Investigating Preschool Teachers’ Perceptions of Multicultural Competence

Abstract

Teachers are the most important actors in integrating a multicultural perspective into pre-school education. Identifying teachers' perceptions of multicultural competence will enable the development of possible interventions. The current research carried out for this purpose is to examine the level of multicultural competence perceptions of preschool teachers according to the variables of age, region which they born/raised, educational background, professional experience, cultural diversity of the city where they study, receiving multicultural education, and presence of children who from different cultures in their classroom. In the research, survey research design, which is one of the quantitative methods, was used. For examined the multicultural competence perceptions of 280 preschool teachers working in official institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Altındağ, Çankaya, Etimesgut, Keçiören, Mamak and Yenimahalle districts of Ankara in the 2019-2020 academic year, the " Perceptions of Multicultural Competence Scale" used that developed by Başbay and Kağnıcı (2011). The obtained data was evaluated in the dimensions of awareness, knowledge, and skill, and it was revealed that preschool teachers' multicultural competence perceptions differed significantly according to their age, region which they born/raised, and educational backgrounds. The results were discussed within the framework of the determined variables and suggestions presented for future research.