The views of Japanese Yochien (kindergarten) teachers on diversity, multicultural education, and influences of foreign and returnee children: Toward expanding the horizon of multicultural education.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of the study was to investigate the views of Japanese <italic> Yochien</italic> (kindergarten) Teachers (JYTs) on diversity among children, multicultural education, and the influence of foreign and returnee children on practice, for laying a foundation for development of multicultural early childhood education in Japan and expanding perspectives on multicultural education there. Some of the characteristics of JYTs were also explored as background information.
Multicultural education in the United States provided the framework of the study. Ninety-nine <italic>yochien</italic> teachers in the metropolitan area of Tokyo served as informants for the survey. Ten out of the 99 JYTs volunteered to be interviewed individually. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to display tendencies and the wide range of views of JYTs on the research questions.
In terms of the findings, first, all informants were Japanese nationals, and 99% of them were female with mostly 2-year-college diplomas. Most JYTs had been overseas, yet had limited acquaintance with foreigners in Japan outside <italic> yochien</italic>. While public teachers were likely to be veterans who had taught foreign children, private teachers were mostly young and less likely to have taught foreign children. These tendencies showed the difficulties in generalizing characteristics of JYTs. Second, JYTs largely viewed diversity among children as differences of internal characteristics, and rarely focused on external differences, such as aspects of home and socio-culture. Third, most JYTs identified their direct and indirect teachers' roles as responding to diversity among children; however, some teachers rejected the idea of promoting individualities of children. Fourth, most JYTs were unfamiliar with the term, “multicultural education,” and they were likely to perceive it from a cross-cultural point of view rather than focus on diverse cultural aspects of Japan. Finally, JYTs perceived the presence of foreign and returnee children in the classrooms as benefits for broadening perspectives of JYTs and children, as well as obstacles to carrying out practice.
The study suggests a need for refining teacher-education programs, expanding teacher qualifications, and collaborating with populations outside of <italic> yochien</italic> for the development of a multicultural practice in the 21st century.