Who Will Teach Culture in Schools When It Is Needed Most in Foundational Literacy?

"Literacy and culture are inseparable; one gives students the tools to read the world, while the other gives them the context to understand it. Together, they create a pathway for empowerment, identity, and lifelong learning."

Foundational literacy is the cornerstone of academic success. It provides students with the skills to decode, comprehend, and engage with the world through reading. Yet, for many marginalized students, foundational literacy is hindered by an education system that often ignores the critical role of culture in cognitive processing.

Cultural understanding is not merely an enhancement to literacy education—it is essential. It creates the framework through which students connect with texts, process ideas, and find relevance in what they learn. But in classrooms where teachers often lack cultural knowledge, and where representation is disproportionately low, the question looms: Who will teach culture in schools when it is needed most in foundational literacy?

The Intersection of Culture and Literacy

Cultural knowledge is a fundamental building block for literacy. It provides the scaffolding students need to process new information and internalize literacy skills. Research has shown that culturally relevant teaching not only increases student engagement but also improves reading comprehension. For example, a 2017 study in Educational Researcher found that students who read texts connected to their cultural heritage were 30% more likely to retain and apply the skills they learned. This demonstrates that culture is not a “bonus” to teaching—it is integral to cognitive development.

In classrooms dominated by phonics drills and isolated skill-building exercises, the absence of cultural context can disengage students. Without these connections, foundational literacy becomes a mechanical task, disconnected from the rich, meaningful experiences that foster true understanding.

Workshops That Leave Gaps

Many school districts provide workshops on culture, but teachers often leave without a clear understanding of how to implement cultural knowledge into their content, especially in literacy, where it is needed most. Teachers return to their classrooms armed with good intentions but struggle to integrate what they’ve learned into daily instruction. The question remains: How can educators bridge the gap between professional development and classroom application?

Representation Gaps in the Classroom

The underrepresentation of teachers of color in U.S. public schools exacerbates this issue. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), during the 2020–2021 school year, Black students constituted approximately 15% of the student population, but Black teachers made up only 6% of the teaching workforce (Pew Research Center). White teachers, meanwhile, accounted for 80% of educators.

This disparity means many Black students will go through their entire K–12 education without having a single teacher who shares their cultural background. While White teachers often express a desire to connect with their students, many lack the training, resources, or confidence to integrate culturally responsive practices into their literacy instruction.

One White teacher put it candidly: “I love all my students. I want them to know about their culture, but how can I manage phonics and culture at the same time?” Her question highlights a systemic issue: most teacher preparation programs and professional development initiatives do not adequately prepare educators to balance the technical demands of literacy instruction with the cultural needs of their students.

The Role of Culture in Foundational Literacy

1. Cognitive Processing Cultural knowledge provides the mental framework for decoding and understanding texts. Students learn best when they can connect new information to familiar contexts. For example, using stories, names, or scenarios that reflect students’ lived experiences can make literacy lessons more relatable and effective.
2. Engagement and Motivation Students are more motivated when they see themselves reflected in the curriculum. A 2019 study in The Journal of Educational Psychology found that representation in educational materials significantly increased student engagement, particularly among marginalized groups.
3. Critical Thinking and Social Awareness Culturally responsive teaching fosters critical thinking by exposing students to diverse perspectives. By engaging with texts that challenge dominant narratives, students develop the ability to question assumptions and analyze information critically.

Real-World Example: A Success Story

At Dr. R. Faulkner Charter School, where I served as Curriculum Director, an unexpected challenge arose when the third-grade teacher quit mid-year. This left an entire class without a teacher, and with my administrative duties already demanding, I decided to step in and teach the class while continuing my leadership responsibilities. The stakes were high: three-fourths of the students were reading below grade level, and in just five months, they would have to take the critical third-grade IREAD test.

The IREAD test evaluates students in three sections: Foundational Skills and Comprehension, Narrative, and Informative Reading. To meet this challenge, I knew traditional methods alone wouldn’t be enough. Instead, I embedded culture into the reading curriculum. By integrating culturally relevant texts, stories, and examples that resonated with the students’ backgrounds, I aimed to not only teach the technical aspects of literacy but also engage their identities, experiences, and cognitive frameworks.

I remember one student, a quiet boy named Jamal, who had struggled to connect with the material all year. When we read a narrative about a young hero standing up for his community—something Jamal had seen in his own family—his eyes lit up with recognition. That connection sparked a transformation, and his confidence in reading grew daily.

The results were extraordinary. At the end of the five months, 100% of the students passed the IREAD test, with none needing remediation or retention. This achievement demonstrated not only the potential of the students but also the transformative power of integrating culture into foundational literacy instruction.

Teaching Culture Through Literacy: An Example

Culture and literacy must go hand in hand. Here’s an example of how they can be taught together through phonological awareness:

Activity: “Rhythms of Our Language”

Objective: Help students develop phonological awareness while incorporating cultural relevance.

• Step 1: Introduce a culturally relevant poem, song, or chant (e.g., a traditional African American spiritual or a lullaby from a student’s heritage).
• Step 2: Discuss the cultural significance of the piece.
• Step 3: Use the rhythm to teach syllables, rhymes, and sounds. Break down words (e.g., “free-dom”) into phonemes and syllables.
• Step 4: Encourage students to connect the piece to their own family traditions and create their own rhythmic verses.

Who Will Teach Culture?

The responsibility to teach culture in foundational literacy cannot rest solely on teachers of color. It requires systemic change and collective action.

1. Diversify the Teaching Workforce Recruiting and retaining teachers of color must be a top priority.
2. Train All Teachers in Cultural Competency Professional development must offer actionable strategies for integrating culture into literacy instruction.
3. Transform Curricula Schools must integrate diverse voices and perspectives into their literacy materials.
4. Partner with Families and Communities Parents and local leaders can bring authentic cultural knowledge into the classroom.
5. Empower Administrators to Lead Change Leaders must make culturally responsive teaching a priority in every school.

The Cost of Inaction

Failing to integrate culture into foundational literacy has far-reaching consequences, including lower literacy rates, disengagement, and perpetuating systemic inequities.

A Call to Action

The success at Dr. R. Faulkner Charter School proves that when culture and literacy are integrated, the results are transformative. Workshops alone are insufficient if they fail to provide actionable strategies. Teachers need tools, support, and resources to bring culturally responsive practices into their classrooms.

By weaving culture into every aspect of literacy instruction, we can ensure that every student feels valued and equipped to succeed. Let’s build classrooms where phonics and culture work hand in hand to create confident, capable readers. The future of education—and the success of every child—depends on it.

Sources

1. National Center for Education Statistics. (2020–2021). Characteristics of Public School Teachers. Retrieved from nces.ed.gov .
2. Pew Research Center. (2021). Key Facts About Public School Teachers in the U.S. Retrieved from pewresearch.org .
3. Ladson-Billings, Gloria. (1995). "Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy." American Educational Research Journal, 32(3), 465–491.
4. Educational Researcher. (2017). Culturally Relevant Teaching Practices in Literacy Development. Retrieved from educationalresearcher.org .
5. The Journal of Educational Psychology. (2019). Representation and Student Engagement. Retrieved from apa.org .