This article reviews professional development efforts that aim to improve intercultural competences of in-service and pre-service teachers working in primary and early childhood education. A specific purpose was to evaluate the impact of the wider context and the use of reflection and enactment as facilitators of change. An analysis of 23 in-service and 22 pre-service papers shows that an embedded and contextual approach to professional development, in which reflection is guided and enactment is fostered, is most likely to effectively increase teachers’ intercultural competences. However, such an approach is still uncommon in the field of teacher preparation and support. •Intercultural competences of in-service and pre-service teachers need to improve.•We conducted a review of professional development targeting intercultural competences.•Guided reflection and enactment are important facilitators of change.•An embedded, contextual approach is necessary to improve intercultural competences.