Supporting Diversity in Early Age Children: Multicultural Competence of Early Childhood Teachers in Islamabad Pakistan

Abstract

Early childhood teachers need multicultural competence to prepare children for the global world. The present study was undertaken to identify the multicultural competence including i. Awareness ii. Knowledge iii. Attitude and iv. Skills of early child hood teachers working in Public schools offering one year early childhood program in Primary schools of Islamabad. The sample of the study included 95 teachers teaching Prep class in selected primary schools under Federal Directorate of Education, Islamabad. The data were collected by using an inventory on five point Likert scale in which the teachers had to mark them proficient from point 1 to 5 (1 being lowest) developed by researchers to measure various components of multicultural competence. On the basis of data analysis done through mean scores the teachers were categorized as novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient and expert on all four dimensions of multicultural competence. The analysis revealed that most of the early childhood teachers were at proficient level on awareness and knowledge, competent level in attitude and at advanced beginner level in skills component of multicultural competence. There is a need to focus on and develop the multicultural competence especially attitude and skills of early childhood teachers.