Teachers' Perspectives on Culturally Responsive Teaching in Multicultural Secondary Schools of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Keywords:
culturally responsive teaching, multicultural education, teacher perspectives, secondary schools, Kuala LumpurAbstract
This qualitative study explores secondary school teachers' perspectives on culturally responsive teaching (CRT) in the ethnically diverse educational landscape of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As Malaysian schools serve students from Malay, Chinese, Indian, and various indigenous backgrounds alongside growing immigrant populations, understanding how teachers conceptualize and practice culturally responsive pedagogy becomes crucial for educational equity and effectiveness. Employing interpretive phenomenological methodology, this research investigated the experiences, beliefs, and practices of 28 secondary school teachers across six national secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and classroom observations. Findings reveal that while teachers recognize cultural diversity's significance and express commitment to inclusive education, their understanding and implementation of culturally responsive teaching vary considerably, influenced by personal cultural backgrounds, professional preparation, institutional support, and perceived tensions between standardized curriculum requirements and responsive pedagogy. Teachers identified challenges including limited training in CRT approaches, time constraints within examination-focused systems, language complexities in multilingual contexts, and navigating sensitive cultural and religious differences. However, teachers also described meaningful practices including incorporating diverse cultural examples, building personal relationships with students, adapting communication styles, and creating inclusive classroom environments. These findings inform teacher education, professional development, and educational policy supporting culturally responsive practices in Malaysian multicultural contexts.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Aisyah Rahman, Farid Hakim, Nur Izzati Zainal
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