ABSTRACT
Summary: In recent years an increasing number of in-service courses relevant to the special needs of teachers of minority groups has been made available in England. The establishment of these courses has been inconsistent, disparate and slow, owing to the decentralization of decision-making about in-service provision, the contentious status of minority groups, and an uncertainty as to what such courses should entail.
Courses providing skills for teaching English as a Second Language are relatively well-established. A current trend is the provision of courses offering more general coverage of issues confronting teachers in a multiracial society and attended mainly by teachers of minority groups. A wide range of such courses has arisen in a variety of institutions, including short and long courses with full-time or part-time attendance that lead to an equally wide range of achievement and qualification.
A detailed study of a selection of these courses is being undertaken by the authors. Preliminary indications are given of the characteristics and circumstances of teachers involved, and their motives for attending. The content of the courses is outlined, and consideration given to the potential consequences arising for teachers of minority groups and their pupils.
