From theory to practice: Exploring Nigerian student teachers' experiences of managing learners with special needs in inclusive classrooms

Abstract Nigeria is committed to implementing inclusive education. Because special schools are few and inadequate, many parents enrol their children with special needs in nearby regular schools. Teachers must therefore be trained to provide learning opportunities for all students, regardless of their individual learning needs. An effective way of training future teachers is to link theory with practical teaching experiences while studying teacher training at university. Consequently, all Nigerian student teachers must complete a 14–16‐week teaching placement. During this placement, student teachers encounter inclusive classrooms for the first time, where they must teach learners with and without special needs. Despite the increasing emphasis on inclusive education in Nigeria, there is limited research on how student teachers experience and navigate inclusive classrooms during their teaching placement. To bridge this gap, this study examines the experiences of 20 Nigerian secondary school student teachers during their placement. Structured interviews were conducted and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results reveal that the main challenge student teachers face in inclusive classrooms is how to address students' challenging behaviour. Notably, many student teachers associate challenging classroom behaviour primarily with learners with special needs, highlighting a need for deeper understanding and training in inclusive teaching strategies. They also clearly stated that they need more competence in managing students with special needs. In this vein, student teachers claimed that there is a need for better teacher trainers as well as more support in schools. The student teachers valued their placements for helping them develop their competencies in managing learners with special needs. The student teachers felt able to ‘accept’ students with special needs and limit their harshness. The study concludes with recommendations for enhancing teacher training courses, particularly in equipping student teachers with practical strategies for managing diverse learning needs in inclusive classrooms.