Equality Awareness inTeacher Education and Training in Northern Ireland

Abstract

In the tender for this project, the Equality Commission outlined evidence which shows that many teachers within Northern Ireland have an under-appreciation of equality issues as they relate to pupils’ learning and their own practice within classrooms. Such research evidence also suggests that teachers have had little exposure to these issues in either their initial teacher training or their continuing professional development. This differential exposure to equality issues thus ensures an imbalance and, in most cases, a continued lack of understanding of the impact of equality issues on teachers’ own practice and professional development and thereby on the educational achievement of their pupils. The present study attempts to investigate these themes further and to gauge the extent of awareness and prioritisation of equality issues in teacher education and training in Northern Ireland. The research team was asked to establish the level of awareness of equality issues in relation to the content and delivery of teacher education and training policy, beyond Northern Ireland. This includes and prioritises equality issues in teacher education and training. This desk study collated and analysed currently published materials from other jurisdictions outside Northern Ireland.