Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education: Pre-Service Teachers’ Knowledge, Perceptions and Experiences of Inclusive Pedagogy From Teaching Practice

Abstract

Various scholars have questioned the effectiveness of teacher education programmes in preparing teachers for inclusive education. This study examines how teacher education programmes prepare pre-service teachers for inclusive education in terms of perceptions, knowledge and pedagogy. The study uses focus group discussions to examine pre-service teachers’ knowledge of inclusive education and their experiences of inclusive pedagogy from teaching practice. The SACIE-R questionnaire tool assesses the perceptions of 187 pre-service teachers with regard to inclusive education. The findings indicate that pre-service teachers acquire theoretical knowledge with gaps in field-based knowledge that hinder their ability to link theory and practice, and to develop inclusive pedagogy. Moreover, pre-service teachers have a low level of sentiments and harbour many concerns and negative attitudes towards inclusive education. The findings of the study contribute insights that can inform the design and structuring of inclusive education courses in teacher education programmes.