The economic, technological, and social effects of the contemporary globalization era have spurred new challenges in education and teacher preparation. As the tapestry of American society shifts and technology rapidly evolves, teachers and teacher educators are finding themselves faced with the pressing need to prepare students for a more tolerant…

It has become increasingly apparent that incorporating international stories into the classroom is beneficial for young students. The stories provide vicarious experiences from different countries that help nurture a more tolerant and accepting generation of students. Through reading these stories students gain empathy and understanding for other…

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the 2014-2015 academic year marked the turning point of a major shift in student demographics (Hussar & Bailey, 2013). For the first time, students of color (50.3%)--largely Asian and Hispanic students--outnumbered their White peers (49.7%) in public schools in the United States.…

The issue of diversity in U.S. K-12 schools requires significant training and experiences for preservice teachers to recognize the importance of students' socio-cultural, religious values, and the influence their cultural background have in their quest to succeed in their educational endeavors. This study provides significant information to…

In this article, the author points out that, in the last two decades, the make-up of the United States population has changed significantly. Specifically, non-White population is on the rise. In recognition of these changes, teacher multicultural education coursework usually addresses various issues dealing with race, gender, class, religion, and…

This collaborative action research study describes the results of how pre-service teachers at three institutions of higher learning construed three pre-colonial West African folktales that portrayed the villain or trickster in a heroic manner. Folktales represent common forms of literature that are used in the classroom as conscience stories to…

As with all levels of education, secondary level classrooms, typically from grades fifth or sixth to grade twelve, are increasingly becoming more diverse as the population of students changes in the Unites States. Pre-service mid-level or secondary level educators need increased training on how they can best teach in a multicultural setting to…

The purpose of this article is to describe ways that teacher educators can encourage future teachers to address lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) issues in their own classrooms. The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network's ThinkB4YouSpeak Educator's Guide served as the framework for the activities that the author has implemented in…

One of the major challenges in preparing pre-service teachers for the 21st-century classroom, as well as for an increasingly competitive job market, is providing the necessary skills and background to effectively educate diverse populations of students (Sleeter, 2001). Multicultural education courses are a staple in teacher preparation programs,…

The purpose of this study was to explore how critical and reflective thinking about race and culture evolved and manifested in online threaded discussions among pre-service teachers during a required Multicultural Education course. Because of the ubiquitous presence of computer-mediated forms of communication, research has increased in recent…

The U.S. Census Bureau (2009) reports that over 50% of school-age children will be other than non-Hispanic Caucasians by 2023. In an effort to help meet the imperative need for preservice teachers who are well prepared to work with these students from diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as for teacher education programs to more fully…

The purpose of this article is to show how pre-service teachers utilized autobiographical inquiry in a multicultural education course to reflect on what they learned about themselves and the teaching of culturally and linguistically diverse students while they served as tutors for English Learners (ELs) in a semester-long field experience in…

As they begin their teaching careers, many new teachers have never attended school with, or lived in neighborhoods with, people of color. About 84% of the nation's teachers are White (U.S. Department of Education, 2009), and are often from middle-class backgrounds, while only a little more than half of U.S. public school students are White. The…

While it is clear that culturally and linguistically diverse students have the greatest need for quality instructional programs, many researchers argue that they are less likely to be taught with the most effective evidence-based instruction. Banks (2002) contends that the challenges facing educators in meeting the needs of multicultural students…

In this article, the authors describe qualitative research conducted in the large and diverse states of California and Texas that examine the beliefs and experiences of preservice teachers in relation to issues of cultural and linguistic diversity and education. In this research, the authors found that even within teacher preparation programs,…