Training preservice teachers for sexuality education in Hong Kong kindergartens : an implementation research

Abstract

Although early sexuality education (SE) is a timely topic, it is controversial. Most SE advocates belong to academia and include researchers, experts and educators who have validated that SE is developmentally appropriate for preschoolers. By contrast, critics of SE, including parents, teachers and the general public, are concerned about the feasibility of delivering SE programmes to young children. This implementation study fills the knowledge gap by training preservice teachers and reviewing their implementation of SE in Hong Kong kindergartens. This study adopted a mixed-methods approach. The overall objective was to examine the impact of SE training on preservice teachers’ knowledge, skills and attitudes and their implementation of SE in classrooms. Two interrelated studies were conducted. Study 1 evaluated the attitudes, skills and knowledge of early SE among preservice kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong. Ninety final-year higher diploma programme (Early Childhood Education) students from a local university were trained in early SE and completed a questionnaire that measured their changes in attitudes, skills and knowledge after SE training. Results from paired t-test analyses revealed that SE training significantly improved preservice teachers’ attitudes, skills and knowledge of early SE. Study 2 evaluated the impact of SE training on preservice teachers’ development and implementation of SE in classrooms. Five teachers who were trained in Study 1 developed and implemented two sessions of SE learning activities in two Hong Kong kindergartens. Participants were observed during their teaching and participated in a focus group interview that focused on their views, experiences and feasibility of early SE. Study 2 reflected that all participants have positive attitudes, adequate instructional skills and adequate SE knowledge after SE training. The commonly shared implementation obstacles identified from the group interviews were (a) inadequate developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive sexual teaching resources, (b) lack of skills in preparing SE teaching resources and (c) no support from parents. Overall, the findings indicate that SE training can improve the attitudes, skills and knowledge of preservice kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong. The educational implications for policymaking and practical improvement are also discussed.