Classroom Interaction Studies as a Source for Teacher Competencies: The Use of Case Studies with Multiple Instruments for Studying Teacher Competencies in Multicultural Classes

Source: Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, Volume 16, Issue 6, 2010, p. 717 - 733.

In 2002, a series of small-scale studies were conducted to identify and formulate teachers' communicative competencies in multicultural classes through a mixture of instruments and data sources. The studies aimed at providing recommendations for improving these competencies through teacher education and professional development.

The current study reports on the multiple instruments used to study the practical knowledge and behaviour of experienced teachers in multicultural schools by discussing research evidence from a series of case studies from primary and secondary education.
These case studies explored teachers' knowledge, beliefs and behaviours in creating healthy teacher-student relationships as well as making lesson content accessible for all students, including students with limited language skills.

The findings demonstrate how small-scale studies with multiple data collection techniques can help in providing an empirical foundation for the formulation and specification of teacher competencies in multicultural settings.