Htqe.2026.01

https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2026.01 | 7-23 | PDF

Is the Teacher Prepared for a Multicultural Classroom? Teachers’ Intercultural Competence and Pedagogical Collaboration

Ireta Čekse¹, Aija Nīlendere¹

¹ University of Latvia, Latvia

Abstract
The increasing cultural, linguistic, and social diversity of contemporary classrooms raises critical questions about teacher preparedness for civic participation in multicultural education (Arnold & Rahimi, 2024). Drawing on research in multicultural education and teacher development, this article defines intercultural competence as a multidimensional construct encompassing both visible elements, such as culturally responsive instructional strategies, and less visible elements, including attitudes, beliefs, and values. In line with the Iceberg Model of Culture (Hall, 1976), the study emphasises that collaboration functions as the mechanism connecting these dimensions, enabling invisible attitudes to be reflected upon and transformed into inclusive actions. The aim is to examine whether teachers are prepared for multicultural teaching through the lens of their intercultural competence and responses regarding civic participation in schools. The following research question is proposed: How do teachers’ intercultural competence and pedagogical collaboration influence their preparedness for multicultural education and support for student civic participation in schools? Seven focus group interviews were conducted with teachers from the IEA ICCS 2022 schools with the highest student civic participation scores. Data for interviews were collected in spring 2024. A critical synthesis of focus group interviews highlights the central role of pedagogical collaboration in strengthening teachers’ intercultural capacity. The study shows that intercultural competence, when supported by collaborative pedagogical practices, fosters inclusive school environments and promotes equitable student civic participation, underscoring that individual competence alone is not enough for sustainable multicultural teaching. Moreover, effective multicultural education requires not only a general awareness of diversity but also the deliberate development of specific professional competencies and structured collaboration among teachers.

Keywords: civic participation, intercultural competence, multicultural education, pedagogical collaboration, teacher preparedness

In: Human, Technologies and Quality of Education, 2026. Proceedings of Scientific Papers = Cilvēks, tehnoloģijas un izglītības kvalitāte, 2026. Rakstu krājums.  Ed. L. Daniela. Riga: University of Latvia, 2026. 236 p.
ISBN 978-9934-36-685-7 
https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2026