Preparing teachers for increasingly diverse classrooms remains a persistent challenge in teacher education worldwide. Although diversity, equity, and social justice are widely referenced in teacher education curricula, research suggests that they are often treated as peripheral or add-on components rather than as structuring principles of professional preparation (Cochran-Smith et al., 2016; Gorski, 2009; Zeichner, 2024). Moreover, much existing research focuses on intended curricula rather than how diversity is actually experienced by preservice teachers (van den Akker, 2003). This study addresses this gap by examining how preservice teachers in Flanders, Belgium, perceive their preparation for teaching in ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse classrooms.

The following research questions guided this study: (1) How do preservice teachers perceive the integration of diversity, equity, and social justice into their theoretical coursework? (2) How do they experience diversity within their practical training, particularly internships? (3) What do these perspectives reveal about the strengths and limitations of current teacher education practices in preparing educators for diverse classrooms?

The study draws on qualitative focus group discussions with 18 preservice teachers enrolled in five teacher education colleges in Flanders, Belgium. To support dialogic and reflective knowledge production, the research design employed creative stimulus activities, including a “cake metaphor” exercise and participant-selected artefacts. These methods were deliberately chosen to move beyond extractive data collection and to create spaces where participants could collaboratively reflect on their learning trajectories, tensions, and uncertainties (Morgan et al., 2008; Kamberelis & Dimitriadis, 2005).

The findings reveal substantial variation across programs in how diversity is conceptualized and enacted. In some programs, diversity is systematically embedded across multiple courses and years, enabling preservice teachers to develop conceptual understanding and critical self-awareness. Participants described how structured modules on inequality, multilingualism, and inclusive education shaped their perspectives and challenged deficit assumptions. Such findings resonate with research showing that sustained, integrated approaches are more likely to transform teacher beliefs than isolated interventions (Gorski, 2009; Gay, 2018).

In contrast, other programs positioned diversity as an optional or peripheral topic, often confined to a single theoretical course. Participants described these courses as fragmented, superficial, and disconnected from practice. In some cases, such limited exposure appeared to reinforce monolingual or color-blind orientations, echoing concerns raised in prior research on add-on models of diversity education (Sleeter, 2008; Zeichner, 2010).

Internships emerged as a critical site of learning, yet with uneven outcomes. Community-based placements—such as work in homework support centers or social organizations—were consistently described as transformative. These experiences challenged stereotypes, fostered empathy, and enabled preservice teachers to connect theory with lived realities, aligning with evidence on the value of community-based teacher education experiences (Guillén & Zeichner, 2018; Milner, 2005). By contrast, traditional school-based internships often exposed students to discriminatory practices, such as biased tracking or classroom segregation. Without structured guidance, participants felt constrained in their ability to question these practices, particularly given power relations with mentor teachers.

Participants also emphasized the role of pedagogy and institutional culture. Courses that promoted dialogue, used authentic materials, and included lecturers with lived experience of diversity were perceived as more impactful than lecture-based formats. Similarly, structured reflection sessions during internships helped students transform challenging encounters into professional learning, underscoring the importance of guided reflection in teacher education (Cochran-Smith et al., 2016).

The findings suggest that preparing teachers for diverse classrooms requires more than formal curricular commitments: it demands coherent program design, meaningful engagement with diverse communities, and sustained opportunities for critical reflection. These insights have relevance not only for teacher education in Flanders, but also for international debates on how to move beyond superficial approaches toward transformative preparation for inclusive teaching.

This study adopted a qualitative design to explore preservice teachers’ perceptions of how diversity, equity, and social justice are addressed in their teacher education programs. Given the focus on lived experiences, meanings, and interpretations, focus group discussions were selected as the primary method of data collection. Focus groups are particularly well suited to examining shared experiences and contested viewpoints, as they allow participants to build on, question, and refine each other’s contributions through interaction (Ravitch & Carl, 2021). Participants were 18 preservice teachers (10 primary, 8 secondary) in their final years of teacher education across five colleges in Flanders. Programs were selected to reflect variation in institutional context and geographic location (urban and rural). Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained. Focus groups were conducted on campus in Dutch, resulting in 7 hours and 45 minutes of recorded data. The focus groups were designed as deliberative and dialogic spaces rather than structured interviews. Following an “hourglass” structure, discussions began with broad reflections on teacher education, moved toward specific experiences with diversity in coursework and internships, and closed with integrative reflection. Two creative stimulus activities supported this process: (1) a “cake metaphor,” inviting participants to visualize their program’s composition and priorities, and (2) participant-selected artefacts representing meaningful learning moments. These methods align with calls for more participatory and reflexive qualitative designs in education research (Kamberelis & Dimitriadis, 2005). Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). All members of the research team independently coded transcripts before collaboratively refining themes. To enhance reflexivity and responsiveness, a midpoint analysis was conducted after the first two focus groups, reinforcing the study’s emergent design (Morgan et al., 2008).

This study demonstrates that preservice teachers’ preparation for diversity in Flanders is highly uneven, despite formal curricular commitments. Where diversity is embedded across the curriculum and supported by dialogic pedagogy, preservice teachers reported meaningful learning and shifts in perspective. Where it is treated as an isolated topic, students often felt underprepared, confirming concerns raised in international teacher education research (Gorski, 2009; Sleeter, 2008). Internships emerged as pivotal learning contexts. Community-based placements were experienced as transformative, aligning with scholarship on the importance of community engagement in teacher preparation (Guillén & Zeichner, 2018). In contrast, traditional school placements often exposed preservice teachers to discriminatory practices without sufficient institutional support to address them, reinforcing the need for structured reflection and mentorship (Cochran-Smith et al., 2016). Overall, the findings suggest that preparing teachers for diverse classrooms requires more than add-on courses. Diversity, equity, and social justice must function as cross-cutting principles shaping curriculum, pedagogy, and field experiences. Sustained opportunities for critical reflection and dialogue are essential for transforming experience into professional learning. By centering preservice teachers’ voices, this study contributes to international debates on teacher education reform, highlighting the importance of enacted curricula and lived experiences. Preparing teachers for diversity is not peripheral but foundational, requiring coherent program design and strong partnerships with schools and communities.

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