A critical cross-field outcome of Curriculum 2005 as introduced in South Africa is to work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organization, and community. This research aims at investigating challenges that impede adult learners from diverse backgrounds to work effectively as members of a team, group, organization and community. Informed by models of education in lifelong learning (intercultural, multicultural and anti-racist models of education which supplement andragogy), a qualitative inquiry which followed an active research approach was undertaken in selected adult learning centres in Soshanguve in Gauteng Province to explore the challenges of diversity during adult learning facilitation. Data was gathered from sixteen adult education facilitators from four adult education centres by means of in-depth interviews, follow-up interviews and observational fieldwork. Findings indicated that facilitators require additional knowledge and skills to achieve the objectives of the intercultural, multicultural and anti-racist models of education effectively; senior adult learners require particular attention from facilitators to prevent learner attrition in this age group; linguistic diversity problematises effective intercultural communication, especially where the facilitator is not proficient in learners‟ home languages; and awareness should be raised of the negative impact of inflexible attitudes towards certain aspects of diversity such as religion and sexual orientation on effective teaching and learning. However, positive adult education facilitation practices were also observed. Based on the findings of the literature review and the empirical inquiry recommendations for the improvement of practice were made. / ABET and Youth Development / M. Ed. (Adult and Continuing Education)

Ce mémoire explore la perception des enseignants du Québec et du Luxembourg à propos de leur formation concernant le développement des compétences nécessaires pour soutenir les élèves issus de l'immigration dans un contexte de diversité. La réussite éducative de ces élèves est cruciale afin de mieux les intégrer dans la communauté scolaire ainsi que dans la société respective. Dans ce mémoire, nous avons établi que l'enseignant joue un rôle important à cet égard et nous nous sommes intéressés à comment l'enseignant peut contribuer à la réussite éducative de ces élèves. En nous intéressant à cette question, nous avons réalisé une recherche qualitative-interprétative basée sur des entretiens semi-dirigés avec quatorze enseignants, dont neuf luxembourgeois et cinq québécois. Nous avons identifié, dans un premier temps, les différentes catégories des compétences qui seraient nécessaires pour le soutien éducatif des élèves issus de l’immigration, et les avons classées en savoirs généraux, didactiques, relationnels et éthiques. Nous nous sommes aussi intéressées, dans un deuxième temps, aux perceptions, convictions, croyances et biais implicites des enseignants vis-à-vis de cette population d’élèves. Nous avons interrogé, dans un troisième temps, les compétences que les enseignants de ces deux contextes ont pu développer lors de leur formation initiale. Enfin, les enseignants ont pu nous donner des pistes d’amélioration de ladite formation. D’un point de vue comparatif, nous avons constaté que les enseignants québécois sont généralement plus ouverts à la diversité et critiques de leurs pratiques, tandis que les enseignants luxembourgeois sont plus aptes à enseigner dans un contexte plurilingue. Toutefois, les formations actuelles, manquent de contenu sur l'éducation antiraciste et l’éducation en contexte de diversité, tant au Luxembourg qu’au Québec, mais davantage dans le contexte de ce premier. Nous recommandons ainsi de renforcer les compétences des enseignants en intégrant de tels contenus par le biais d’une approche transversale dans les formations des enseignants, pour mieux soutenir la réussite éducative des élèves issus de l'immigration dans un contexte de diversité. / This thesis explores the perceptions of teachers in Quebec and Luxembourg about their training in developing the competences needed to support students from an immigrant background in a context of diversity. The educational success of these students is crucial if they are to be better integrated into the school community and society. In this thesis, we established that the teacher plays an important role in this regard and we were interested in how the teacher can contribute to the educational success of these students. In addressing this question, we conducted a qualitative-interpretive study based on semi-structured interviews with fourteen teachers, including nine from Luxembourg and five from Quebec. We began by identifying the different categories of competences that would be necessary for the educational support of students from immigrant backgrounds, and classified them into general, didactic, relational and ethical knowledge. Secondly, we looked at teachers' perceptions, convictions, beliefs and implicit biases with regard to this population of students. Thirdly, we questioned the competences that teachers in these two contexts had been able to develop during their initial training. Finally, the teachers were able to give us suggestions for improving their training. From a comparative point of view, we found that Quebec teachers are generally more open to diversity and critical of their practices, while Luxembourg teachers are better able to teach in a plurilingual context. However, current training courses lack content on anti-racist education and education in a context of diversity, both in Luxembourg and in Quebec, but more so in the context of the former. We therefore recommend that teachers' competences be strengthened by integrating such content through a cross-disciplinary approach in teacher training, to better support the educational success of students from an immigrant background in a context of diversity.