SELF-TALK STRATEGIES FOR CULTURAL COMPETENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION LEADERS
Keywords:
Self-talk; International Education Leadership Effectiveness; Cultural Competency; Culturally Responsive Leadership; AcculturationAbstract
The objective of this research was to explore self-talk strategies for international school leaders and cultural competency. A mixed methods approach explored the concept of self-talk of leaders and cultural competency with International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT) leaders to understand their experiences and cultural competency. The research sought to determine current self-talk of school leaders in ISAT schools in Thailand, to determine their experiences of self-talk and cultural competency, to explore the effects of self-talk on cultural competency, and to develop self-talk strategies for cultural competency. Qualitative theme analysis found that leaders are using self-talk strategies mostly unconsciously. Findings indicated that judgements, confusion, and frustration around the functions and systems in the new culture occurred in participants and negative experiences were noted. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to study the variance of self-talk: constructive, instructive, destructive and the cultural competency level of participants. Findings revealed significant associations between the scale scores for inverse relationships between constructive and instructive self-talk and cultural destructiveness, cultural incapacity, and cultural blindness. Destructive self-talk was significant at F=.856 p=.039 indicating that destructive self-talk may impact cultural competency levels. Cultural destructiveness and cultural incapacity had a significant relationship with destructive self-talk and while cultural competency and cultural proficiency only had a significant relationship with instructive self-talk indicating that the type of self-talk and cultural competency levels do have an effect upon each other. Based on these findings self-talk strategies were developed to enhance cultural competency for international education leaders.
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