Teaching Science Concepts Through Culturally Responsive to Benefit Learners

Abstract

The study aimed to teach the science curriculum in a culturally relevant way to benefit learners. Teachers utilise curriculum materials as mediating tools to facilitate their teaching practices. Frequently, these materials are designed to be universally applicable, accommodating all users within the curriculum. Teachers are required to culturally translate curriculum concepts to ensure responsiveness to their specific school environments. Recognising the importance of cultural adjustments is vital for every curriculum user, as each school community has a unique culture that may differ from that of others in broader society. This process enables teachers to contextualise their teaching within their cultural framework and adapt the frame of the community of practice. How do teachers adapt materials to teach science that benefit learners? What shift did teachers demonstrate after engaging in translating the CPDP? The study examined these questions to identify ways to assist science teachers in culturally translating scientific concepts to address the needs of their learners. The research employed observations, cultural practice analysis, brainstorming sessions, and reflective practices to identify effective strategies for supporting teachers. Findings revealed that science teachers within one Namibian circuit were largely unaware of how community knowledge could facilitate cultural translation. Teachers observed that their learners’ communities encompass numerous scientific phenomena that could be leveraged for this purpose.