Multicultural Literacy, Multicultural Efficacy, and Multicultural Education in ELT Teacher Preparation: An Integrative Literature Review
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Objective: This study of the literature aims to gather how the three conceptions have been defined and assessed in ELT research and particularly on pre-service teachers.
Methods and Materials: This study integrates the findings of 25 peer-reviewed publications published between 2015 and 2025, obtained via systematic searches in Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and Google Scholar, utilizing the technique provided by Torraco (2016) for integrative reviews. A flowchart based on PRISMA was developed to demonstrate the article selection process, intending to improve the understanding of the methodological requirements of an integrative review.
Findings: The synthesis revealed three trends. First, the research has been articulated in three friendly but largely separate academic traditions: socialcognitive theory-based research for multicultural efficacy, intercultural communication theory-based research for multicultural literacy, and multicultural education theory-based research for curriculum and educational strategies. Second, there have been few studies that have looked at the links between these concepts at the same time, leading to a limited knowledge of how they interact together in multicultural teacher education in ELT. Third, the review provides an integrated conceptual framework where multicultural literacy is the knowledge and awareness component, multicultural efficacy is the teachers’ confidence in implementing culturally responsive practices, and multicultural education is the curricular and institutional context that supports the development of the two components.
Conclusion: Multicultural teacher preparation in ELT requires an integrated approach combining knowledge, efficacy, and institutional support. Future research should empirically test the proposed framework using longitudinal, mixed-method, and classroom-based designs.
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