Teachers’ Experiences With LGBTQ+ Issues in Secondary Schools: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

Objective This study investigated teachers’ experiences with LGBTQ+ instruction as well as other school environment changes related to LGBTQ+ issues. It looked at teachers’ attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals, comfort levels with the topics and administrative support, self-perceived knowledge and teacher preparation, and supports and barriers to instruction. Lastly, the study investigated teachers’ in-service and pre-service training experiences. Design Using a sequential mixed methods approach, research began with qualitative inquiry, followed by quantitative assessment via self-administered paper surveys. Methods There were 11 in-depth participant interviews, and 94 surveys assessing teachers’ attitudes, comfort levels, self-perceived knowledge and preparation, and supports and barriers to LGBTQ+ topics. Results Data analysis revealed teachers’ school location and pre-service and in-service training experiences impacted comfort levels and self-perceived knowledge and preparation levels to teach these issues. Data also indicated that new teachers were the least comfortable with LGBTQ+ topics in the classroom and school environment. Conclusion Data demonstrated lack of LGBTQ+ teacher training, indicated need to support new Health Education professionals, and inadequate pre-service teacher training.

Conocimientos hacia la Homosexualidad y Homonegatividad Moderna en Estudiantes de Educación Universitarios

“…La ausencia de formación específica y conocimientos en materia LGB puede derivar en prejuicios y actitudes negativas que repercuten en la labor profesional (Riggs et al, 2011). Se evidencia un déficit formativo en materia DAS en los planes de estudio de aquellas disciplinas relacionadas con el ámbito educativo (Goldstein-Schultz, 2022;Lara-Garrido et al, 2021). Por un lado, este perfil profesional muestra una escasez de información y conocimientos para crear aulas más inclusivas y respetuosas con el colectivo LGB (Coulter et al, 2021).…”

The possibilities and potential of a pedagogical partnership between university and community-based initial teacher educators for LGBTQ+ specific inclusion and diversity

“…Typically, there have been ongoing challenges for initial teacher education (ITE) in how it educates and prepares student teachers for diversity in schools (Rowan et al, 2021), including marginalization or omission of a systematic focus on LGBTQ+ themes and issues in ITE (Goldstein-Schultz, 2020;Coulter et al, 2021;Maunsell et al, 2021;McBrien et al, 2022). While in general, this is an issue of international concern amongst many educational and other researchers, we deemed this especially concerning given the national policy and practice contexts in the Republic of Ireland within which student teachers undertake their professional placement and would later work, especially given the homogeneity of the Irish teaching profession with its "significant under-representation from a range of minority 10.3389/feduc.2022.913610 and/or socially disadvantaged groups" (Heinz et al, 2021, p. 2).…”