Emirati General Education Pre-service Teachers’ Preparedness for Diversity in Inclusive Classrooms

Abstract

<p>Today’s general education classrooms continue to become increasingly diverse. Educational<br />diversity and the high expectations for all learners have a profound impact on pre-service<br />teacher preparation. This paper explores Emirati general education pre-service teachers’<br />perception of preparedness to effectively instruct diverse learners including those with<br />exceptionalities. Individual and focus group interviews and student teaching internship<br />portfolios were used to examine Emirati pre-service teachers’ beliefs about their roles and<br />responsibilities in the diverse classrooms of today. Findings shed light on the impact of<br />teacher preparation on their perceived readiness, willingness, and abilities to meet the wide<br />range of learner needs through inclusive practices. Moreover, several areas presented<br />challenges to the pre-service teachers during their teaching practice. The study also identified<br />issues with current teacher preparation practices, program coordination or collaboration<br />efforts, and practicum experience necessary for pre-service teachers. Based on the findings,<br />recommendations for reassessing the content and structure of higher education teacher<br />preparation programs are discussed.</p>