Dutch teacher training institutes (such as PABOs) should strive harder to cooperate with multilingual schools, so that trainee teachers can gain first-hand practical experience. That is one of the recommendations from new research by Mercator researcher Charlie Robinson-Jones. He conducted the research for the Lectorate of Multilingualism and Literacy at NHL Stenden University, working with Joana Duarte and Mirjam Günther-van der Meij.

This small-scale exploratory study examines how prospective teachers in primary education a) view multilingualism in education in general, b) experience multilingualism in education as a trainee teacher, and c) experience the knowledge and skills they have acquired and developed during their training. 

In the article '"Accept all pupils as they are. Diversity!" - Pre-service primary teachers' views, experiences, knowledge, and skills of multilingualism in education', Robinson-Jones describes how views on multilingualism in education can influence classroom practice. He also identifies shortcomings of teacher education in primary education in the Netherlands with respect to the subject of multilingualism and gives suggestions by way of preliminary recommendations for improving training programmes. 

The article was published in the biennial scientific journal 'Sustainable Multilingualism'.