Fostering Teachers’ Multicultural Competence for Chinese Ethnic Minority Education: An Analysis of Teacher Education Programmes, Syllabuses and Teacher Educator Perceptions

Abstract

The multicultural characteristics of students belonging to ethnic minorities in China pose challenges for teachers. Teacher competence in dealing with culturally diverse students has been extensively discussed in international scholarship and referenced by Chinese researchers, but there is limited empirical research on how teacher education programmes in China respond to this challenge and theoretical discussions. Based on content analysis on teacher education programmes and syllabuses, as well as expert interviews with four teacher educators at two teacher education institutions, this study investigates how the cultivation of multicultural competence is incorporated into teacher education programmes, and the external forces that shape it. Drawing on international scholarship on teachers’ multicultural competence and Cochran-Smith’s framework on external forces influencing multicultural teacher education practices, I argue that the cultivation of teachers’ multicultural competence for their future work in ethnic minority education is, to a great extent, missing from teacher education programmes. Furthermore, what pre-service teachers’ competence covers, and the external forces that influence how teacher education plays out in practice, are influenced and somewhat determined by the large social, economic and political context as well as the agenda for educational reform in China.

Defining and preparing for diversity teacherhood—Chinese Minzu (“ethnic”) teacher education as an example

“…4. Wang (2022) proposes systematic inclusion of multicultural competence training in teacher education programs in Minzu provinces.…”

“…Minzu education theories, such as “integrated multicultural education” proposed by Teng Xing (see Teng & Hsiung, 2021), are directly inspired by Fei's work. The aims of this approach promote common economic development, cultural heritage, intercultural communication, and the political equality of all Minzu groups and the ultimate realization of national unity (Teng & Hsiung, 2021; see Wang, 2022).…”

“…Some scholars have made suggestions as to how to strengthen this aspect of Minzu teacher preparation:Zheng (2012) suggests that teachers explore the preferred learning styles of Minzu students. Developing “multicultural” teaching strategies is deemed an important option.Zhang (2015) emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and creative thinking.Pu and Liu (2017) insist on creating a common sense of belonging by teachers and students learning from each other through cultural exchange.Wang (2022) proposes systematic inclusion of multicultural competence training in teacher education programs in Minzu provinces.…”

“…Few publications in English are available specifically on the way Minzu teacher education is organized (Wang, 2022 represents a recent exception). In autonomous regions of China, like the Qinghai Province, around 100 Minzu normal universities, normal colleges, or schools for teacher training have been established.…”

“…We focus here on a specific aspect of Chinese “unified pluralist education”: Minzu teacher education—an area of research that is underexplored. It is important to say that, at the end of 2017, there were 9.49 million full‐time teachers in Chinese basic education, among whom about 950,000 were full‐time Minzu teachers, mostly concentrated in Chinese Minzu regions (Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, 2017, see Wang, 2022).…”