Emirati General Education Pre service Teachers' Preparedness for Diversity in Inclusive Classrooms
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.