§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much of the course work and the practical work, respectively, of teacher training colleges is devoted to acquainting students with the special factors relevant to the teaching of pupils from ethnic minorities.
§ Mr. DunnThe criteria for the approval of courses of initial teacher training require that students should be prepared to teach the full range of pupils, to respond flexibly to their particular needs, and to guard against preconceptions based on race or sex. Teacher training institutions adopt various approaches to the promotion of an awareness of the needs of ethnic minority pupils: a number seek to ensure that it permeates all aspects of the curriculum, while others devote a special course unit to this aspect of training. Through practical work institutions are expected to seek to offer their students a broad range 307W of experience in schools, though their scope for ensuring that students gain experience of teaching children from ethnic minority groups will vary according to their location. My right hon. Friend will give careful consideration to any recommendations on teacher training made by the committee of inquiry into the education of children from ethnic minority groups chaired by Lord Swann.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if there is any racism awareness training available for teachers in maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. DunnI understand that a small number of in-service training courses concerned with "racism awareness" are currently available and that there are differing views about the value of such courses. My right hon. Friend expects to consider questions of teaching approaches and training needs in the light of the report of the committee of inquiry into the education of children from ethnic minority groups chaired by Lord Swann.