Student Teachers’ Diverse Knowledge and Experiences of Religion – Implications for Culturally Responsive Teaching

Abstract

This case study explores how 97 student teachers, at an English University, describe their knowledge and experiences of Religion and Religious education and how this impacts on their ability to be culturally responsive teachers. Findings suggest while many students were unaware of issues of white, Western, patriarchal bias in education and despite a paucity of knowledge and/or experience of diverse religions and cultures, they were nevertheless positive towards teaching for diversity. Findings are used to create both, a theoretical model which captures students’ diverse starting points, and a framework to inform targeted teacher education provision for culturally responsive teaching.