Ethical Sensitivity for Teachers’ Professional Ethics in Moral Education Teaching

This article presents a critical thematic literature review examining ethical sensitivity as a prerequisite for teachers’ professional ethics in teaching, with particular attention to Moral Education teachers. Based on an analysis of 31 selected articles, the review synthesises research on ethical sensitivity, teachers’ professional ethics, moral judgement, and teaching practice. Four main themes were identified: ethical sensitivity as recognition and interpretation in teaching; ethical sensitivity as a prerequisite for professional ethical judgement; blind spots and limitations of ethical sensitivity in teachers’ professional practice; and the integration gap between ethical sensitivity and professional ethics in teaching. The findings indicate that caring, good intentions, and knowledge of ethical principles do not necessarily guarantee teachers’ ability to recognise the full range of morally significant features in pedagogical situations. Perspective taking, awareness of bias, sensitivity to individual and group differences, the generation of interpretations, and recognition of consequences emerged as important processes that precede professional judgement. Guided by Rest’s Four Component Model and Narvaez’s operationalisation of ethical sensitivity, this review argues that teachers’ professional ethics begins with the capacity to recognise that a situation has moral significance before professional judgement, decision-making, and action can occur. For Moral Education teachers, this relationship is particularly significant because they not only teach values and moral judgement but must also demonstrate consistency between the values they teach and their own professional practice. The review therefore highlights the need to integrate the development of ethical sensitivity more explicitly into the education and professional development of Moral Education teachers.

Ethical sensitivity, Teacher ethics, Teachers’ professional ethics, Moral Education

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