Interteaching in Multilingual Teacher Preparation: Leveraging Peer Comparative Analysis to Enhance Linguistic Knowledge and Pedagogical Equity in a Chinese University

Abstract

This mixed-methods study evaluated the efficacy of interteaching—a structured cooperative learning model—in an undergraduate Introduction to Linguistics course for multilingual pre-service Mandarin teachers at a Chinese university. Grounded in the pedagogical principle of knowledge construction through peer instruction, the 10-week intervention utilized multilingual preparatory materials and peer-led comparative analysis of linguistic structures (Mandarin, native, and acquired languages), culminating in instructor-mediated synthesis of universal principles and Mandarin-specific features to build pedagogical content knowledge. Findings suggest that interteaching was associated with pre-class preparation, perceived deepened critical cross-linguistic discourse, and strengthened theoretical comprehension. Students reported heightened engagement, greater metacognitive awareness, and an increased self-perceived ability to articulate links between linguistic theory and culture-bound phenomena. Qualitative data indicated perceived shifts in epistemic equity, with minority language speakers reframing heritage knowledge as analytical assets. The model appears to offer a promising framework for advancing equity and rigor in global linguistics education and language teacher preparation.