ERIC Number: EJ1467687
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1468-1811
EISSN: EISSN-1472-0825
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Preparing to Teach Relationships and Sexuality Education: Student Teachers' Perceived Knowledge and Attitudes
Ashling Bourke1; Claire Cullen2; Catherine Maunsell1
Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, v25 n3 p341-358 2025
Children have a right to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE). A key place for this to occur is in schools, and teachers' comfort and competence in teaching is critical to delivering high-quality CSE. Good quality Initial Teacher Education (ITE) should provide student teachers with a strong foundation for the delivery of CSE and the creation of safe, supportive, and inclusive classrooms and whole-school cultures. This study examined primary ITE students' perceptions of the quality of input, knowledge and confidence, and attitudes towards Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE). The study was conducted in Ireland where RSE is mandatory in the primary school curriculum. The level of input student teachers received in RSE was perceived to be insufficient, and less than that provided in other curricular areas. Student teachers reported moderate to high levels of perceived knowledge and comfort in RSE domains and high levels of commitment and intention to teach RSE once qualified. They overwhelmingly agreed that children and young people have the right to RSE. Student teachers reported being particularly unprepared to teach RSE to students with special educational needs and sexual and gender minority students. Recommendations are made for strengthening RSE input in ITE programmes.
Descriptors: Sex Education, Interpersonal Relationship, Preservice Teachers, Knowledge Level, Student Attitudes, Foreign Countries, Childrens Rights, Elementary Education, Religious Factors, Age Differences
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1School of Human Development, Institute of Education, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland; 2School of Humanities, South East Technological University, Waterford, Ireland