Published
2024-08-26
Section
Research Articles
License
The journal adopts the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which means that anyone can reuse and redistribute the materials for non-commercial purposes as long as you follow the license terms and the original source is properly cited.
Author(s) shall retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal/Publisher rights for the first publication with the work concurrently licensed since 2023 Vol.8 No.2.
Under this license, author(s) will allow third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content under the condition that the authors are given credit. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher.
This broad license intends to facilitate free access, as well as the unrestricted use of original works of all types. This ensures that the published work is freely and openly available in perpetuity.
By providing open access, the following benefits are brought about:
- Higher Visibility, Availability and Citations-free and unlimited accessibility of the publication over the internet without any restrictions increases citation of the article.
- Ease of search-publications are easily searchable in search engines and indexing databases.
- Rapid Publication – accepted papers are immediately published online.
- Available for free download immediately after publication at https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP
Copyright Statement
1.The authors certify that the submitted manuscripts are original works, do not infringe the rights of others, are free from academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, and that there are no disputes over the authorship scheme of the collaborative articles. In case of infringement, academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, as well as disputes over the authorship scheme, all responsibilities will be borne by the authors.
2. The author agrees to grant the Editorial Office of Environment and Social Psychology a licence to use the reproduction right, distribution right, information network dissemination right, performance right, translation right, and compilation right of the submitted manuscript, including the work as a whole, as well as the diagrams, tables, abstracts, and any other parts that can be extracted from the work and used in accordance with the characteristics of the journal. The Editorial Board of Environment and Social Psychology has the right to use and sub-licence the above mentioned works for wide dissemination in print, electronic and online versions, and, in accordance with the characteristics of the periodical, for the period of legal protection of the property right of the copyright in the work, and for the territorial scope of the work throughout the world.
3. The authors are entitled to the copyright of their works under the relevant laws of Singapore, provided that they do not exercise their rights in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Journal.
About Licence
Environment and Social Psychology is an open access journal and all published work is available under the Creative Commons Licence, Authors shall retain copyright of their work and grant the journal/publisher the right of first publication, and their work shall be licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
Under this licence, the author grants permission to third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content with attribution to the author. No permission from the author or publisher is required.
This broad licence is intended to facilitate free access to and unrestricted use of original works of all kinds. This ensures that published works remain free and accessible in perpetuity. Submitted manuscripts, once accepted, are immediately available to the public and permanently accessible free of charge on the journal’s official website (https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP). Allowing users to read, download, copy, print, search for or link to the full text of the article, or use it for other legal purposes. However, the use of the work must retain the author's signature, be limited to non-commercial purposes, and not be interpretative.
Click to download <Agreement on the Licence for the Use of Copyright on Environmental and Social Psychology>.
How to Cite
Investigating English language teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education
Davey Young
Sophia University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i8.2761
Keywords: EFL, higher education, inclusive education, teacher training, TESOL
Abstract
While general and special education teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education have been extensively researched in recent years, little is known about English language teachers’ views on inclusive education. This is a critical research gap, as students with disabilities can face many unique barriers to learning a foreign language compared to other subject areas, and teachers’ views on inclusive education impact their ability to teach inclusively. However, many English language teachers have reported feeling unprepared to teach students with disabilities. Using postsecondary English language teachers in Japan as a case, the present research employed a modified version of the Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised Scale (SACIE-R; N = 239). Respondents had a generally positive view of including students with disabilities in their instruction but were concerned about lacking knowledge and skills to teach inclusively and giving appropriate attention to all students in an inclusive classroom. Predictive factors included previous interactions with people with disabilities and inclusive practices self-efficacy, though both were overshadowed by the relationship that participation in pre- and in-service training to teach students with disabilities had with teachers’ views. The results have implications for how to best prepare English language teachers to teach inclusively, particularly as pertains to in-service training.
References
[1]. Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (2016). General comment No. 4. https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/crpd/pages/gc.aspx
[2]. Hunt, P. F. (2019). Inclusive education as global development policy. In M. J. Schuelka, C. J. Johnstone, G. Thomas, & A. J. Artiles (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of inclusion and diversity in education. (pp. 116-129). SAGE.
[3]. Ewing, D. L., Monsen, J. J., & Kielblock, S. (2017). Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education: A critical review of published questionnaires. Educational Psychology in Practice, 34(2), 150-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2017.1417822
[4]. Forlin, C., Earle, C., Loreman, T., Sharma, U. (2011). The sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education revised (SACIE-R) scale for measuring pre-service teachers’ perceptions about inclusion. Exceptionality Education International, 21(3), 50–65. https://doi.org/10.5206/eei.v21i3.7682
[5]. Yada, A., Tolvanen, A., & Savolainen, H. (2018). Teachers' attitudes and self-efficacy on implementing inclusive education in Japan and Finland: A comparative study using multigroup structural equation modelling. Teaching and Teacher Education, 75, 343-355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.07.011
[6]. Kormos, J. (2017). The second language learning processes of students with specific learning difficulties. Routledge.
