Some research conducted by Bartolomé-Pina in 1995 and 1997 shows that Spanish teachers involved in multicultural education have narrowly restricted perspectives towards cultural and ethnic diversity. Outcomes of other studies show that the majority of teachers still focus on teaching effectiveness and on language, instead of (1) adapting their teaching methods to the different cultural learning styles of all children, or (2) paying greater attention to the school culture and the hidden curriculum (Cueva-Álvarez, 1999; Pérez-Domínguez, 1999). Acting as if that does not reflect the spirit of a multicultural teacher, the first step to becoming a good teacher and a good teacher educator is, as Sonia M. Nieto (1996) accurately maintains, to first be a multicultural person.

Such writers as Carbonell & Parra (1991a, 1991b) and Sepa-Bonaba (1993), expose some of the teachers' perceptions associated with the increasing numbers of pupils in Spanish schools from Third World backgrounds. In the industrial areas of Barcelona, Vizcaya, Madrid, and southern Spain, cultural diversity is well pronounced, and produces feelings of lack of preparation (both preservice and inservice). In the regions with a more modest number of immigrant pupils at school, such as Galicia, teachers feel that there is a lack of preparation, but they also deny the problematic issues that arise when diversity is not treated adequately. These teachers claim that "they treat all students the same" (cfr. Cowan & Pérez-Domínguez, 1996; Cowan, Pérez-Domínguez & Santos-Rego, 1994; Pérez-Domínguez, 1997, 1999). Due to the fact that many immigrants live in the slum areas of large cities, problems are not only limited to cultural and linguistic issues. They are also, and perhaps more importantly, social (Bartolomé-Pina, 1995; Merino, Muñoz & Sánchez, 1994; Vázquez-Gómez, 1994).

From the above mentioned scholars we have learned that there is an urgent need to address the preparation of teachers dealing with students (mainly children, but also adults) who come from diverse cultural and ethnic/racial minority groups. Based on this urgent need, our question focuses on what can be done and how. Santos-Rego & Nieto (2000), based on their experience as preservice and practicing teachers and their analysis of the situation in Spain and the United States, suggest five implications for improving teacher education, as they say: "by linking it [teacher education] to a more critical understanding of diversity." These implications are as follows:

1. Multicultural teacher education needs to build on the cultural differences that students bring to school;
2. Multicultural teacher education needs to be based on a reconceptualization of the relationship among teachers, parents, and other community members;
3. Multicultural teacher education needs to take into consideration the sociopolitical context in which schooling takes place;
4. Multicultural teacher education needs to be linked to curriculum transformation in teacher education courses;
5. Multicultural teacher education also needs to be tied to curriculum transform in general education courses.

We agree with Zeichner (1995) that more research should pay greater attention to listening to what teachers and teacher educators in general have to say, "incorporating the voices and practical theories of teachers" (p. 19), but also bearing in mind that, "...it is also dangerous to accept, as necessarily good, everything that teacher educators reveal in their stories about their practice." (p. 22). However, we also believe that still more scholars should conduct research directly asking teachers for their opinions on how they would like to be prepared to teach in multicultural environments, from which they could develop further (Russell & Korthagen, 1995).

Some general points

Micheline Rey (1986) is convinced that teacher preparation is the key to intercultural education. She believes that it is important to prepare teachers to understand pupils, their families and colleagues from all over the world through a respect for "the diversity of languages, lifestyles, projects, behavior and religions, to confront conflicts and resolve them in order to maintain the cultural enrichment of everybody." This view is supported by San Román (1992a, 1992b, 1993, 1994, 1997) and Merino et al. (1994), among many others in Spain, including ourselves. San Román (1994) claims that institutions have the potential to develop intercultural programs and projects along with processes for positive orientation. After all, if teachers are not involved in, or are perhaps insensitive to intercultural issues, and if they are not credited with original ideas or fail to receive appropriate preparation, any institutional policy/program will fail. Merino affirms that teachers are a key element in the process of change.

Despite all this theory, research carried out in 1989 by Cueva-Álvarez and Tarrow, among third year students at the University of Barcelona (U.B.), showed that students felt unprepared to teach in a multicultural setting, documenting that teacher education in Spain for the promotion of multi/intercultural education is an ad hoc procedure. Cueva-Álvarez and Tarrow proposed, therefore, the inclusion of multicultural education in the preparation of teacher educators for elementary schools. More recently, a number of programs of multi/intercultural education have been enclosed as optional contents in various departments of teacher education of the U.B.

It is encouraging, though, that the number of teachers who are gaining direct experience of different models of social behavior within the society in which they operate is on the increase. Many preservice teachers seem to have greater sensibility towards diversity; also, an increasing number of future educators from fields of study such as sociology, psychology, social work, or pedagogy are taking on subjects dealing with multi/intercultural education. This tendency is mirrored in the majority of other European countries. But the challenge of multi/intercultural thinking is not only to encourage the acceptance of different cultures, but also to promote, positively, the quintessential differences of each culture, so that it is not only immigrant children, but all children, who learn about the beliefs and social practices of others (Fermoso, 1992).

