Dutch In-Service Primary School Teachers’ Beliefs About Cultural Diversity and the Connection of These Beliefs to the Teachers’ Teaching Practices

Abstract

Dutch secondary school and university teachers found it challenging to extrapolate teaching practices from beliefs that they think it is essential to consider the cultural background of the students (e.g., Berlet et al., 2008; Wubbels et al., 2006). It is unknown if Dutch primary teachers have the same beliefs and experience the same problem. Therefore, this study investigates how in-service primary school teachers (from a dominant background in the Netherlands) explain the connection between their cultural diversity beliefs and their teaching practice? Nine interviews were held, and narratives were created to interpret the data to find overarching themes. Results showed that all teachers teach about cultural diversity and believe this is important. The relationship between the teachers’ beliefs about cultural diversity and their teaching practice differed among teachers. Six teachers believe that students and parents with a nondominant ethnic background should assimilate to the dominant culture. Besides that, eight teachers hold on to multicultural beliefs, and six express deficit thinking. Another finding was that three teachers did not always believe their teaching material was geared towards culturally sensitive teaching. Concluding, all teachers believe it is essential to teach about cultural diversity and try to teach in a culturally sensitive way.