Global teaching competencies in primary education

Abstract

Calls for global citizenship education (GCE) in primary education have been making themselves heard in recent literature in different national and international contexts. Primary school teachers must be equipped with the necessary competencies required to carry out this broader task appropriately. This article seeks to understand how experienced teachers and teacher educators look at GCE and related global teaching competencies. A global citizenship typology provides the article’s theoretical frame for the investigation. This study used the Delphi method to reach consensus on a definition of GCE and what a globally competent primary school teacher should do to support the learning of diverse learners and engage them in GCE. The results show an extensive profile with foundational, facilitation, and curriculum design competencies and a definition of GCE which corresponds most with a moral and cultural global citizenship description.