[7]. Liu, M., & Huang, W. (2011). An exploration of foreign language anxiety and English learning motivation. Education Research International. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/493167
[8]. Piechurska-Kuciel, E. (2008). Input, processing, and output anxiety in students with symptoms of developmental dyslexia. In J. Kormos & E. H. Kontra (Eds.), Language Learners with Special Needs. (pp. 86-109). Multilingual Matters.
[9]. Sparks, R. L., & Ganschow, L. (1991). Foreign language learning differences: Affective or native language aptitude differences? Modern Language Journal, 75(1), 3-16. https://doi.org/10.2307/329830
[10]. Sparks, R. L., Humbach, N., & Javorsky, J. (2008). Individual and longitudinal differences among high- and low-achieving, LD, and ADHD L2 learners. Learning and Individual Differences, 18, 29-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2007.07.003
[11]. Sparks, R. L., Javorsky, J., & Philips, L. (2005). Comparison of the performance of college students classified as ADHD, LD, and LD/ADHD in foreign language aptitude. Language Learning, 55(1), 151-177. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0023-8333.2005.00292.x
[12]. Chen, T., & Chang, G. B. Y. (2008). The relationship between foreign language anxiety and learning difficulties. Foreign Language Annals, 37(2), 279-289. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2004.tb02200.x
[13]. Javorsky, J., Sparks, R. L., & Ganschow, L. (1992). Perceptions of college students with and without specific learning disabilities about foreign language courses. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 7(1), 31–44. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1992-25264-001
[14]. Horwitz, E. (2001). Language anxiety and achievement. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21, 112-126. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190501000071
[15]. Horwitz, E., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125-132. https://doi.org/10.2307/327317
[16]. Ali, A. D. (2018). Identifying training needs of in-service EFL teachers in inclusive schools in Egypt. Arab World English Journal, 9(1), 163-183. https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol9no1.12
[17]. Cimermanová, I. (2017). English language pre-service and in-service teachers’ self-efficacy and attitudes towards integration of students with learning difficulties. Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 5(1), 20-38. https://doi.org /10.1515/jolace-2017-0002
[18]. Fernández-Portero, I. (2022). Measuring preservice foreign language teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education through a newly developed scale. Foreign Language Annals, 55(4), 1188-1211. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12660
[19]. Hale, C. C., & Ono, S. (2019). Second language learning for students with special needs: Perceptions of Japanese secondary school teachers. Accents Asia, 11(2), 78-83. http://www.issues.accentsasia.org/issues/11-2/hale_ono.pdf
[20]. Lowe, R. J., Schaefer, M. & Turner, M. (2021). Uncovering diverse perspectives and responses to working with English learners with special educational needs. In D. Banegas, G. Beacon, & M. Berbain (Eds.), International perspectives on diversity in ELT. (pp. 229-245). Palgrave Macmillan.
[21]. Razmjoo, S. A., & Sabourianzadeh, N. (2018). An exploration of practices adopted by EFL teachers for learners with low-incidence disabilities in inclusive classes. Applied Research on English Language, 7(1), 89-110. http://dx.doi.org/10.22108/are.2018.110687.1283
[22]. Smith, A. M. (2006). Inclusion in English language teacher training and education. [PhD Thesis, Lancaster University]. http://www.eltwell.co.uk/docs/Inclusion-In-English-Language-Teacher-Training-and-Education.pdf
[23]. Smith, A. M. (2008). Inclusive education within TEFL certificate courses. In J. Kormos & E. H. Kontra (Eds.), Language Learners with Special Needs. (pp. 214-233). Multilingual Matters.
[24]. Sowell, J., & Sugisaki, L. (2020). An exploration of EFL teachers’ experience with learning disability training. Latin American Journal of Content & Language Integrated Learning, 13(1), 114-134. https://doi.org/10.5294/laclil.2020.13.1.7
[25]. Yphantides, J. (2022). EFL teachers’ experiences with neurodiverse students and self-efficacy for inclusive practice in Japanese universities. The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL, 11(2), 125-139. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2731481035?pq-origsite=primo
[26]. Dignath, C., & Rimm-Kaufman, S., van Ewijk, R., & Kunter, M. (2022). Teachers’ beliefs about inclusive education and insights on what contributes to those beliefs: a meta-analytical study. Educational Psychology Review, 34, 2609-2660. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-022-09695-0
[27]. Guillemot, F., Lacroix, F., & Nocus, I. (2022). Teachers’ attitude towards inclusive education from 2000 to 2020: An extended meta-analysis. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 3, 100175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2022.100175
[28]. Ieridou, N. L. (2017). Teachers’ perceptions on inclusive education: The effect of knowledge and experience. In I. H. Amzat & N. Padilla-Valdez (Eds.), Teacher professional knowledge and development for reflective and inclusive practices (pp. 157-167). Routledge.
