Abstract
The aim of this research is to find out the effects of two variables on primary and secondary school teacher candidates’ intercultural sensitivity and ethnocentrism levels. One of the variables is the subject matter they studied at university and the other variable is gender. The research model is descriptive. The study group consists of 348 volunteer teacher candidates who attended a private course to prepare for the Public Personnel Selection Examination (aka KPSS) during the 2014-2015 academic year. The intercultural sensitivity level of teacher candidates was measured using the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale developed by Chen and Starosta, and their ethnocentrism level was measured using the Ethnocentrism Scale developed by Neuliep and McCroskey. Linguistic equivalence, validity and reliability studies of the two scales were done by Ustun. One-way analysis of variance and independent sample t-tests were used to analyze the data. Findings of the study demonstrated that there is a statistically significant difference between teacher candidates’ intercultural sensitivity levels in terms of the subject matter they studied and that their ethnocentrism level significantly differs depending on their gender.
Highlights
Intercultural communication competence is comprised of three dimensions, including intercultural awareness, intercultural sensitivity, and intercultural adroitness (Chen ve Starosta, 1996; Davis, 2005)
Development of these three dimensions helps individuals to be global citizens who can empathize with people from different cultures besides being aware of both their own cultures and the other cultures (Eğinli, 2011).In accordance with the above-mentioned needs, Ministry of National Education have updated the primary and secondary school curricula gradually since 2004-2005 academic year; and goals and objectives related to intercultural communication competence have been included in some of these curricula
The purpose of this study is to examine the variables expected to affect teacher candidates’ intercultural sensivity levels, which is the affective dimension of intercultural communication competence according to Chen and Starosta (1996, 353-383), and to examine the variables expected to affect their ethnocentrism levels which is seen as a barrier to intercultural communication
Summary
Intercultural communication competence is comprised of three dimensions, including intercultural awareness (cognitive), intercultural sensitivity (affective), and intercultural adroitness (behavioural) (Chen ve Starosta, 1996; Davis, 2005). The development of intercultural awareness and sensitivity is aimed in the new curricula.In the process of developing intercultural awareness and sensitivity the most important role, alongside the role of curricula and textbooks, is teachers’ role. In this respect, the extent to which teachers have intercultural communication competence is an issue to focus on. There has been relatively little literature published on this issue in Turkey
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