During 2016-2017, an international joint research was established between Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) and the University of Auckland (UoA), New Zealand. Four researchers from UNY and two from UoA were collaborating on studying the practices of multicultural education in both countries. One of the researchers, a lecturer in the English Literature study program, Titik Sudartinah, M.A., mentioned that the research setting was four junior high schools in each country. In these schools, the researchers investigated the teachers’ and students’ understanding of multiculturalism and observed how multicultural education was incorporated in the teaching practice.

The study presented that four key items could shape the teaching practice of multiculturalism: the school culture, the students’ ethnicities, the class level to teach and the subjects to teach. The notion of multiculturalism is more visible in a heterogeneous school. Meanwhile, there is no school policies for multicultural education in both countries; however, all the participants would take culture on board if it has a larger effect on the learners. It is still hard to maintain fairness and equity of students from diverse cultural backgrounds.

As a follow up of the research findings, a pocket reference on multicultural education practices was written. It can be used by junior high school teachers in both countries, containing some best practices of multicultural education in the countries and the strategies to incorporate the perspective of multicultural education in schools. (ts)