[29]. Agavelyan, R. O., Aubakirova, S. D., Zhomartova, A. D., & Burdina, E. I. (2020). Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education in Kazakhstan. Integratsiya obrazovaniya, 24(1), 8-19. https://doi.org/10.15507/1991-9468.098.024.202001.008-019
[30]. AlMahdi, O., & Bukamal, H. (2019). Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education during their studies in Bahrain Teachers College. SAGE Open, July-September 2019, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019865772
[31]. Li, X., Xu, S., Xiang, Y., & Potměšil, M. (2016). Pre-service teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education in Chongqing, China. e-Pedagogium, 16(2), 133-141. https://doi.org/10.5507/epd.2016.022
[32]. Opoku, M. P., Nketsia, W., Odame, L., & Agyei-Okyere, E. (2021). Predictors of the attitudes of preservice teachers toward teaching students with Down syndrome in regular schools in Ghana. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 18(3), 229-239. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12379
[33]. Özokçu O. (2018a). Investigating classroom teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion. Inonu University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 19(3), 418-433. https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.472639
[34]. Poon, K. K., Ng, Z., Wong, M. E., & Kaur, S. (2016). Factors associated with staff perceptions towards inclusive education in Singapore. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 36(1), 84-97. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2014.922047
[35]. Stavroussi, P., Didaskalou, E., Greif Green, J. (2021). Are teachers’ democratic beliefs about classroom life associated with their perceptions of inclusive education? International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 68(5), 627-642. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2020.1716961
[36]. Tahsein, S. S., & Ahsan, M. T. (2016). Four-year B.Ed. (honours) students’ attitude towards inclusive education in Bangladesh. Primary Education Journal, 9(1), 31-53. https://nape.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/nape.portal.gov.bd/page/f4896617_7264_4889_aa0b_4072142919fb/journal2016.pdf
[37]. Tuncay, A. A., & Kizilaslan, A. (2021). Pre-service teachers’ sentiments, attitudes and concerns about inclusive education in Turkey. European Journal of Special Needs Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2021.1873524
[38]. Emmers, E., Baeyens, D., & Petry, K. (2020). Attitudes and self-efficacy of teachers towards inclusion in higher education. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 35(2), 139-153. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2019.1628337
[39]. Navarro-Mateu, D., Franco-Ochoa, J., Valero-Moreno, S., & Prado-Gascó, V. (2020). Attitudes, sentiments, and concerns about inclusive education of teachers and teaching students in Spain. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 521. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00521
[40]. Kunz, A., Luder, R., & Kassis, W. (2021). Beliefs and attitudes toward inclusion of student teachers and their contact with people with disabilities. Frontiers in Education, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.650236
[41]. Ayub, U., Shahzad, S., & Ali, M. S. (2019). University teachers’ attitude towards inclusion, efficacy and intention to teach inclusive classrooms in higher education. Global Sciences Review, IV(I), 365-372. http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-I).47
[42]. Özokçu O. (2018b). The relationship between teacher attitudes and self-efficacy for inclusive practices in Turkey. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(3), 6-12. https://doi.org/10.11114/jets. v 6 i 3 3034
[43]. Li, K. M., & Cheung, R. Y. M. (2021). Pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy in implementing inclusive education in Hong Kong: The roles of attitudes, sentiments, and concerns. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 68(2), 259-269. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2019.1678743
[44]. Mouchritsa, M., Romero, A., Garay, U., & Kazanopoulos, S. (2022). Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education at Greek secondary education schools. Education Sciences, 12, 404. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12060404
[45]. Romero-Contreras, S., Garcia-Cedillo, I., Forlin, C., & Abril, K. (2013). Preparing teachers for inclusion in Mexico: How effective is this process? Journal of Education for Teaching, 39(5), 509-522. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2013.836340
[46]. Cohen, I. (2011). Teacher-student interaction in classrooms of students with specific learning difficulties learning English as a foreign language. Journal of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders, 2(2), 271-292. https://doi.org/10.1558/jircd.v2i2.271
[47]. Firman, F., Tersta, F. W., Riantoni, C., & Sekonda, F. A. (2020). Teachers’ attitudes to special needs students in English language teaching. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 8(2), 37-45. https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2020.82e03
[48]. Nyikes, N. N. (2019). Integrating students with specific learning differences in the EFL classroom. WoPaLP, 13, 14-32. http://langped.elte.hu/WoPaLParticles/W13NagyneNyikesN.pdf
[49]. Damayanti, A., Lintangsari, A. P., Kusumawardani, I. N. (2022). Teachers’ efficacy in inclusive teaching: A study on EFL pre-service teachers. Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies, 9(2), 253-263. https://doi.org/10.21776/ub.ijds.2022.009.02.09
[50]. Aiello, P., Sharma, U., Di Gennaro, D. C., Dimitrov, D. M., Pace, E. M., Zollo, I., & Sibilio, M. (2017). A study on Italian teachers’ sentiments, attitudes and concerns towards inclusive education. CQIA RIVISTA, 20, 10-24. http://hdl.handle.net/11386/4682089
[51]. Aubakirova, S., & Mukatayeva, K. (2017). Studying the attitude of future teachers towards inclusive education in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Journal of Exceptional People, 2(11), 97-105.