Furthermore, the conflict between home and school languages, social values, attitudes and behavior create the need for teachers to understand the very essence of what education is about. Initial teacher preparation, therefore, should encourage a continuing program for the exploration of interculturalization enhanced by a comprehensive and systematic support network to enable teachers to express fears and gain confidence (García-Parejo, 1994).

In light of social changes, the approach to pupil learning in Spain should be reexamined. Teachers are so often used to operating in the context of previous decades when nowadays social priorities and traditional values have clearly changed (Actis, De Prada and Pereda, 1995). Teachers must be able to evaluate ethical issues in light of equal opportunity motives, with an impartiality and insight that enables a versatility of skills and a listening ear; sometimes being creative and trying different teaching-learning techniques, such as cooperative learning (Díaz-Aguado and Baraja, 1993; Santos-Rego, 1990, 1994; Sales-Ciges & García-López, 1997; Santos-Rego & Pérez-Domínguez, 1997).

Racist expressions and images are still contained in many textbooks, and policies do not exist to encourage scrutiny of books in Spanish schools for discriminatory or ambiguous comments (Buxarrais-Estrada et al., 1991). In fact, a number of peyorative phrases still exist within the Spanish culture, which must be erased. Some of these expressions are, for example "to work like a Black" (meaning to work a lot, non stop), "to be a Gypsy" (meaning a false person, one who cannot be trusted, or a naughty child), "he came back looking like a Gypsy" (meaning, he came back completely dirty), "don't worry, it is not a Jewish stain" (meaning that the stain is not such a bad one), "to desire the gold and the Moor" (meaning to be too ambitious, wanting everything for oneself), "there are Moors on the coast!" (meaning watch out!), etc.

Teachers need to search hard to provide practical work programs with workable objectives since, as we all know, in education teachers do not have the luxury of considering and weighing the merits of different educational philosophies. If change is to take place, if fixed ideas are to be transformed, then teachers must be challenged by government directives, emanating from the vision of those most closely involved in multi/intercultural work. A pack of core values, established through discussion with those most engaged in multi/intercultural work, is crucial. Commitment to and interpretation of these core values into tangible practice is, however, most important. Jordán-Sierra (1992, 1994, 1997) claims that the defining of pluralism, within the context of education, should be seen as a positive and creative experience rather than a way of avoiding conflict and tension. Whatever measures are taken, little will be achieved without the support of ethnic groups, educators and the government. Lessons learned in other European and non-European countries show that moving towards intercultural thinking is a slow and painful process. It takes time and patience.

The 1990 Education Reform Act and teacher education

Although the Spanish Constitutional Law (1978) and the 1990 Education Reform Act contain (as we mentioned earlier) generic statements about respect and tolerance towards different cultures in the country, there is no specific regulation about the preparation of teachers. As this Act gives more autonomy to universities, the preparation of teachers depends on each particular university, and consequently on their economic autonomy, willingness to work in this field, or even their political and ideological dependence or independence. Many teachers show excellent efforts and have had valuable experiences, but the preparation of teachers is still often fragmented, isolated and dispersed because of the lack of clear regulations in multi/intercultural education. It is, in the end, teachers' willingness or lack of it, that determines the sucess or failure of many multi/intercultural programs and initiatives.

The Ministry of Education first proposed a program for the integration of ethnic and cultural minorities in 1990, and this document was aimed at those schools with children from different cultures, expressing the need for introducing an intercultural perspective. For the first time, academic authorities were taking into account the fact that multi/intercultural education should be the school's responsibility and not one of individual specially trained teachers.

More concretely, and despite this autonomy for universities, all future teacher trainers must take a three year degree at schools of education, with a choice of different options: infant, primary, music, physical education, foreign languages, or special needs education4. In fact, universities are the ones that are introducing subjects dealing with diversity in both their programs in teacher education and for specialists in education. The curriculum has 60% compulsory and 40% optional subjects in the autonomous regions and, at a national level, 40% of the curriculum is compulsory. Each university can organize the remaining 60% of their subjects, as 40% optional and 20% compulsory, as well as to introduce particular studies. We consider that the development of multi/intercultural education is threatened not only by avoiding or rejecting multi/intercultural education programs but, perhaps more importantly, by claiming to be using an intercultural approach, when analogous or even contrary approaches are being used.

Consequently, the completed document of the 1990 Education Reform Act has been criticized as too theoretical and impractical, and it has therefore not proved to be successful in encouraging multi/intercultural initiatives in schools despite the wide number of people involved in discussing fresh ideas for the new curriculum. Escribano (1993) believes that within the national curriculum the only gesture towards multi/intercultural education in schools is a recommendation for all those involved in education to respect diversity of traditions and to treat cultural differences in a cross-curricular way. Terms such as 'equal rights', 'tolerance', 'discrimination', 'peace', 'co-operation', 'solidarity among peoples' and 'respect' are included, but the 1990 Education Reform Act fails to provide specific guidelines on how immigrant children and dominant group children should be educated about diversity.

It is our belief that, multi/intercultural education in teacher education: (1) should be present in all academic subjects, and (2) teachers need also to know how economic, political, and social systems work to understand and be better prepared to face the unevenness of today's society.