| Abstract: | The findings of a research project on the personal and professional experience of 22 first‐generation and 11 second‐generation Asian teachers are described. Four indigenous white and two West Indian teachers were also included to broaden our research perspective. The data were collected through semi‐structured interviews. The first‐generation Asian teachers, who had qualified from India or Pakistan, had faced numerous difficulties in obtaining first teaching posts, in promotion, class‐control and in forming working relationships with white colleagues. Most first‐generation teachers complained about the racial discrimination which they have to face in their professional lives. In sharp contrast, the second‐generation Asian teachers, who had qualified from Britain, did not come across any of the abovementioned problems. The teachers’ views are also presented verbatim on a range of multi‐cultural issues: the teaching of community languages, separate schools for ethnic children, Asian parents and equality of opportunity and racism in British schools. |
