In-Service Teachers' Intercultural Sensitivity

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Bibliographic Details
Title: In-Service Teachers' Intercultural Sensitivity
Language: English
Authors: Gedik Bal, Nur (ORCID 0000-0001-6115-137x)
Source: TESL-EJ. 2023 27(2).
Availability: TESL-EJ. e-mail: editor@tesl-ej.org; Web site: http://tesl-ej.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2023
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
High Schools
Descriptors: Cultural Awareness, Sensitivity Training, Inservice Teacher Education, Foreign Countries, Predictor Variables, Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers
Geographic Terms: Turkey
ISSN: 1072-4303
Abstract: It is urgent to develop intercultural sensitivity (IS hereafter) for the society and especially for in-service teachers as they are the agents that help learners to acquire the intercultural competencies needed to live in a dramatically globalized world. However, few research studies focused on in-service teachers' intercultural sensitivity though there were many studies conducted with pre-service teachers or university students. Therefore, the study's objectives were to identify the intercultural sensitivity of teachers and seek any connections between their sensitivity and demographic variables. The questionnaire with demographic questions and an intercultural sensitivity scale received responses from 214 teachers. The results showed that the teachers' general intercultural sensitivity was not significantly impacted by their age, gender, level of teaching, or the type of institution they worked at. Nevertheless, teachers with international experience had higher scores than those without international experience, and there was a positive relationship between teachers' intercultural sensitivity and the length of their international experience. Teachers of general subjects showed lower intercultural sensitivity than those teaching English. Furthermore, multilingual teachers had much higher intercultural sensitivity than their monolingual counterparts. The implications of the study might guide some stakeholders such as in-service trainers and policy makers in teacher education.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2023
Accession Number: EJ1401801
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:It is urgent to develop intercultural sensitivity (IS hereafter) for the society and especially for in-service teachers as they are the agents that help learners to acquire the intercultural competencies needed to live in a dramatically globalized world. However, few research studies focused on in-service teachers' intercultural sensitivity though there were many studies conducted with pre-service teachers or university students. Therefore, the study's objectives were to identify the intercultural sensitivity of teachers and seek any connections between their sensitivity and demographic variables. The questionnaire with demographic questions and an intercultural sensitivity scale received responses from 214 teachers. The results showed that the teachers' general intercultural sensitivity was not significantly impacted by their age, gender, level of teaching, or the type of institution they worked at. Nevertheless, teachers with international experience had higher scores than those without international experience, and there was a positive relationship between teachers' intercultural sensitivity and the length of their international experience. Teachers of general subjects showed lower intercultural sensitivity than those teaching English. Furthermore, multilingual teachers had much higher intercultural sensitivity than their monolingual counterparts. The implications of the study might guide some stakeholders such as in-service trainers and policy makers in teacher education.
ISSN:1072-4303