Teachers as change agents in making teaching inclusive in some selected rural schools of Limpopo Province, South Africa: implications for teacher education

Conceptualizing Teacher Agency for Inclusive Education: A Systematic and International Review

“…Inclusive teacher identity refers to teachers’ professional roles, moral roles, and motivation (Lyons et al, 2016; Naraian, 2013, 2014; Naraian & Schlessinger, 2018; Pantić, 2017a; Themane & Thobejane, 2018). Studies demonstrate that inclusive educators usually engage in the following agentic actions: promoting equal status in their collaborative teaching partnership, embracing ambiguity in the role of inclusive education activists, and acting as school system developers and decision makers.…”

“…Professional competence refers to teachers’ knowledge and practice of inclusive education pedagogy with social equity as its core (Heikonen et al, 2017; Mu et al, 2015; Naraian, 2014; Naraian & Schlessinger, 2018; Pantić, 2017a; Themane & Thobejane, 2018). Some critical agentic actions found in the studies are intersectional understanding of ability/difference within inclusive pedagogy, modeling a disposition to social justice, creating extracurricular space for relationship building with students, creating mutual supporting space among students to foster a sense of belonging, and tailoring curriculum but still ensuring students’ competence in taking high-stakes exams (see Table 2 for more agentic actions).…”

“…Some critical agentic actions found in the studies are intersectional understanding of ability/difference within inclusive pedagogy, modeling a disposition to social justice, creating extracurricular space for relationship building with students, creating mutual supporting space among students to foster a sense of belonging, and tailoring curriculum but still ensuring students’ competence in taking high-stakes exams (see Table 2 for more agentic actions). For example, Themane and Thobejane (2018) found that agentic teachers would actively seek training in inclusive education knowledge and skills so that they can accommodate all learners by providing universally designed learning practices and build on students’ strengths and interests. In this way, inclusive educators can see their teaching knowledge and skills as a result of lifelong learning rather than a fixed capacity out of habit.…”

“…Inclusive professional philosophy refers to teachers’ attitudes and perceptions toward teaching, learning, and ability (Lyons et al, 2016; Naraian, 2013; Naraian & Schlessinger, 2018; Pantić, 2017a; Themane & Thobejane, 2018). Agentic inclusive educators usually have a positive attitude toward inclusive education, understand student achievement as always contingent on social contexts and home situations, possess strong convictions of the significance of social-emotional growth for academic learning, and regard instruction as a reciprocal process (see Table 2 for more agentic actions).…”

“…Autonomy means individual and collective efficacy, decision-making power, and active collaboration with other actors (Heikonen et al, 2017; Lyons et al, 2016; Mu et al, 2015; Naraian, 2013, 2014; Naraian & Schlessinger, 2018; Pantić, 2017a; Themane & Thobejane, 2018; Wang et al, 2017). Important agentic actions demonstrated in the studies are challenging problematic broader education policy and sociocultural contexts; challenging problematic school culture and principal leadership; constructing a supportive ecology within schools; collaborating with neighboring schools, communities, and families; or building a trustworthy relationship with students (see Table 2 for more agentic actions).…”