Affective-sexual education in teacher training: the long road ahead in Spain

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study involved an analysis of the teaching guides for the subjects included in Spain’s primary education teaching degree programmes to determine if content on affective-sexual education was included. Mixed methods were employed to examine 132 teaching guides from 108 universities. The results revealed an abundance of subject areas in which some of the subject content had a focus on sexuality diversity, but specific courses or modules with a focus on the topic were scarce. Three key thematic areas were identified: family diversity, gender, and sexuality and gender diversity. Our quantitative analysis identified that sexuality related content was offered to a greater extent in universities that were publicly funded, non-religious in their affiliation, founded before 1980, and with more than 10,000 students currently enrolled. The main conclusion we reached is that primary education teachers in Spain are not adequately prepared to engage with gender and sexuality diversity in the classroom.