Navigating the challenges of teaching diverse learners: insights from teachers’ narratives

Developing inclusive schools requires continuous support for teachers as part of school improvement processes. Research highlights the importance of identifying factors that influence teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of all students. A case study approach was used, involving observation, teacher interviews and document analysis, to investigate the factors shaping teachers’ hesitant attitudes towards inclusion within a Cypriot school, including insecurity, resistance to change and fear. The study identifies key challenges, including insufficient training for addressing diverse learning needs, the persistence of a charity-based model of disability and a culture of segregation. These factors are interpreted as contributing to experiences of professional insecurity among participating teachers, reflecting broader systemic and cultural conditions that shape inclusive practices and the experiences of students with disabilities in the examined school. The study emphasises the need to foster collaboration among educators and proposes school-level self-evaluation processes as practical tools to empower teachers in navigating mixed-ability classrooms.