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

Abstract

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