Multicultural Competence: A Comprehensive Review Supporting Perception Focused Training for Preservice Teachers Teaching Diverse Students

This paper focuses on an in-depth literature review based on preservice teachers’ perceptions of their multicultural competence in teaching a culturally diverse classroom. Teacher ethnicity reported at local and national levels remains less diverse than diverse K-12 student populations. More specifically, the literature review was framed around findings from a research study looking at the gap between multicultural competence of preservice teachers enrolled at a local university school of education and the culturally diverse students in classrooms they were assigned too. According to the findings of the inductive data analysis and qualitative case study, preservice teachers felt that they needed more training in multicultural competence. Enhanced awareness, knowledge, and skills for teaching in a multicultural classroom were among the things that the training program required to cover. In order to address the four main topics identified by the investigation, a professional development training course was designed. The literature review supports the prominent components addressed by the professional development training workshop. Adequately preparing preservice teachers for teaching in culturally diverse classrooms continues as a focus in teacher preparation programs. As a faculty member at the local university school of education, ongoing research focused on building preservice teachers’ multicultural competence and culturally responsive teaching and relevant pedagogy skills remains essential. Teacher preparation courses and other stakeholders training preservice teachers establish an ongoing process to better connect all students in any classroom. Potential future research might focus on the progress participating preservice teachers make post-graduation and after they have taught their first year. Further follow-up studies could be conducted at three and five years of teaching to identify multicultural competence growth.