Institute for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching

The mission of the Institute for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching is to promote relevant research and develop academic resources for ELLs and diverse student populations via linguistically and culturally responsive teaching practices.

Purpose

Provide research‐based and practitioner‐oriented professional development services, tools, and resources for K‐12 systems and teacher education programs serving ELLs and diverse student populations.

Primary Functions for Institute

  1. Conduct quality professional development offerings leading to a completion/recognition process for individuals, schools, and districts in the area of linguistically and culturally responsive teaching for ELLs and diverse student populations. Individuals completing the series will be eligible to serve as future trainers for ICLRT in their own schools and districts.
  2. Refine and tailor the specific services, tools, and resources that form the crux of the professional development offering for teachers of ELLs and diverse student populations.
  3. Develop a set of single‐topic mini‐books, co‐published by ICLRT and Corwin Press, on specific aspects of ALD and culturally responsive teaching, as part of the overall resources available through the institute.
  4. Build and support the ICLRT organization, within the Department of Education and Child Development at Whittier College, with sufficient resources (sought internally and externally) to become a viable, sustainable institute.
  5. Collaborate with relevant organizations and institutions nationally, and within California, to promote research and share academic resources in the area of linguistically and culturally responsive teaching for ELLs and diverse student populations.

Advisory Board Members

  • Laurie Baccus, Ph.D., Whittier City School District
  • Linda Carstens, Ph.D., Retired School of Education, Stanford University
  • Martha Castellon, Ph.D., Stanford University's Understanding Language Center
  • Carlye Olsen, Ed.D., Whittier Union High School District
  • Charlene Rivera, Ph.D., GWU, Center for Equity and Excellence in Education
  • Shelly Spiegel‐Coleman, Californians Together
  • La Mont Terry, Ph.D., Occidental College
  • Yee Wan, Ed.D., Santa Clara County Office of Education