How can Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Teacher Competence Advance Inclusive Education in Elementary Schools?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70376/64sv4q77Keywords:
culturally responsive pedagogy; teacher competence; inclusive education; elementary schools; systematic literature review.Abstract
Inclusive education calls for more than placing students with different learning needs in the same classroom. Teachers also need ways to recognize their students' cultural experiences and adapt instruction without compromising equitable participation. This systematic literature review examines the contributions of teacher competence and culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) to inclusive education in elementary schools. Following PRISMA 2020, searches of Scopus and Web of Science identified 300 records; 20 studies were retained for synthesis. Across the literature, teachers' professional knowledge, classroom management, inclusive attitudes, and ability to adapt instruction emerged as important dimensions of competence. CRP adds attention to students' languages, identities, family experiences, and cultural knowledge when planning lessons and interactions. Differentiated instruction offers one way of connecting these capacities to classroom participation, although its usefulness depends on how teachers respond to specific learning needs. School leadership, collaboration, resources, and sustained professional learning also shape what teachers can put into practice. Taken together, the literature supports treating professional competence and cultural responsiveness as complementary elements of inclusive teaching rather than as separate approaches.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Anna Isabela Sanam, Adiyono Adiyono, Ameh Timothy Ojochegbe (Author)
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