Teachers’ multicultural sensitivity scale: a tool for measuring the multicultural sensitivity of teachers from a culturally diverse Asian country

Teachers’ multicultural sensitivity is an essential factor in providing students from diverse backgrounds with equal opportunities for quality education. Hence, we developed and validated the Teachers’ Multicultural Sensitivity Scale (TMSS), a tool designed to measure the multicultural sensitivity of teachers from a highly culturally diverse Asian country. In Study 1, items were generated from responses in focus group discussions, interviews, and open-ended questionnaires. The initial version of the scale was administered to 239 teachers. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and a three-factor model composed of cultural empathy, cultural competence, and cultural inclusiveness was identified. It was found that teachers’ multicultural sensitivity was negatively associated with social dominance. In Study 2, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to examine the identified 3-factor higher-order model on a sample of 360 teachers. Results provided support for its goodness of fit to the data. Moreover, it was found that teachers’ multicultural sensitivity was positively correlated with ethnocultural empathy, multicultural teaching competence, and multicultural awareness, providing evidence of convergent validity. The two studies were able to describe the development and provide support for the sound psychometric properties of the TMSS and its contextual and cultural relevance in understanding teachers’ multicultural sensitivity.