Internationalising teacher education at home: developing empathy through the sense of otherness in language learning

Li, Huaping; Costa, Critisna

Abstract

This study explored how Chinese and Scottish student-teachers from two case-study universities perceived their experiences in foreign language learning in both formal and informal contexts within their home countries, and how the status of a foreign language learner shaped their empathy for culturally and linguistically diverse pupils through a qualitative questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Drawing on transformative learning theory and its relation to empathy, this study provides a nuanced understanding of how the experience of a language other allows student-teachers to engage with otherness, experience affective sharing, adopt alternative perspectives, and demonstrate empathetic concerns in practices where cultural diversity is apparent. Therefore, we advocate moving student-teachers beyond language acquisition, encouraging them to embrace challenges associated with assuming the position of a language other. This lends insights into the promotion of foreign language learning as a viable internationalisation strategy that benefits all student-teachers by fostering their empathy towards diverse students.

Citation

Li, H., & Costa, C. (online). Internationalising teacher education at home: developing empathy through the sense of otherness in language learning. European Journal of Teacher Education, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2023.2259082

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 10, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Sep 18, 2023
• Deposit Date: Sep 19, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 19, 2025
• Journal: European Journal of Teacher Education
• Print ISSN: 0261-9768
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-5928
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 1-19
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2023.2259082
• Keywords: Education; Internationalisation; teacher education; otherness; empathy
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1742954
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02619768.2023.2259082
• Additional Information: Peer Review Statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope.; Aim & Scope: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=cete20; Received: 2023-02-04; Accepted: 2023-09-10; Published: 2023-09-18