students Need Additional Students Need Additional

Support/ServiceSupport/Service

1.1. BehaviorBehavior

2.2. Class PerformanceClass Performance

3.3. AttendanceAttendance

4.4. GradeGrade

5.5. AssignmentAssignment

6.6. EngagementEngagement

Strategies Used For Students Who Need Strategies Used For Students Who Need Additional Support/Services Additional Support/Services

1.1. Contact ParentsContact Parents

2.2. Contact CounselorContact Counselor

3.3. Contact StudentContact Student

4.4. TutoringTutoring

5.5. Adjusted InstructionAdjusted Instruction