TITLE:  Ethnic Matching Theory Centralized in Ethnic Studies

ABSTRACT:  Most Latinx high school students in the U.S. experience predominantly white instructors along with predominantly Eurocentric curriculum and pedagogy. This extensive literature review sets out to determine the key advantages for cultural development and academic attainment through Ethnic Studies and Ethnic Matching Theory. Ethnic Matching Theory sets to alleviate the insufficient use of cultural knowledge and the lack of building cultural identity in the classroom. The literature informs of the use of Ethnic Studies imparted to students of color. There is specific attention to Latinx/Chicano/MAS studies for Latinx students as part of this extensive literature review. Ethnic Studies courses specifically Chicano Studies taught by Latinx instructors allows students to better perceive their role in academic institutions, grow cultural and academic identities and find connections between lived experiences and scholarship. Using 75 peer reviewed articles 3 dissertations and 5 scholarly books, findings from this review establish that Ethnic Studies are essential to schools because they demonstrate to youth of color, including Latinx students as well as teachers of color how to resist and endure a school environment that is unwelcoming and unsupportive, create a caring academic environment, and develop students critical consciousness. The research done in this extensive literary review emphasizes the need for more Ethnic Studies high school courses taught by teachers of color.

Completed:  October 2020