Professional preparation of primary school teachers for inclusive education in Nigeria

Abstract

Since Nigeria adopted inclusive education in compliance with the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (UNESCO, 1994), other global human rights instruments, and in alignment with several other countries, the number of learners with diverse unique needs requiring education in regular primary school classes has increased significantly. However, teachers are not always professionally prepared to address the individuality of learners with diverse unique needs within the community of their peers, who do not have special needs, in the regular classes. Thus, embedded in the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), the current qualitative multiple case study examined the professional preparation of primary school teachers for inclusive education in Nigeria as the context for proposing strategies and a model for their professional preparation for inclusive education. A purposive sample of 16 teachers, selected from four regular primary schools in Lagos State participated in the study. Semi-structured individual interviews, non-participant observation and document analysis were used to collect data. The analytic model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana (2014) was used to analyse data. Entrenched in multiple case study design analysis, the data was initially analysed within each case and further across cases. Most teachers had a divergent understanding of inclusive education while some had no understanding of inclusive education at all. Despite the overall lack of professional preparation of primary school teachers for inclusive education, they addressed the diversity of learners in their regular primary school classes. Teachers used a blend of learner-centred and teacher-centred pedagogy, including the differentiation of teaching strategies in implementing inclusive education. Individual and systemic issues, including the lack of professional preparation of teachers, inadequate material and physical teaching and learning resources, overcrowded classrooms, a non-supportive government, the nonchalant attitude of learners, non-supportive parents, as well as poverty interfered with and hampered the implementation of inclusive education in regular primary schools in Nigeria. The passage and enforcement of clear and specific mandatory policies and legislation on inclusive education, the provision of physical and material teaching and learning resources, the inculcation of a positive attitude in inclusive practices in teachers, the recruitment of trained teachers and the safeguarding of small class sizes could enhance the implementation of inclusive education in regular primary schools in Nigeria. Based on the knowledge and information gleaned from the reviewed international and Nigerian literature, the CHAT and the findings of this study, a model for professional preparation of primary school teachers for inclusive education is proposed. The model constitutes training on global and Nigerian policies and legislation on inclusive education, the diversity of learners, positive dispositions, collaboration with other stakeholders, the adaptation of instruction, microteaching, modern ICT pedagogical resources and teaching practice based on the support of the government. Further research on the policy, practice and scholarship of the professional preparation of teachers for inclusive education in regular primary schools is recommended. This study is a springboard for future studies on the professional preparation of primary school teachers for inclusive education in Nigeria and other countries.