Early Childhood Care and Education Teachers’ Understandings of Culture and Cultural Diversity: A Case Study in Polokwane, South Africa

South Africa is a melting pot of cultures and children in ECCE centres represent a broad spectrum of different cultural groups and practices. If all children are to receive quality education, it becomes imperative that ECCE teachers have some insight into and are able to address issues related to cultural diversity in their classrooms. Yet there are many indications that these teachers do not necessarily understand cultural influences on education and adapt their programmes accordingly. This chapter explores ECCE teachers’ understandings of culture and how they accommodate and include cultural diversity in their daily practice. A qualitative research design, using both semi-structured interviews as well as observation of teachers was chosen, as this was an effective way of gathering data that elucidated teachers’ practices. Two important themes emerged from the data analysis, namely how teachers articulate and appreciate culture, as well as language dilemmas that were present in all learning and teaching spaces. Findings revealed that participants had limited insight into and understanding of the importance of knowing about children’s cultural heritage. Though teachers were very caring and considered the best interests of the children, the dominant belief was that by negating cultural and language differences they were adopting an inclusive approach to education. This chapter highlights the transformative impact of culture on pedagogy. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of teachers developing greater cultural awareness and insights into the multifaceted nature of culture and aspects of cultural diversity.