Theoria cum praxis

Specifying an Approach to Train Heterogeneity-Sensitive Reflective Disposition for Teacher Performance

Abstract

Nowadays, any group of learners is characterized by a great heterogeneity (e.g., socio-economic background, languages, educational background etc.). Dealing with the diverse resources and needs students bring to class in an appreciative way represents one of the major challenges for (future) teachers. Thus, teacher educators are asked to develop concepts and strategies to prepare future teachers for dealing with diverse learner groups in a sensitive and self-reflective way. While the interdisciplinary structure of university teacher education in Germany can be seen as an obstacle to this aim as it shifts the responsibility to combine and reflect on the separate scientific discourses to the students, it also offers a great opportunity to depict and reflect heterogeneity from different perspectives. With the help of an overarching model called Reflexive Handlungsfähigkeit (reflective disposition for teacher performance (RDTP), teacher educators from the university X developed a concept that tries to integrate multiple theoretical approaches of teacher professionalization (structural theory approach, competence-oriented approach and professional biography approach). Seeing heterogeneity and inclusion as a cross-sectional task, teacher educators from the university X then enhanced the model of reflexive agency and formulated concrete goals and use cases that derive from the theory and relevance of several dimensions of diversity (e.g. languages, gender, (dis)ability, cognitive resources etc.).