Teaching the culturally and linguistically diverse student: an interpretative phenomenological analysis exploring elementary school teachers' experiences with arts-enhanced culturally relevant pedagogy.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20247766

The educational landscape is changing as increasing numbers of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students enter the public schools in the United States. Schools, traditionally structured to support the hegemonic, monocultural White culture have educators challenged to accommodate and support this population of students while trying to understand the complexities of students with such distinct needs (Kelly-McHale, 2013; Ladson-Billings, 1995). This qualitative study, an interpretative phenomenological analysis, explored the experiences of seven general education teacher-participants who teach in a public elementary school. These teachers enhanced their teaching practices by including the arts as a way to engage and motivate all students toward cultural relevancy. The findings indicated that the arts can enhance teaching practices that educate students from a perspective relative to and accepting of all cultures and benefits teachers and students alike by creating a culturally sensitive learning environment for all.