Embracing diversity: Empowerment of Filipino pre-service teachers for inclusive education
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Abstract
The increasing diversity in schools requires in-depth understanding of pedagogical approaches to teach diverse populations. This requirement demands Teacher Education Institutions to develop among pre-service teachers positive attitude towards inclusion and prepare and train them to deliver inclusive practices in a mainstream classroom. This study investigated the attitude towards inclusive education, perceived level of readiness to implement inclusive education and assessment on the effectiveness of teacher education program for inclusive education in terms of collaborative teaching, techniques and strategies and collaborative experiences among pre-service teachers in one state university in Batangas Province, Philippines. Using descriptive-survey as research design with researcher-made questionnaire as tool to gather data, results have shown that the respondents have high positive attitude (x̄=3.57) towards inclusive education. Further, the study also revealed that the respondents have high perception (x̄=3.63) on their readiness to implement inclusive education. Lastly, teacher education program for inclusive education along with collaborative teaching and techniques and strategies were highly effective (x̄=3.51 and x̄=3.55 respectively), while effective (x̄=3.49) only in terms of collaborative experiences. Analyses of the findings afforded the researcher to formulate recommendations that higher authorities may use as inputs in formulating and designing programs to better empower future teachers to embrace diversity.
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