An Exploration of Pre-Service Teachers’ Developing Racial Literacy in a Higher Education Institution in the Southeast of England

Abstract

This study explores how pre-service teachers develop racial literacy, focusing on their perceptions of racial identity, the progression of racial literacy, and the practices that support their development as anti-racist educators. The study was conducted at a predominantly monocultural post-1992 university in Southeast England. It involved final-year undergraduate primary education students, most of whom were white (12 out of 15), mirroring the general demographic of teachers in England. The study reveals significant gaps in the mandated Initial Teacher Education curriculum, which often neglects critical discussions on race and culture. As a result, pre-service teachers frequently enter school environments without the skills needed to address these topics. Employing Critical Race Theory as a theoretical framework, the research examines how pre-service teachers develop racial literacy and how their racial identities shape their perceptions and responses to race-related issues in educational settings. A qualitative methodology was utilised, comprising two sets of semi-structured interviews and three novel critical elicitation workshops. Participation in the critical elicitation workshops involved discussions and activities centred around race, including a visit to a culturally diverse school. The findings show that while pre-service teachers express a strong desire to develop racial literacy and competence, they still hold some unexamined assumptions. Pre-service teachers reported feeling unprepared and lacking confidence in discussing racial matters due to gaps in their training. The study’s findings highlight small changes in participants' views on racial identity, anti-racism, and privilege, with some individuals demonstrating more significant shifts than others. The study recommends substantial changes to ITE policy, curriculum, and practice. This proposal calls for embedding critical discussions of race and culture into teacher education, emphasising courageous conversations, self-reflection, and reflexivity to enhance racial literacy and support anti-racist teaching practices.

Date of Award	11 Jun 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Kerry Ball (Supervisor) & Simon Boxley (Supervisor)