This publication presents reasons why attention to culture and learning is important in schools. It examines the relationship between culture and learning, and discusses how conflicts between the culture of the home and that of the typical classroom hinder the educational process for many children. It reviews examples of culturally sensitive instructional practices and describes the considerations that teachers and administrators need to take into account as they attempt to meet the needs of a student population that is growing more culturally diverse. The publication addresses the questions and issues of cultural diversity in the classroom through a review of the literature on cultural differences and their impact on learning and effective teaching. The research profiled here details ways that teachers can improve student learning by becoming aware of cultural differences and employing culturally sensitive instructional methods. The term "culture," as it is used in this book, refers to ways of being, knowing, and doing. The term, as used here, does not address what students learn because it is assumed that high standards are applied to all students; it examines how students learn, regardless of the subject or content area being taught. (WFA)