Educating teachers to teach in culturally and linguistically heterogeneous classrooms
Dr. Mojca Peček and dr. Klara Skubic Ermenc

Summary:  The authors raise the question of the influence of the culturally and linguistically heterogeneous composition of classes in schools on the conception of teacher education. They begin with a synthetic presentation of the results of studies focused on the presence and characteristics of an intercultural conception of teacher education. They then discuss the intercultural competences of teachers. They show that the concept of the intercultural competences of teachers is, on the one hand, held to be a prevailing and self-evident discourse, while on the other it gives rise to criticism and questioning. Common to both discourses is a confrontation with fundamental dilemmas in the conception of teacher education that, again and again, leads to the question of the relationship between the knowledge that teachers need for their work, the skills they have to acquire and the attitude they are expected to cultivate towards their work and the mission of a teacher. It appears that when it comes to teachers’ capacity for work in culturally and linguistically heterogeneous classrooms, a key role is played by attitude, which can orient a teacher towards inclusive and intercultural teaching practices. Because of this, teacher education programmes are seeking methods of education that touch on the attitudes and values of (future) teacher. At the same time, however, reflection backed by theory must not be overlooked.

Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies is
published with support of Slovenian Research Agency.