A Culturally Responsive Pedagogy as a Case for Curriculum Relevance

Bulelwa Makena ORCID iD & Dineo Mamaile ORCID iD 

Issue: Vol.6 No.14 Article 60 pp. 4215 – 4224
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561460| Published online 30th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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The purpose of this study was to investigate how Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) can enhance curriculum relevance in higher education, particularly within culturally and linguistically diverse contexts. CRP is recognised for its emphasis on valuing learners’ cultural identities and lived experiences, and this study examined its potential to foster inclusivity and engagement. A qualitative case study design was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews with five purposively selected lecturers teaching across various enrolment levels and programmes at a rural university in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The open-ended format of the interviews enabled the capture of pedagogical adaptations and reflections on the integration of learners’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds into classroom practice. Findings revealed two dominant themes: (i) lecturers’ ability to reflect and incorporate learners’ cultural realities into their teaching, and (ii) the fostering of supportive, inclusive learning communities that promote belonging and participation. These results affirm the transformative potential of CRP in bridging the gap between curriculum content and students’ cultural contexts. The discussion highlights the importance of professional development and institutional support for embedding CRP, while recommendations include curriculum reforms that prioritise cultural inclusivity and further research into scaling CRP across disciplines and institutions. The study contributes to scholarship by advancing CRP as a viable pedagogical framework for curriculum transformation in South Africa. It underscores the need for culturally inclusive teaching practices to enhance curriculum relevance, support equity, and strengthen higher education’s role in social transformation.

Keywords: Equity, Diversity, Pedagogy, Curriculum, Cultural.

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Bulelwa Makena is an Associate Professor of Language Education and has served as a member of the Faculty of Education Higher Degrees and Ethics Committee at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. She is a self-motivated, achievement-oriented, lateral thinker and a doer. She is an author who has managed to publish scientific papers, all on DHET-accredited platforms. She serves as a reviewer for manuscripts published by DHET-accredited journals. She is also a session chair in both national and international conferences, supervising post-graduate students to the finality of their research projects/graduation, and a mentor for mentees who successfully publish articles. Engaging in these activities has gradually sharpened her research and paper writing skills. As charity begins at home, it is worth mentioning that mentoring colleagues within her department has also benefited the departmental and faculty throughput.

Dineo Mamaile, as an emerging scholar and a Lecturer at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa, has engaged with a wide range of scholars through the conferences attended. Publishing in research-accredited platforms has instilled in her that sense of eagerness to collaborate and co-author with scholars from diverse disciplines. This has helped to reshape her scholarly mindset, and with the information she has already gathered, she applies such expertise to the BEd Hons students whom she supervises. Engaging in the processes of supervising their research projects also enhances her research skills. Being institutionally recognised through receiving an award as an outstanding scholar for the identified category has been motivation enough to consistently engage in research-related activities.

Makena, Bulelwa, and  Dineo Mamaile. “A Culturally Responsive Pedagogy as a Case for Curriculum Relevance.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 14 (2025): 4215 – 4224, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561460.

© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).