2.3. Cultural assumptions to foster inclusivity. Readings

Teachers' perceptions of students

Teachers' perceptions of students are shaped not only by observable behaviours and academic performance but also by implicit cultural stereotypes. These biases are often unintentional and can influence expectations regarding students' abilities and participation, particularly among learners from ethnic minority or immigrant backgrounds.

Lorenz (2021) found that teachers frequently hold lower initial expectations for students with migration backgrounds, particularly in subjects like mathematics and reading. These expectations can subtly shape teacher behaviour, such as how much support, challenge, or encouragement students receive. While some of these assumptions may adjust over time, early biases can contribute to self-fulfilling prophecies that affect students’ long-term academic trajectories.

While cultural background is a key factor in understanding bias, it is crucial to recognize that bias rarely operates along a single identity line. As Crenshaw (1989) first articulated, individuals’ experiences are shaped by the intersections of multiple identity markers – including not only ethnicity or language, but also gender, disability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, religion, and migration history. In higher education, this means that students do not experience culture in isolation; rather, their opportunities, challenges, and participation are mediated by overlapping systems of privilege and disadvantage (Collins & Bilge, 2020).

for example

A low-income, first-generation student from a minority ethnic background may simultaneously navigate linguistic and financial barriers that limit their engagement.
A student with a disability may confront ableist assumptions in addition to cultural misunderstandings.
Similarly, a female student from a patriarchal culture may feel tension between traditional expectations of modesty and the classroom’s demand for assertiveness, leading to misinterpretations of her confidence or academic engagement.
Such cases illustrate that ignoring these overlapping identities risks producing incomplete or misleading assumptions about learners’ behaviour, motivation, or performance – ultimately reinforcing stereotypes rather than dismantling them (Gay, 2010).

Key Concepts:

Stereotype-Based Expectations. lecturers may unconsciously assume that certain students–based on ethnicity, language, or cultural identity–are less capable, which can lower academic demands placed on them (Lorenz, 2021).
Differential Participation. Students who are subject to low expectations may participate less due to reduced teacher prompting, diminished confidence, or exclusion from advanced tasks. For example, a student from a Turkish or Arabic-speaking background in Germany is perceived as weaker in mathematics, leading the teacher to simplify instruction or avoid calling on them during problem-solving tasks.