Investigating English language teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education

While general and special education teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education have been extensively researched in recent years, little is known about English language teachers’ views on inclusive education. This is a critical research gap, as students with disabilities can face many unique barriers to learning a foreign language compared to other subject areas, and teachers’ views on inclusive education impact their ability to teach inclusively. However, many English language teachers have reported feeling unprepared to teach students with disabilities. Using postsecondary English language teachers in Japan as a case, the present research employed a modified version of the Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised Scale (SACIE-R; N = 239). Respondents had a generally positive view of including students with disabilities in their instruction but were concerned about lacking knowledge and skills to teach inclusively and giving appropriate attention to all students in an inclusive classroom. Predictive factors included previous interactions with people with disabilities and inclusive practices self-efficacy, though both were overshadowed by the relationship that participation in pre- and in-service training to teach students with disabilities had with teachers’ views. The results have implications for how to best prepare English language teachers to teach inclusively, particularly as pertains to in-service training.