Multicultural Teaching Competency Scale (MTCS)

The Multicultural Teaching Competency Scale (MTCS) captures three dimensions of multicultural teaching competency: awareness, knowledge, and skills. Multicultural teaching awareness is defined as three dynamic and continuous processes reflecting teachers’ awareness of (a) self and others as cultural beings, (b) their attitudes and biases, and (c) the need to create culturally sensitive learning environments for all students. Multicultural teaching knowledge captures teachers’ knowledge of culturally responsive pedagogy and instructional strategies related to diverse populations, major sociohistorical and current sociopolitical realities, and cultural dynamics (e.g., ethnic identity, gender socialization, etc.) that may affect between- and within-group differences. Multicultural teaching skills are defined as teachers’ ability to (a) actively select, develop, implement, and evaluate strategies that facilitate the academic achievement and personal development of all students; (b) select and implement culturally sensitive behavioral management strategies and interventions; and (c) participate in ongoing review and evaluation of school policies, procedures, and practices with regard to cultural responsiveness.