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ERIC Number: EJ1287848
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Dec
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2515-0731
EISSN: N/A
Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Inclusive Education: The Reality of Professional Experience Placements
Aprile, Kerry Therese; Knight, Bruce Allen
Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education, v44 n2 p88-101 Dec 2020
Developing the knowledge and practical skills for implementing inclusive education is a legislative and policy imperative for contemporary graduate teachers. In this qualitative study, the authors investigated the experiences of 18 preservice teachers during their practical school placements in primary and secondary school settings and the impact of these experiences on their attitudes towards students with special needs and their readiness to teach in mainstream inclusive settings. Sixteen of the participants had completed 2 or more placements. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analysed to categorise the observed and enacted practices and define themes that contribute to a deeper understanding of preservice teachers' learning about inclusion through their practice in schools. The 4 identified themes show that contact, responsibility for instruction, modelled practices, and expectations for student learning all have significant impacts on the quality and outcomes of preservice teachers' placements. Findings suggest that placement settings do not consistently represent contexts where aspiring teachers are exposed to the types of meaningful contact or successful experiences claimed to be fundamental preparation for inclusive practice. The implications for the preservice teachers themselves and for their future practice are discussed.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A