English Language Curicculum for Student Teachers Training to Perform in Cultirally Diversified Settings

As Ukraine continues to move toward Europe and the rest of the world, it is crucial that teachers improve their English language competence. Teachers’ language proficiency corresponds with their capacity to provide effective quality education for diverse classrooms to reach global competence. Cultural diversity in the school population is becoming the norm rather than the exception in Ukraine. The recent rise in immigration is accountable for the rapid and significant demographic changes in Ukraine’s school-aged population. The study’s primary objective is to assess student teachers’ perspectives on the objective, content, teaching and learning process, and assessment and evaluation elements of the importance and sufficiency of the English proficiency curriculum implemented at Ukraine’s faculty of education to meet the needs of the culturally diverse school population. The case study design was used as one of the research methods. The study’s participants were 14 student teachers from four different faculties of education at Ukrainian universities. Participants were chosen using a criterion sampling model. The data was collected using an open-ended question form designed by the authors during the spring semester of the 2020–2021 academic year. The data collected was analysed using content analysis. The findings revealed that participants’ attitudes about the objective aspect of the student teachers’ English language curriculum were generally good. On the other side, it was determined that the curriculum was insufficiently tailored to students’ needs, interests, and degrees of English language competence. Furthermore, participants identified insufficient time for activities, a limited selection of classroom activities (case study, collaborative work, discussion), and short course hours as unfavourable features. The implications of the results might help improve the English proficiency curriculum and equip student teachers to work successfully with school children who have a diversity of language and learning difficulties.