Creating Culturally Responsive and Evidence

Students with disabilities or who are at risk for disabilities, and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds typically receive disproportionately more negative consequences in schools, including office disciplinary referrals and referrals for special education evaluation. In an effort to decrease the overrepresentation of culturally, ethnically, and racially diverse students receiving punitive disciplinary practices and inaccurate referrals for special education services, it is imperative that teachers utilize evidence-based practices and create lessons that are culturally responsive to increase the likelihood that students are engaged in instruction and not in problem behaviors. This article outlines how teachers can develop lessons that implicitly or explicitly focus on culture and incorporate key evidence-based practices for working with challenging behavior. A lesson planning tool is provided to assist teachers in their efforts to be systematic in their incorporation of discussed practices in their instruction