The importance of effective teacher education for diversity

Abstract

Increasingly multicultural societies have an impact on education and student achievement. One way to harness the benefits that diversity brings to schools and classrooms is to use the strength and flexibility of teachers – but for this to be effective teachers require appropriate support and training. This chapter presents the main rationale for effective teacher education for diversity. It outlines common challenges and benefits countries are experiencing in their education and training of teachers. It also summarises specific issues faced by teachers in the classroom. In addition to calling for more empirical research on the topic, this chapter seeks to highlight major gaps in our knowledge base. These include the importance of attracting and retaining diverse student teachers (and teachers), better articulating the links between initial and on-going teacher education, supporting lasting change in teacher beliefs and practices, and researching the preparation and practices of teacher educators themselves.