Intercultural competence and communication - current views among practitioners in Maltese early years' settings

Abstract

This paper discusses general conclusions drawn from the analyses of school questionnaires collected from Maltese schools between October and November 2004. The participants were staff working with three to six-year-old children. By providing a rationale centered around the increasing number of asylum seekers in Malta, the paper introduces us to the perceptions of Maltese early childhood educators. The final results of the questionnaires highlight a potential niche for courses on intercultural competence and communication. There is also a clear need for practical knowledge to assist educators in building a stock of resources, ideas and strategies. This, in turn, would enable them to insure that diversity can be embraced in real classroom settings.