Teacher Education for the Changing Demographics of Schooling

"Once again Professor Florian has brought a group of key researchers in our field to the table to press the inclusive education forward. "The idea that all learners are unique individuals and differences are to be expected as an ordinary aspect of human development" drives this collection to demonstrate the lesson for teacher educators in new times, new demographies. Teachers cannot be allowed to consider student diversity as an addition to the job specification. This text affirms this throughout by giving neophyte and mature teachers new ideas and tools to place in their satchels." (Professor Roger Slee, School of Education, University of South Australia)

The book takes as its premise the argument that diverse learner groups are a fact of demographic change that should be considered foundational in the preparation of teachers rather than be problematized as a challenge. It promotes the idea of teacher education for inclusive education based on a consideration of what it means to educate all children together. Divided into four parts, the book considers key issues for teacher education, teacher agency, teacher education for diversity, and a research agenda for the future.

In today’s world, the demographic profile of students in schools is more complex than ever before, and the increasing cultural, linguistic and developmental diversity of today’s classrooms, along with the pressure to achieve high academic standards for everybody has significant implications for how classroom teachers should be prepared to meet these demands. This book advances a new understanding of inclusive education that addresses the limitations inherent in current approaches that problematize differences between learner groups by promoting a view of difference as an aspect of human individuality. It considers the implications of the research evidence underpinning teacher education for diversity and makes suggestions for future research in the field.