In Quebec, the only French-speaking province in Canada, more than one-third of students are first- or second-generation immigrants (Quebec Ministry of Education, 2025), and initial teacher training in addressing students' ethnocultural diversity varies depending on the university attended (Larochelle-Audet et al., 2013). As in other contexts, taking into account the ethnocultural diversity of students and their families can pose complex challenges, and the level of expertise developed by teachers in this regard varies considerably (Mc Andrew, Audet & Bakhshaei, 2016). Moreover, research had already shown that initial teacher education in this area was uneven, varying not only according to the training program but also according to the university attended (Larochelle-Audet et al., 2013, p. 1).

More broadly, the pluralization of French-language schools in Quebec (Canada) is a relatively recent historical phenomenon, and it appears that this reality has not yet fully entered the collective consciousness. As a result, it is often difficult to convince pre-service teachers of the importance and relevance of learning how to intervene in ethnoculturally diverse contexts, especially when they plan to teach in regions considered to be more homogeneous. Yet, the heterogeneity that now characterizes most classrooms requires future teachers to develop a broader approach to diversity, rather than seeking “turnkey” ways to adapt to students and their families based solely on their origins (Mc Andrew & Audet, 2020). Consequently, principals that may appear theoretical and far removed from practical “know-how”, are put into practice must be made clearer to students. Particular attention must therefore be paid to linking these principles to real-life teaching situations, in order to enable them to develop professional know-how (Schön, 1983; Giddens, 1987) in ethnoculturally diverse contexts.

From a policy perspective, a directive issued by the Ministry of Education in 1998 stipulates that “school staff must be trained to meet the educational challenges associated with the ethnocultural, linguistic and religious diversity of Quebec society” (Quebec Ministry of Education, 1998, p. 32). This directive remains highly relevant today, given that more than one-third of students in Quebec now come from immigrant backgrounds, whether first or second generation. In the same vein, the Reference Framework for Professional Competencies for Teachers identifies Competency 7, “Taking into account the heterogeneity of students,” as a core component of inclusive teaching and as closely linked to intercultural teaching (Quebec Ministry of Education, 2020, p. 62).

Finally, one of the most significant conclusions of the meta-analysis conducted by Mc Andrew et al. (2015) – which drew on 62 research studies carried out over a ten-year period in Quebec on the educational success of students from immigrant backgrounds – was that teacher training in diversity represents a major area requiring sustained and long-term investment. More specifically, Mc Andrew et al. (2015, p. 295) emphasize the need to adapt teaching practices in order to intervene more equitably in diverse contexts, while also preparing all students to live in a pluralistic society. Three key priorities were identified: (A) the construction of complex, non-ethnicizing representation of students from immigrant backgrounds, (B) the development of greater awareness of the role of systemic and school-related dynamics in the success of these students, and (C) the recognition of the contributions of languages and cultures of origin, as well as those of immigrant families to educational success. Taken together, these findings highlight the need to rethink pre-service teacher training, particularly with regard to teaching in ethnoculturally diverse contexts.

This study is part of a broader research project conducted with university students enrolled in a specific course within a teacher training program, namely pre-service teachers (Audet et al., SSHRC 2022-2026). Within this framework, we tested a training program focused on intervention in ethnocultural diversity contexts, based on stories of practice (Desgagné, 2005) produced by in-service teachers (Audet, 2022). These stories feature students from immigrant backgrounds and illustrate concrete, real-life teaching situations. Pre-service teachers (n=11) were first asked to familiarize themselves with the stories of practice organized around three themes: relationships with immigrant students and their families, supporting the educational success of immigrant students, and the role of teachers in ethnocultural diversity. They then completed out an individual reflection sheet and. Subsequently, during online workshops, participants discussed the stories together, using both a discussion guide and their individual reflection sheets. Inspired by group analysis approaches (Desgagné et al., 2012) and Mucchielli’s case method (1968), the objective of these workshops was to compare two stories at a time in order to move beyond the singularity of the situations described and identify broader underlying issues. In addition, a questionnaire (n=11) that addressed, alongside sociodemographic and socioprofessional information, participants’ sense of comfort in intervening in ethnoculturally diverse contexts, their overall satisfaction with the training program based on stories of practice, and the perceived effects of the training program. Finally, individual interviews (n=5) were conducted in order to document the observed changes resulting from the program on pre-service teachers' acquisition of professional skills related to taking ethnocultural diversity into account.

Overall, the results indicate that group analysis (Desgagné et al., 2012) of stories of practice supported changes in students' representations of immigrant students, their families, as well as in their perceptions of their responsibility towards these students. Changes were also observed in their positions regarding the status and legitimacy of the students' languages and cultures of origin. Indeed, the thematic analysis, using mixed coding (Mucchielli, 2009) allowed us to identify several elements that align with the three priorities identified by Mc Andrew et al. (2015) regarding teacher training aimed at adapting teaching practices to intervene more equitably in diverse contexts, and preparing all students to live in a pluralistic society. The analysis of the questionnaire data further shows that the program contributed to improving pre-service teachers' sense of comfort in working in ethnoculturally diverse contexts. The analysis of individual interviews supports this finding. Finally, the analysis of individual interviews , conducted after the implementation of the training program based on stories of practice had been tested in the classroom, made it possible to identify elements related to participants’ overall assessment of the program, the benefits they perceived and the potential they attributed to it. Overall, the findings show that the program and the stories of practice help pre-service teachers to project themselves into the reality of teaching practice, foster the development of their professional judgement and support their professional integration. Together, these results suggest that such training initiatives can positively influence pre-service teachers’ confidence and readiness to intervene in diverse classrooms. The potential and limitations of this type of training will be discussed.

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