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Attitudes and teacher efficacy of pre-service teachers in Singapore towards inclusion in primary schools
Author
Silva, Benedicta J
Supervisor
Tan, Carol Soo Ching
Abstract
The concept of inclusion of children with special needs into mainstream schools in Singapore has gained much attention in the educational milieu in recent years. With the support of government policies, inclusion efforts have surfaced as an initiative which needs to be addressed in all mainstream schools. How this initiative is addressed is very much dependent on an important aspect, the role of the mainstream teacher. Without having a positive attitude and teacher efficacy for inclusion of children with special needs, the developments made for the support of inclusive efforts would be futile. As attitudes and teacher efficacy are nurtured at the teacher training stage, it would not be presumptuous to infer that the attitude and teacher efficacy of pre-service teachers is also an important aspect of inclusion efforts.
This study investigated the attitudes and teacher efficacy of pre-service teachers in Singapore towards inclusion in primary schools. Two-hundred and sixty-six (n = 266) pre-service teachers pursuing postgraduate, undergraduate and diploma studies in the National Institute of Education were surveyed. They completed two surveys, a survey on their attitudes towards inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream primary schools and a survey on their teacher efficacy towards teaching children with special needs.
The relationship between pre-service teachers’ attitudes and efficacy towards inclusion and four variables were investigated. There were no statistically significant effect for the variables of gender, age , social or/and work related experience with children with special needs and awareness of additional support provided by schools for children with special needs and the pre-service teachers ‘attitudes. Similarly, no statistically significant effect for the variables of gender, social or/and work related experience with children with special needs and awareness of additional support provided by schools for children with special needs was reported for teacher efficacy towards inclusion. However there was a significant effect for the variable of age for teacher efficacy. The younger pre-service teachers reported higher teacher efficacy than their peers. This seems to suggest that younger teachers are more willing and ready to accept change and are also more likely to employ different strategies in their classrooms to support children with special needs.
The findings of this study have implications both for teacher training as well as the support structures necessary for the sustainability of the inclusion process.
This study investigated the attitudes and teacher efficacy of pre-service teachers in Singapore towards inclusion in primary schools. Two-hundred and sixty-six (n = 266) pre-service teachers pursuing postgraduate, undergraduate and diploma studies in the National Institute of Education were surveyed. They completed two surveys, a survey on their attitudes towards inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream primary schools and a survey on their teacher efficacy towards teaching children with special needs.
The relationship between pre-service teachers’ attitudes and efficacy towards inclusion and four variables were investigated. There were no statistically significant effect for the variables of gender, age , social or/and work related experience with children with special needs and awareness of additional support provided by schools for children with special needs and the pre-service teachers ‘attitudes. Similarly, no statistically significant effect for the variables of gender, social or/and work related experience with children with special needs and awareness of additional support provided by schools for children with special needs was reported for teacher efficacy towards inclusion. However there was a significant effect for the variable of age for teacher efficacy. The younger pre-service teachers reported higher teacher efficacy than their peers. This seems to suggest that younger teachers are more willing and ready to accept change and are also more likely to employ different strategies in their classrooms to support children with special needs.
The findings of this study have implications both for teacher training as well as the support structures necessary for the sustainability of the inclusion process.
Date Issued
2013
Call Number
LC1203.S55 Sil
Date Submitted
2013