Exploring Diversity in Preservice Teacher Education in Ireland

• In Event: 67.055 - Critical Reflection and Diversity: Prospective and In-Service Teacher Learning to Teach Diverse Students

Abstract

Objectives
The overall figures for ELL students at elementary (primary) level in Ireland is 8.6 percent (Department of Education & Skills, Ireland) in addition to migration from outside the EU account for 40.1% of total migration into Ireland. The challenge of teaching for diversity in Irish schools is thus a pressing one. Student teachers are historically more homogenous than the general student population attracting a cohort of typically middle class, White, predominantly female students. Therefore, issues of diversity extend beyond the practicality of language teaching and student preparedness to teach, to one of students adopting an inclusive stance and preparedness for diversity perhaps as an issue of greater concern. The purpose of this paper is to explore student teachers’ understanding of diversity from a social justice perspective.

Theoretical Framework
In Ireland, the Equal Status Acts (2000-2015) identify nine grounds on which discrimination is prohibited which are gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (2018). According to Nieto & Bode (2012), social justice education comprises four components: First, it counters the stereotypes that result in inequality and discrimination based on the nine grounds as outlined above; Second, recognizes that students require the both practical and emotional supports, within a safe environment; Third, emphasizes that educators must celebrate differences that student bring to the classroom, embrace critical pedagogy and reject any notions of a deficit perspective that may be associated with marginalized students; Fourth, the promotion of critical thinking as an essential component to support agency and social change.

Methods
Qualitative methods (Lincoln and Guba, 1985) were employed to capture student teachers’ understandings of diversity both from their own experiences as students as well as their understanding of how diversity might be encountered in schools. The topic was explored as part of a creative module using participatory and process-based methods to surface key concerns for student teachers. A second phase of this work involved the students transferring both their learning and the creative process to classrooms characterized by highly diverse pupil profiles.

Data
Data was generated from observations of the students in their field experiences, and critical reflections that were generated by 10 of the students through eportfolios over the course of one semester. These units of reflection were further probed and validated by indepth interviews with 5 students at the end of year.

Results
Findings suggest that students were challenged by the experience and prompted to reflect critically and deeply about how they might address issues of diversity in their own future teaching. Key concerns that arose were issues of power, voice and agency as student teachers as they worked with cooperating teachers in the field, and how that might also be reflected in the experiences of pupils.

Significance
The work is relevant for teacher education in identifying triggers for student critical reflection through creative and transformative experience, the power of portfolios to capture such experiences, and the potential to influence prospective teachers’ future practice.

Author

• Regina M. Murphy, DCU Institute of Education