Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion and Students' Socio-Emotional School Experiences in Inclusive Education

• In Event: Collaborative Reasoning and Social Processes in Education and Psychology

Abstract

Students’ socio-emotional school experiences are an indicator of school’s level of inclusion. Because positive teacher attitudes toward inclusion are often claimed as a prerequisite for inclusive education, we explored the role of teachers’ attitudes for students’ social integration and school well-being in inclusive education. Multilevel analyses based on 757 German primary school students (age M = 8 years) and their teachers revealed a lower level of social integration for students with special educational needs (SEN) than for students without SEN but no differences in school well-being. Further, the more positive teachers’ beliefs in the benefits of integrated vs. special education, the smaller the gap in social integration between students with and without SEN. Research and practice implication are derived.

Authors

• Anke Heyder, Technical University Dortmund

• Anna Sudkamp, University of Dortmund

• Ricarda Steinmayr, Tu Dortmund