Enabling pre-service teachers to cater for the needs of multilingual learners has become a central aim in teacher education curricula in various national and local contexts (cf. Wernicke et al. 2021). While relevant components of programmes that provide students with the opportunity to engage with topics such as linguistic diversity in the classroom have, historically, existed as optional classes, in Germany (and beyond) tendencies can be observed to make such modules obligatory for all pre-service teachers. Studies that evaluate professionalisation processes of pre-service teachers in such classes or modules with regard to their affective-motivational competence development oftentimes provide inconsistent results with respect to future teachers' beliefs towards linguistically diverse classrooms (cf. Haukås 2016, Schroedler & Fischer 2020). In the light of current debates in the field of diversity components in teacher education, the question arises whether there is any chance to strengthen and focus the way multilingualism is featured. Furthermore, the emergence of inclusion of learners with special educational needs as an additional cross-sectional dimension of diversity requires the renovation of curricula and reinforces the discussion of ascribed and accepted responsibilities for mediating multilingualism and inclusion in schools (Pfaff & Cantone 2021).
The present paper addresses some core challenges concerning the issues outlined above. Following a brief introduction of the history and development of relevant curricular components in the teacher education programme at a German university that lies in a linguistically diverse region, we discuss findings from empirical studies on (future) teachers' beliefs and knowledge about multilingualism (Maak & Ricart Brede 2019) as well as underlying concepts such as habitual orientations that determine practical action and dealing with multilingualism in inclusive school settings. We claim there are two challenges in many current curricula in teacher education: First, only looking at (individual) multilingualism leads to a narrow view of linguistic diversity; and second, a holistic approach might be too broad as it may lead to a lack of focus on the target group's specific needs. We finally critically discuss the contents required in such curricula and suggest a multidisciplinary approach to diversity (cf. Grosche & Fleischauer 2017).
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Haukås, Å. (2016). Teachers' beliefs about multilingualism and a multilingual pedagogical approach. International Journal of Multilingualism, 13(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2015.1041960
Maak, D. & Ricart Brede, J. (eds.), 2019, Wissen, Können, Wollen – sollen?! (Angehende) LehrerInnen und äußere Mehrsprachigkeit, Waxmann, Münster.
Pfaff, N. & Cantone, K.F. (2021) Mehrsprachigkeit und schulische Inklusion in der Professionalisierung von Lehrkräften – interdisziplinäre Zugänge. Kölner Online Journal für Lehrer*innenbildung, 3(1).
Schroedler, T. & Fischer, N. (2020). The role of beliefs in teacher professionalisation for multilingual classroom settings. European Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(1), 49–72.
Wernicke, M., Hammer, S., Hansen, A. & Schroedler, T. (eds.). (2021). Preparing Teachers to work with multilingual learners. Multilingual Matters, Bristol.
