Teachers consistently identify working with “diverse learners” as challenging. This raises questions about how teacher educators conceptualize and enact preparation of teachers for heterogeneous populations. This article provides a systematic review of literature relating to both “teacher education” and “diverse learners,” to identify knowledge claims regarding the way this “problem” and possible “solutions” should be framed. Analyzing 209 peer-reviewed journal articles (2009–2019), the article identifies groups most frequently described as diverse, three qualitatively different clusters of claims regarding how teachers can be prepared for diversity, and factors identified as constraining preparation. Analysis reveals a literature broad in focus—referencing many groups—but shallow in depth. The majority describe strategies for teaching about or catering to diversity with only few considering teaching for diversity. There is also limited engagement with specialist literature relating to concepts such as gender or race and little attention to teacher educators’ own knowledge. The article concludes with implications for teacher educators, arguing for enhanced critical epistemic reflexivity.

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Recent research points to the importance of teacher educators teaching for diversity in initial teacher education programmes. Teaching for diversity is an approach to teacher education in which an understanding of specialist literature and a focus on critical thinking supports a social justice agenda as opposed to merely using different tips and tricks to prepare future teachers for teaching diverse learners in the classroom. In this study, we explored how Australian and New Zealand teacher educators negotiated a social justice agenda in teacher education programmes, using a new transdisciplinary framework of epistemic reflexivity. The Epistemic Reflexivity for Teacher Education (ER-TED) framework draws on epistemic cognition (Clark Chinn's Aims, Ideals, Reliable epistemic processes -AIR -framework) and Margaret Archer's reflexivity to explore knowledge claims in teacher educators' pedagogical decision-making. The findings identified how teacher educators in our study discerned and deliberated with respect to epistemic aims for justification, which involve

The growing prevalence of students affected by complex trauma, and the significant implications of unresolved trauma for these students later in life, highlights the imperative for a system-wide response to address the effects of complex trauma in student populations. An important step in this system-level response is increasing the knowledge of pre-service teachers in trauma-informed education practice through initial teacher education programs. Trauma-informed education settings are increasingly being recognised as critical in the resolution of complex trauma for impacted learners; however, trauma-informed training in pre-service teacher education is lacking. While a small body of recent research has shown promise in increasing pre-service teacher knowledge and confidence in teaching children and young people affected by complex trauma, there is scant longitudinal data that informs us of how pre-service teachers may be implementing the knowledge they have learnt in their practice after they have graduated. Through survey data, the current study explored the perceptions of 124 Australian pre-service teachers’ knowledge, self-efficacy, and resilience related to working with trauma-affected students before and after completing a 6-week initial teacher education unit in managing student behaviours related to complex trauma, and 1 year after graduating. Key findings indicated pre-service teachers’ knowledge, self-efficacy, and resilience in teaching students with complex trauma increased dramatically from pre- to post- study of the 6-week unit and this learning continued to be evident 1 year into their teaching career. However, the data also suggest that these attributes are not something that develops quickly or without ongoing professional learning and practice. Although pre-service and early career teachers seem keen to advance their trauma awareness, it is important they receive ongoing support to develop their skills into their early careers. These findings have implications for the design of trauma-informed initial teacher education and the importance of additional early career professional learning.

The National Guidelines for Trauma-Aware Education in Australia were developed in response to a rapidly growing interest in trauma-aware education across the country and to address the lack of site- and system-level guidance for application of trauma-aware practices in schools and early childhood services. Although research into trauma-aware education was increasing and resources and training and support programs were being developed across Australia, there were no nationally agreed upon guidelines providing consistency to thinking, policy, and practice. Drawing from public health and health promotion models for establishing guidelines for trauma-aware policy and practice, the Guidelines were developed through a thorough process of incorporating research evidence and expert and end-user input. The Guidelines were developed across 2017–2019 and were finalized in 2021 and provide an important first step in a national response to trauma-aware education in Australia. This article will describe the “story” behind the development of the Guidelines. It is hoped that this “story” will help others considering development of systemic resources to inform the establishment and enhancement of trauma-aware policy and practice in schools and early childhood education services.

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It is not unusual for school counsellors to be involved in trauma-aware education practice; however, their role is not uniformly defined in the literature nor consistently applied in professional settings. Trauma-aware education is relatively new but rapidly growing in Australia and beyond. It involves supporting students in a neuroscience-informed manner to address the impacts of complex trauma on their capacities to feel safe, to relate, to emotionally regulate, and to learn. Twenty-six school counsellors completed questionnaires, and eight of those joined focus group discussions to explore the role of school counsellors in trauma-aware practice in Queensland, Australia. Drawing on the voices of practitioners, the present report discusses categories of practice that are prioritised by school counsellors and recommends supports to effectively undertake trauma-aware practice in school settings.

IntroductionIn remote education settings in Australia, experienced teachers who can effectively support students impacted by trauma are essential. Remote communities are unique yet are in many ways vulnerable to trauma as they face higher rates of disadvantage and exposure to traumatic events, including natural disasters and domestic and family violence. This is compounded by a lack of access to effective supports due to the tyranny of distance. Also, First Nations peoples living in remote areas continue to endure the ongoing and traumatic impacts of a violent and disruptive colonization.MethodsThe qualitative research study detailed in this article explored the requirements for the work of experienced, trauma-informed teachers in remote Australia to be effective, adding an important and unique perspective to the research evidence that is not often considered. Seven teachers from remote Australia completed a short, online questionnaire and participated in a focus group interview which was analyzed thematically.ResultsThemes emerging from the focus group data indicated that specific and contextualized preparation and support for teachers is required for them to do their work effectively. For remote Australian settings this means preparing teachers with cultural awareness and relevant trauma-informed training. Further, the wellbeing of these remote educators is often compromised, and addressing systemic factors such as adequate preparation of their colleagues and support to access relevant ongoing professional learning is needed.DiscussionRemote teaching work in Australia is complex, and while the current study is small and exploratory in nature, the findings highlight some of the real-world impacts of these issues at a community and individual teacher level that have not been previously explored.