‘Inching’ towards interculturalism: ambiguities and tensions in teachers’ ideologies and practices in the context of Cyprus

ABSTRACT

This research examines teachers’ conceptualisations of diversity and intercultural education. It also investigates the teaching approaches adopted by teachers within their culturally diverse classrooms. More specifically, the current project investigates the following research questions: how do teachers define and understand the concept of intercultural education; what practices do they adopt (or not) to promote intercultural education in their classrooms; what barriers do they perceive in their efforts to teach in more intercultural ways; what are their suggestions for implementing intercultural education in more successful ways? Observations and interviews took place with twenty teachers from ten schools in Cyprus. Our data shows that two ideological positions co-existed in teachers’ discourses, namely: the monocultural approach (cultural-deficiency perspective), and the multicultural approach (cultural-celebratory perspective). We also examined how the ambiguities and contradictions in teachers’ ideologies influenced their teaching and practices. In their daily routines, teachers seemed to adopt a teaching-as-usual approach, while occasionally engaging in ‘intercultural moments’, which included their rare attempts to differentiate or add cultural content to their teaching.

KEYWORDS:

• Intercultural education
• cultural diversity
• teaching
• Cyprus education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. ‘Coloured’ is the term that was used by the interviewee. It is notable that in Cyprus there is no legally-binding official terminology regarding Black Africans.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christina Hajisoteriou

Dr Christina Hajisoteriou is currently an assistant professor of intercultural education at the University of Nicosia. Her interest in the EU educational agenda falls in the field of intercultural education, inclusion, collaborative inquiry, school leadership, and European citizenship. She has therefore gained the expertise not only to conduct theoretically informed empirical research but also to work in interdisciplinary environments. Her publications fall in the field of the inclusion, school leadership, and teacher practices with regards to intercultural education.

Panayiotis Angelides

Panayiotis Angelides is professor and the dean of the school of education at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. Previously he served as an elementary school teacher. His research interests are focused on finding links between inclusive education, teacher development and school improvement. A particular feature of this research is to develop collaborative approaches that have a direct and immediate impact on teachers’ practice. He is an experienced researcher with involvement in many local and international projects.  His latest book is entitled Pedagogies of Inclusion.