TY - JOUR

T1 - Preschool teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion: a comparison study between China and Germany.

AU - Tan, Run

AU - Lichtblau, Michael

AU - Wehmeier, Carina Marie

AU - Werning, Rolf

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Using a comparative approach is a widespread method in educational research. Previous cross-cultural comparison studies on teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education show a strong lack of focus on preschool teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion. Thus, this study examined 65 Chinese and 59 German preschool teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion by applying the Multidimensional Attitudes towards Preschool Inclusive Education Scale (MATPIES). A comparative analysis showed Chinese and German teachers’ overall attitudes towards inclusive education as positive, with German teachers’ attitudes being more positive. While teachers in both countries showed the highest behavioural attitude dimension scores, Chinese teachers’ affective attitude dimension scored the lowest. Guided by the 'cultural–historical framework', we discussed how individualistic and collectivistic values influence teachers’ overall attitudes in the two countries, especially their different scores in affective dimension of attitude. Implications for future research examining preschool teachers’ attitudes in China and Germany as well as in the international context are discussed, with an emphasis on exploring how various factors both within and beyond teacher attributes to generate a more comprehensive understanding of the critical issue of teachers’ attitude. Meanwhile, further indications for conducting international comparison studies on teachers’ attitudes are also presented, including some methodological considerations for such studies.

AB - Using a comparative approach is a widespread method in educational research. Previous cross-cultural comparison studies on teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education show a strong lack of focus on preschool teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion. Thus, this study examined 65 Chinese and 59 German preschool teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion by applying the Multidimensional Attitudes towards Preschool Inclusive Education Scale (MATPIES). A comparative analysis showed Chinese and German teachers’ overall attitudes towards inclusive education as positive, with German teachers’ attitudes being more positive. While teachers in both countries showed the highest behavioural attitude dimension scores, Chinese teachers’ affective attitude dimension scored the lowest. Guided by the 'cultural–historical framework', we discussed how individualistic and collectivistic values influence teachers’ overall attitudes in the two countries, especially their different scores in affective dimension of attitude. Implications for future research examining preschool teachers’ attitudes in China and Germany as well as in the international context are discussed, with an emphasis on exploring how various factors both within and beyond teacher attributes to generate a more comprehensive understanding of the critical issue of teachers’ attitude. Meanwhile, further indications for conducting international comparison studies on teachers’ attitudes are also presented, including some methodological considerations for such studies.

KW - Inclusive education

KW - attitudes

KW - comparison study

KW - preschool teachers

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119200091&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/08856257.2021.1997480

DO - 10.1080/08856257.2021.1997480

M3 - Article

VL - 37

SP - 994

EP - 1008

JO - European Journal of Special Needs Education

JF - European Journal of Special Needs Education

SN - 0885-6257

IS - 6

ER -