EVALUATION OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS' PERCEPTION OF COMPETENCE FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM

Abstract

In order for culturally diverse students to benefit from equal educational conditions, teachers need to create democratic learning environments by respecting their cultural differences as well as providing students with academic and social behaviours. The academic achievements, learning styles, in-group and intergroup and language skills of students from different cultures are highly influenced by the understanding of the culture they come from. Therefore, teachers have important duties in creating a sustainable learning-teaching environment in schools. This study aimed to examine kindergarten teachers' attitudes towards cultural diversity in the classroom and to identify the teaching strategies and techniques they use to deal with this diversity. In this context, it was aimed to explain the perspectives of teachers working in public, private and international kindergarten institutions towards cultural diversity, taking into account whether they have foreign students in their classrooms. It also aimed to evaluate teachers' strategies and techniques in this regard in order to understand how their views on cultural diversity are reflected in classroom practices.