Diverse perspectives of migrant student teachers in early childhood education

Abstract

As a result of rapid demographic changes in today’s globalised world, more student teachers come from different cultural backgrounds. New Zealand too has seen an influx of international students in the early childhood sector. In this article the author reports on a research study that explores the perspectives of a group of eight Indian student teachers. It explores their identity within New Zealand as Indian teachers and how they have enculturated themselves in the local context. This study focuses on the discourse of difference and diversity to understand the identity of global teachers in the local context. It critically analyses some assumptions and issues related to diversity and difference in early childhood education.