Diversity in New Zealand early childhood education: challenges and opportunities

Religiously Diverse Multicultural Literature for Early Childhood

“…Many teachers continue to approach diversity as one-dimensional with limited and generic understandings. They focus on the “other” as a token or engage in a “tourist approach” to multicultural curricula (Evans & Gunn, 2011 ; Shuker & Cherrington, 2016 ; Bennett et al, 2017 ). Recognition and celebration of diversity is important, but teachers need to teach further understanding.…”

Diverse perspectives of migrant student teachers in early childhood education

“…There were more than 70 different languages spoken in teacher-led early childhood settings in 2019 (Education Counts, 2015). In early childhood education the issue of respecting diverse cultures equally is being discussed in the theoretical framework of inclusion, equity and participation (Ang, 2010;Chan 2011;Robinson and Diaz, 2006;and Shuker and Cherrington, 2016). Recent research by Chan and Ritchie (2016) highlights the 'cultural distance' (290) between teachers, who represent the dominant Western culture, and diverse cultures within early childhood communities.…”

“…This has resulted in immigration of people from developing nations like India to Westernised societies (Sanagavarapu, 2010). As a result of immigration from Asia and other parts of the world, the ethnic composition of early childhood centres in New Zealand has changed tremendously (Shuker and Cherrington, 2016). The teachers, children, families and communities that engage in ECE comprise of a variety of cultures, languages and socio-economic backgrounds.…”

Culturally inclusive pedagogies of care: A narrative inquiry

“…(Sanagavarapu, 2010). As a result of immigration from Asia, the ethnic composition of early childhood centres in New Zealand has changed tremendously (Shuker & Cherrington, 2016). There has been a rapid increase in student teachers coming to New Zealand from different parts of the world including India.…”