Kindergarten teachers’ way of experiencing teaching for ethnically diverse children: A phenomenographic study

Kindergarten teachers’ way of experiencing teaching for ethnically diverse children: A phenomenographic study

• Lam, Ho Cheong The Education University of Hong Kong

HKERA-APERA International Conference 2023 (2023: Hong Kong)

• M Teachers & Education for Teachers
  • ME Teachers' Responsibility, Professionalism & Discipline
• P Social Context of Education
  • PH Minorities & Education, Racial & Ethnic Factors

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education
• Post-Secondary Education

Internationally, there is a growing concern regarding insufficient preparation of the teachers in mainstream kindergartens to teach for ethnically diverse children. As teacher educators, we are concerned about how to facilitate kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong to improve their teaching. In this study, we adopt the research approach of phenomenography to investigate the research question of: What are the qualitatively different ways teachers experience teaching for ethnically diverse children? We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 26 in-service kindergarten teachers. Four ways of experiencing were identified. Teaching for ethnically diverse children can be experienced as: adjusting instruction (A), expanding modes of expression (B), exploring new possibilities (C), and embracing inclusion (D). We recommend teacher educators to discuss our results with teachers in professional development programmes, making them aware of alternatives and appropriate more advanced ways of experiencing. Moreover, our results also reveal the benefits ethnically diverse children bring to all children. Copyright © 2023 HKERA-APERA.

Paper presented at HKERA-APERA International Conference 2023, Hong Kong, China.

• English

Conference Papers

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/475121f8

2024-08-08