What concept describes students' cultural knowledge and experiences that support learning?

• A. Deficits perspective.
• B. Linguistic relativism.
• C. Funds of knowledge.
• D. Cultural assimilation.

Answer: (C)

At heart, the idea is that students’ cultural knowledge and everyday experiences are resources that can support and deepen learning. Funds of knowledge is the term for recognizing the rich practical knowledge families and communities bring to schooling—things like problem-solving in daily life, storytelling traditions, language practices, and familiar routines. When teachers build lessons that connect to these assets, instruction becomes more relevant and accessible, and students see their own lives reflected in what they study.

This approach contrasts with viewing students through a deficits lens, which focuses on what students lack rather than what they bring. It also isn’t about linguistic relativism, which concerns how language shapes thought, nor about cultural assimilation, which pressures students to give up their backgrounds. Instead, funds of knowledge centers on leveraging students’ cultural resources to support learning.