Pedagogical Multicultural Communities in Teacher Preparation

Abstract

The study Pedagogical Multicultural Communities in Teacher Preparation analyses the beliefs held by teachers regarding the teaching of culturally and linguistically diverse learners.   The results will show that linguistic diversity can be managed by means of inclusive practices and that this is related with the beliefs held by teachers about cultural diversity and language teaching. Classrooms in New York City and South Africa are characterized by a wide variety of cultural and linguistic differences, providing teachers with educational challenges.  This study evaluated teachers’ perspectives on this framework using surveys, interviews and videos with purposefully selected teachers from a mixture of schools in Pretoria and New York City. The results of the study will reflect the important roles that language and culture play in a global society of understanding diversity much needed to support learning in linguistically diverse schools. Participants highlight the challenges that teachers in schools face in diverse linguistic classrooms and how multiculturalism can be used to enhance such classrooms