The Use of Culturally Responsive Teaching on EFL Students' Writing Performance
Keywords:
culturally responsive teaching, writing, EFLAbstract
The integration of students' cultural backgrounds into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing instruction remains underexplored in Pakistani higher education, despite persistent challenges in writing performance. This study addresses the gap by investigating how Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) is implemented in EFL writing classrooms and how it influences students' writing achievement. Employing a descriptive qualitative design, the research was conducted at a public university in Pakistan, involving 30 undergraduate students and one EFL writing instructor. Data were collected through classroom observations, writing tests, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The findings reveal that CRT was implemented through six key strategies: developing teacher cultural awareness, understanding student backgrounds, integrating local cultural content, using culturally aligned instructional strategies, building caring relationships, and employing inclusive assessments. Analysis of student writing samples demonstrated improvements in content development (mean increase of 28.6%), organization (22.4%), and voice expression (35.1%). Students produced more coherent, authentic, and culturally grounded narratives when writing prompts reflected their lived experiences. The study implies that CRT serves as an effective pedagogical framework for enhancing EFL writing by bridging cultural identity and academic expression. Recommendations include integrating CRT principles into teacher training programs and curriculum design.
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