forbidden words: culturally responsive

culturally adv.: 1 in a way that relates to the habits, traditions, and beliefs of a society:

• a culturally diverse society
• Our community clinic services are culturally sensitive.

2 in a way that relates to music, art, theater, literature, etc.:

• He believed London was no longer the world’s most culturally exciting city.
• Culturally vibrant, Leipzig defines itself as a “city of music.”

from – culturally. (2025).

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responsive adj. You weren’t responsive enough at the interview. If we are not responsive to beauty, we will miss a lot in life:  reactive, sharp, quick to answer, alive, awake; susceptible, impressionable, sensitive, sympathetic, compassionate, understanding, aware of.
Ant. unresponsive, apathetic, silent; slow to respond; impassive, dead, insensitive, unsympathetic.

from – Family Word Finder: Reader’s Digest. The Reader’s Digest Association, 1975.

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culturally responsive: recognizing and valuing diverse cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences, and adapting interactions and practices accordingly. It involves acknowledging that cultural differences are normal and valuable, and it requires openness to new ideas and a willingness to learn from others. In an educational setting, this means teachers use students’ cultural references and experiences to make learning more meaningful and engaging. 

Here’s a more detailed breakdown with examples:

Core Principles of Cultural Responsiveness:

• Respect for Diversity:
  Recognizing and valuing the differences in cultural backgrounds, beliefs, values, and experiences of individuals and groups. 
• Openness to New Ideas:
  Being willing to learn about and understand different perspectives, even if they differ from one’s own. 
• Self-Awareness:
  Understanding one’s own cultural biases and assumptions to better interact with others. 
• Adaptability:
  Adjusting one’s approach or behavior to be more effective and respectful in diverse cultural contexts. 

Examples in Different Contexts:

• Education:
  A teacher might use examples from different cultures in a math lesson to demonstrate the universal principles of math. They might also incorporate students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences into classroom discussions and activities. 
• Healthcare:
  A healthcare professional might use interpreters to communicate effectively with patients who speak different languages. They might also be aware of cultural differences in beliefs about health and illness. 
• Business:
  A workplace might implement policies that accommodate religious holidays or dietary restrictions. They might also provide training to employees on cultural sensitivity. 
• Everyday Life:
  An individual might be aware of cultural differences in communication styles and adjust their own communication accordingly. They might also seek out opportunities to learn about different cultures. 

In essence, culturally responsive practice is about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected, and where their cultural background is seen as a strength, not a barrier. 

from — Google Search. (n.d.).

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note: I have been focusing on definitions for forbidden words and phrases in dictionaries. I have two from the late 1960s and 1970s that I use because: 1. I own them; 2. I’m curious to see how language has evolved over my own lifetime; and, 3. I’m assuming many people working with Trump would also be most familiar with language from the mid-twentieth century.

My initial search begins with analogue dictionaries, ie., actual hand held books. If there is no definition in the books I currently own, or a definition needs further exploration, I turn to the internet.

When I look for definitions online, I try to find a source that is either from an online dictionary, or from an academic site. I found the most comprehensive definition of culturally responsive in one place through google’s definition. I try to avoid the google definition generally, but after much searching, settled on google.

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example sentences: culturally responsive

A number of authors, including Gay and Lipman, have identified characteristics of culturally responsive teaching. These characteristics are:

1. Validating and affirming: Culturally responsive teaching is validating and affirming because it acknowledges the strengths of students’ diverse heritages.
2. Comprehensive: Culturally responsive teaching is comprehensive because it uses “cultural resources to teach knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes”.
3. Multidimensional: Culturally responsive teaching encompasses many areas and applies multicultural theory to the classroom environment, teaching methods, and evaluation.
4. Liberating: Culturally responsive teachers liberate students.
5. Empowering: Culturally responsive teaching empower students, giving them opportunities to excel in the classroom and beyond.^[8] “Empowerment translates into academic competence, personal confidence, courage, and the will to act”.
6. Transformative: Culturally responsive teaching is transformative because educators and their students must often defy educational traditions and the status quo.

In the context of British university business schools, in 2013, Jabbar and Hardaker proposed a five-pillar framework that is designed to support academics in understanding the pertinent aspects of developing pedagogy for students from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds in UK higher education.

from — Wikipedia contributors. (2024, October 2). Culturally relevant teaching. Wikipedia.

April 28, 2025
Hudson Valley, New York

This is one of the words / combination of words you can’t say in the new Trump Administration. See a comprehensive list at the Forbidden Words Project.

image: blue © Holly Troy 4.2025