Ready or Not? Preparedness of Pre-service EFL Teachers to Inclusive Education: A Cross-cultural Comparative Study from Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and China

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26817/16925777.2013

Keywords:

Cross-cultural, inclusive education, teacher education, efl, pre-service teachers

Abstract

This study tried to investigate pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' preparedness for inclusive education from a cross-cultural perspective. We used a quantitative survey design and collected the data in a cross-sectional way from three Asian countries: Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and China. We implemented a questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of pre service EFL teachers regarding inclusive education to 694 pre-service EFL teachers. We utilized the Kruskal Wallis test and Tamhane's T2 test to analyze the quantitative data of the groups in a comparative way. We found cross-cultural differences among the countries concerning inclusive education. The perceptions subscale scores of pre-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan are significantly higher than those of pre-service EFL teachers in China. The attitude subscale scores of pre-service EFL teachers in Türkiye are significantly higher than those of the pre-service EFL teachers in China, while the scores of the pre-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan are significantly higher than the scores of the pre-service EFL teachers in China. The knowledge subscale scores of pre-service EFL teachers in Türkiye are significantly higher than those of pre-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan, while the knowledge scores of pre-service EFL teachers in China are significantly higher than the scores of pre-service EFL teachers in Kazakhstan. Based on these results, we discussed the place of inclusive education in pre-service EFL education from a cross-cultural perspective. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Erkan Yüce, Aksaray University

Erkan Yüce is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of  Education of Aksaray University. He received his Ph.D. degree in English Language  Teaching from Hacettepe University Graduate School of Educational Sciences in  2018. His research focuses on applied linguistics, teacher training, educational psychology, academic writing, and curriculum and instruction.  His recent research appeared in journals such as Porta Linguarum, Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching (SSLLT), Thinking Skills and Creativity, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, and System

Zeynep Çetin Köroğlu, Bayburt University

Zeynep Çetin Köroğlu has been working as an Associate Professor Doctor at the English Language Teaching Department of Aksaray University. She got her MA and Ph.D. degrees from Gazi University, Türkiye. Her academic background mainly consists of English Language Teaching. She acts as a reviewer at various international academic journals. She is a technology enthusiast, established researcher, and international conference presenter. Her areas of expertise include intercultural communication, language teachers’ education, ICT implementations in language pedagogy, and language assessment. She published numerous book chapters and articles related to her research interests.

Meruyert Seitova, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University

Assoc. Prof. Meruyert Seitova received her PhD in English Language Education from Hacettepe University, Turkey. Her research interests include English language teaching methodology, learner motivation, teacher professional development, and in service and pre-service teacher education. She has published and presented widely on innovative approaches to English language teaching and teacher training. Dr. Seitova is currently engaged in teaching and research in the field of English language pedagogy.

Olufemi Timothy Adigun , University of Namibia

Dr Olufemi Timothy Adigun is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Applied Educational Sciences, University of Namibia, Namibia. He is C2 NRF (South Africa) rated researcher and a recipient of the Shanghai Open University Visiting Scholar program and the University of Zululand Vice-Chancellor’s Academic Award on Outstanding Achievements in Teaching and Research Community. Dr Adigun is a beneficiary of the Stellenbosch University Postdoctoral Research Fellows conference awards. In addition, he was a 2023 recipient of the UNESCO-IICBA travel sponsorship to the 2nd KIX-UNESCO Continental Symposium on Educational Research in Africa. His niche area within disability studies research is the pursuit of quality education and sustainable, inclusive learning and development of students with disabilities, with special focus on deaf students. 

Yongliang Wang, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power

Yongliang Wang serves as an editorial board member and a peer reviewer for several accredited international journals in the field of EFL education. He is a world top 2% scientist in languages and linguistics by Stanford University for 2 consecutive years (2024- 2025), and his name was selected in the Highly Cited Chinese Researchers by Elsevier in 2022, 2023 and 2024. In recent years, his research interests lie in the interface between positive psychology (PP) and EFL teacher education, technology-assisted language learning, semiotics studies in intercultural communication as well as area studies.

References

Adigun, O. T. (2021). Inclusive education among pre-service teachers from Nigeria and South Africa: A comparative cross-sectional study. Cogent Education, 8(1), 1930491. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2021.1930491

Aksu Ataç, B., & Taşçı, S. (2020). An investigation of prospective language teachers' knowledge and attitudes towards inclusive education in Turkey. International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 12(2), 359-373.

AlMahdi, O., & Bukamal, H. (2019). Pre-service teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education during their studies in Bahrain teachers college. SAGE Open, 9(3), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019865772

Bowling, A. (2014). Research methods in health: investigating health and health services. (4th edition) Maidenhead, GB. Open University.

Çelik, H., & Zehir Topkaya, E. (2017). Pre-service English teachers' teaching-efficacy perceptions and their potential sources in the field experience. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 4(1), 12-24.

Chumbow, B. S. (2009). Linguistic diversity, pluralism and national development in Africa. Africa Development, XXXIV(2), 21-45. https://doi.org/10.4314/ad.v34i2.57364

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed). Pearson.

De Boera, A., Pijlb, S. J., & Minnaerta, A. (2011). Regular primary school teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education: A review of the literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 15(3), 331-353. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603110903030089

Ember, C. R., & Ember, M. (2009). Cross-cultural research methods (2nd ed.). Altamira.

Fu, Z., Chen, B., & Zhen, N. (2019). Inclusive Education in China. In G. de Beco, S. Quinlivan, & J. E. Lord (Eds.), The Right to Inclusive Education in International Human Rights Law (pp. 580-605). Cambridge: Cambridge University. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316392881.024

Gülay, A., & Altun, T. (2023). Investigation of Teacher Candidates' Awareness towards Inclusive Education. Journal of Theoretical Educational Sciences, 16(2), 423-453. https://doi.org/10.30831/akukeg.1242868

Ketrish, E., Fedorov, V., Tretyakova, N., Andruhina, T., & Shehetz, E. (2019). Readiness for work under inclusive education conditions as stage of formation of teacher's inclusive culture. Elementary Education Online, 18(4), 2109-2127. https://doi.org/10.17051/ilkonline.2019.639443

Lambe, J., & Bones, R. (2006). Student teachers' perceptions about inclusive classroom teaching in Northern Ireland prior to teaching practice experience. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 21(2), 167-186. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856250600600828

May. S. (2008). Language education, pluralism and citizenship. In Hornberger N. H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30424-3_2

Downloads

Published

2025-12-24

How to Cite

Yüce, E., Çetin Köroğlu, Z., Seitova, M., Adigun , O. T., & Wang, Y. (2025). Ready or Not? Preparedness of Pre-service EFL Teachers to Inclusive Education: A Cross-cultural Comparative Study from Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and China . GIST – Education and Learning Research Journal, 31(31). https://doi.org/10.26817/16925777.2013

Issue

Vol. 31 No. 31 (2025): GiST Education and Learning Research Journal

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 GIST – Education and Learning Research Journal

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Altmetric

Article metrics
Abstract views
Galley vies
PDF Views
HTML views
Other views
Crossref Cited-by logo
Escanea para compartir
QR Code

Some similar items: