Cultural literacy of preschool teachers teaching children from different cultures

Kale M., Gul E., Tohma M.

EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE, vol.193, no.4, pp.506-518, 2023 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 193 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2023
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/03004430.2022.2108025
  • Journal Name: EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, ASSIA, IBZ Online, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Psycinfo
  • Page Numbers: pp.506-518
  • Keywords: Pre-school teachers, cultural literacy, early childhood education, multicultural education
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This research was carried out to examine the cultural literacy of preschool teachers who have students from different cultures in their classrooms. In the present study, a qualitative research method was used to examine teachers' cultural literacy in detail. The participants of the study are preschool teachers who work with children from different cultures. A semi-structured interview form for teachers was used as a data collection tool. Research findings show that preschool teachers have insufficient knowledge about the culture of their students from different cultures and they have prejudices against the culture. As a result, teachers' getting to know different cultures and not interacting with families from these cultures affected their creation of a culture-sensitive educational environment in their classrooms. Similarly, it is observed that teachers keep their educational expectations and goals regarding children from different cultures low on the basis of their prejudices.