Predicting pre-service teachers’ preparedness for inclusive education: Bangladeshi pre-service teachers’ attitudes and perceived teaching-efficacy for inclusive education

Abstract

This study reports on the second phase of a larger study, which investigated the preparedness of pre-service teachers to teach in inclusive classrooms in Bangladesh. Phase 1 employed two standardised scales that were used with 1623 pre-service teachers from 16 teacher education institutions to measure their attitudes and perceived teaching-efficacy for inclusive education. The findings of Phase 1 indicated that the level and length of training, along with gender, influenced both teacher attitudes and teaching-efficacy. In Phase 2, semi-structured interviews with six administrative heads of the pre-service teacher education institutions were conducted in order to better understand these findings. Outcomes of Phase 2 indicated that curriculum, teacher-related and a number of contextual variables may explain the differences in the findings of this study that were in sharp contrast to those from previous international research. Recommendations for policy and curriculum reform for pre-service teacher education are also made.

English as a foreign language teacher training needs and perceived preparedness to include dyslexic learners: The case of Greece, Cyprus, and Poland

“…Peebles and Mondaglio (2014) found that both the inclusion course and the field experience (working with and planning for individual and small groups of learners) produced significant gains in pre-service teachers' self-efficacy. Moreover, Ahsan et al (2013) proved that appropriate curriculum (course) content was more important for teacher preparedness than the length of the programme. However, mere attendance of an inclusive pre-service teacher education course does not guarantee the development of positive attitudes and beliefs about inclusive practices (Angelides, Stylianou, & Gibbs, 2006;Forlin, Cedillo, Romero-Contreras, Fletcher, & Hernández, 2010).…”

“…The provision of adequate and sufficient initial and in‐service teacher training on inclusion impacts positively on the teacher's perceived preparedness to teach in inclusive environments, indicating greater perceived confidence and self‐efficacy in applying appropriate inclusive instructional classroom practices (Ahsan, Deppeler, & Sharma, ; Coady, Harper, & de Jong, ; Das, Gichuru, & Singh, ; Florian & Rouse, ; Hettiarachchi & Das, ; Kormos & Nijakowska, ). Low levels of perceived preparedness may trigger the development of negative beliefs about inclusion (e.g., Das, Kuyini, & Desai, ).…”

“…Special education pre-service teachers' beliefs have also been investigated (e.g., Leyser, Zeiger, & Romi, 2011). Pre-service and in-service general education teacher concerns about inclusion of learners with SEN in mainstream classrooms (e.g., Ahsan et al, 2013;Forlin et al, 2014;Forlin & Cooper, 2013;Sharma, Forlin, & Loreman, 2008) as well as teacher attitudes (e.g., Ahmmed, Sharma, & Deppeler, 2012;Avramidis & Norwich, 2002;Forlin, Loreman, Sharma, & Earle, 2009) to inclusion and to teaching different school subjects in inclusive classrooms have been examined. Investigations of pre-service and in-service foreign language teachers' beliefs have targeted multiple aspects of teacher classroom behaviour and instructional practices (e.g., Kissau, Algozzine, & Yon, 2013;Kissau, Rodgers, & Haudeck, 2014).…”

Pre‐service teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of students with high support needs in regular classrooms in Bangladesh

“…In many countries, all teachers are mandated to learn about teaching students with disabilities. International research findings (Forlin et al, ; Ahsan, Deppeler & Sharma, ; Kim, ; Shade & Stewart, ) show that despite various initiatives having been undertaken to reform teacher preparation for inclusive classrooms, regular school teachers continue to have a lower sense of efficacy and have on‐going concerns about including children with disabilities in regular classrooms. Specifically, it has been noticed (Avramidis et al, ; Forlin, ; Schmidt & Vrhovnik, ; Scruggs & Mastropieri, ) that teachers tend to show more negative attitudes towards including children with high support needs (that is, students who use Braille and sign language, who need individual attention).…”

Approaches to assessing preservice teachers’ learning in authentic and rigorous ways: The case of an inclusive education module

“…Forlin, 2010;Loreman, 2010;Walton & Rusznyak, forthcoming). There is also a surfeit of studies drawn from course evaluations as researchers try to show the effects of courses on pre-service teachers' attitudes to inclusive classrooms and dispositions towards teaching learners with disabilities (Ahsan, Deppeler & Sharma, 2013;Lambe & Bones, 2008). Our previous research considers the potential of undertaking practicum sessions in special school contexts for supporting the pedagogic learning of pre-service teachers (Walton & Rusznyak, 2013).…”