The problem addressed by this study is the challenges the general education teachers face when teaching students with special educational needs in an inclusive learning environment. General education educators often feel unprepared to support the learning needs of students with special educational needs due to a lack of training and understanding of the students and their additional support requirements. The educators develop negative attitudes and perspectives toward inclusive education, hindering the effectiveness of fostering an inclusive learning environment. Lack of effective teaching strategies, behavior management strategies, and low self-efficacy are the critical factors promoting negative perceptions of inclusion in education (Bruno, 2020).
The researcher interviewed 15 general education and special education teachers from middle schools in Polk County, central Florida, to gather their perspectives and experiences on the inclusive environment. The data was collected through conversations, observations, and journals, which helped the researcher gain insights and thoughts about inclusion in the learning environment. The author used the Nvivo12 Plus technique to analyze the information collected (Bruno, 2020). The participants depicted a gap in training efforts and support from the administration in addressing the learning needs of students with special educational needs. The participants believed that their role and responsibility to cater to the needs of students with special needs influences their perception of inclusive education.
The theoretical framework incorporated in this study was based on Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. The author demonstrates throughout the study that people have the capacity and ability to control their functionality, promoting personal accomplishment. Equipping educators with effective training and support would motivate their commitment to supporting students with special learning needs and changing their negative perceptions of inclusion.
The author effectively aligned the theoretical framework, the literature, and the problem statement, which provided a chronological follow-up of ideas in the study. The connection between increasing teachers’ self-efficacy through training programs and availing effective teaching and behavioral management strategies would positively impact educators’ roles and responsibilities in supporting learners with special educational needs. The author incorporates effective data presentation techniques, including using a bar graph to increase the visual presentation of the allegations. The study information is organized in chronological order, making locating needed information easy.
The focus of this study is to address the overwhelming demand for educators to meet the needs of a diverse classroom with an enlarging size. As the size of a class increases, a teacher experiences additional duties and responsibilities toward addressing the learning needs of each student (Bowen, 2018). Different students have diverse needs, making it overwhelming for teachers to manage them. Teachers should incorporate effective strategies that enhance differentiation to address diverse students’ needs.
Classroom diversity has significant implications for skills and knowledge development, including supporting social interactions. The size of the class has an instrumental influence on the teaching strategies adopted by a teacher to address the learning needs of each student. The researcher collected data using surveys and document reviews. The document reviewed includes the lesson plans, which provided information on teachers’ efforts to address an enlarging class. Educators should identify strategies that would accommodate the needs of diverse students regardless of the class size. Effective planning and incorporation of differentiated strategies help a teacher to teach effectively and meet the needs of each student irrespective of the class size (Bowen, 2018). However, a small class size benefits students with diverse learning needs more.
Further, instruction differentiation provides educators with a conceptual framework of class management regardless of class size. Differentiation of instructions guides a teacher in aligning the teaching strategies with students’ previous knowledge, preferences, capacity, and ability, promoting a supportive learning environment for all students. Differentiation supports personalized learning, which helps the teacher address and meet each learner’s needs.
The problem statement aligns with the literature of this study. The focus of the study was to provide a solution to teachers on how to integrate learning objectives effectively in a large class size. The researcher collected infor
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