[52]. Gallego-Ortega, J. L., & Rodríguez-Fuentes, A. (2021). Teaching attitudes towards students with disabilities. Mathematics, 9, 16-37. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9141637
[53]. Kis, A. (2016). Adaptation of the sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education (SACIE-R) scale on a Turkish population. Academic Research International, 7(1), 123-134.
[54]. Main, S., Chambers, D. J., & Smith, P. (2016). Supporting the transition to inclusive education: Teachers’ attitudes to inclusion in the Seychelles. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20(12), 1270-1285. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2016.1168873
[55]. Murdaca, A. M., Patrizia, O., & Costa, S. (2016). Evaluating the perception of disability and the inclusive education of teachers: the Italian validation of the SACIE-R (Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education – Revised Scale). European Journal of Special Needs Education, 33(1), 148-156. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2016.1267944
[56]. Vogiatzi, X-A., Charitaki, G., & Kourkoutas, E. (2021). Assessing psychometric properties of the Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale in a Greekspeaking sample of inservice teachers. Technology, Knowledge and Learning. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-021-09554-x
[57]. Yada, A., & Savolainen, H. (2017). Japanese in-service teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education and self-efficacy for inclusive practices. Teaching and Teacher Education, 64, 222-229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.02.005
[58]. Smith, A. M. (2018). Inclusive practices. Oxford University Press.
[59]. Salmi, J. (2018). All around the world – Higher education equity policies across the globe. https://worldaccesshe.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/All-around-the-world-Higher-education-equity-policies-across-the-globe-.pdf
[60]. Ruddick, M., Pryor, S., & Diaz, M. (2021). English language teaching faculty members’ knowledge and awareness of special educational needs at universities in Japan: A qualitative study. English as a Foreign Language International Journal, 1(3), 46-65. https://doi.org/10.56498/822562021
[61]. Boeltzig-Brown, H. (2017). Disability and career service provision for students with disabilities at institutions of higher education in Japan: An overview of key legislation, policies, and practices. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 30(1), 61-81. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1144616
[62]. Kondo, T., Takahashi, T., & Shirasawa, M. (2015). Recent progress and future challenges in disability student services in Japan. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 28(4), 421-431. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1093579
[63]. Young, D. (2024). The emergence and development of inclusive education in Japan: Local to global and back again. In A. Burke, D. Young, & M. L. Cook (Eds.), Barrier-free instruction in Japan: Recommendations for teachers at all levels of schooling (pp. 22-64). Candlin & Mynard. http://doi.org/10.47908/30/1
[64]. JASSO. (2023). Ryō wa 4-nendo (2022-nendo) daigaku, tankidaigaku oyobi kōtō senmon gakkō ni okeru shōgai no aru gakusei no shūgaku shien ni kansuru jittai chōsa kekka hōkoku-sho [AY2022 fact-finding survey report on study support for students with disabilities at universities, junior colleges and colleges of technology]. https://www.jasso.go.jp/statistics/gakusei_shogai_syugaku/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2023/08/29/2022_houkoku_1.pdf
[65]. Clark, L. A., & Watson, D. (1995). Constructing validity: Basic issues in scale development. Journal of Psychological Assessment, 7(3), 309–319. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.7.3.309
[66]. Pfingsthorn, J., & Giesler, T. (2022). Specific preferences vs. inclusive foreign language education: (Pre-service) teachers’ implicit attitudes towards varieties of English. In M. Callies & S. Hehner (Eds.), Pedagogical Implications and Innovative Approaches to Language Teaching (pp. 91-112). Routledge.
[67]. Loreman, T., Earle, C., Sharma, U., & Forlin, C. (2007). The development of an instrument for measuring pre-service teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education. International Journal of Special Education, 22(2), 150-159. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ814498
[68]. Sharma, U., Forlin, C., & Loreman, T. (2008). Impact of training on pre-service teachers’ attitudes and concerns about inclusive education and sentiments about persons with disabilities. Disability & Society, 23(7), 773-785. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687590802469271
[69]. Sharma, U., Loreman, T., & Forlin, C. (2012). Measuring teacher efficacy to implement inclusive practices. Journal of Research in Special Education Needs, 12, 12-21. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-3802.2011.01200.x