Define "culturally responsive teaching" in the context of ESOL.

Culturally responsive teaching is an educational framework that recognizes and values the cultural backgrounds of students in order to create a more effective and inclusive learning environment. By integrating students' cultural experiences, values, and perspectives into the teaching process, educators can enhance engagement and foster a sense of belonging among diverse learners.

This approach not only acknowledges the unique cultural identities that students bring to the classroom but also utilizes these identities as resources for learning, ultimately promoting academic success. In particular, for English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students, culturally responsive teaching can help bridge language barriers and validate students' experiences, which can improve both language acquisition and overall educational outcomes.

In contrast, the other options focus on ignoring or minimizing cultural differences, which undermines the very foundation of culturally responsive teaching. Such approaches would not address the diverse needs of students and could lead to disengagement and difficulties in learning.