Student teachers’ pedagogical knowledge on the inclusion of students with disabilities in practical physical education lessons in Ghana
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Date
2022
Authors
Darko, Regina Akuffo
Mwangi, Jane
Wachira, Lucy Joy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
EBCSO
Abstract
Research has identified pedagogical skills as the main skills that student-teachers need for selfefficacy and on-going development in teaching. Pedagogical skills help teachers to reflect on their ability to attain the desired professional standards for teaching. Any failure of teacher preparation programme to equip student-teachers with pedagogical knowledge effectively questions the validity of the programme. This study evaluated the pedagogical knowledge (instructional and adaptation skill knowledge) of 152 university PE student-teachers for inclusion of students with disabilities in practical physical education (PE) lessons in Ghana. The results indicated that the majority of the student-teachers expressed that they have acquired the prerequisite pedagogical knowledge of instructional and adaptation skills to include SWDs in their practical lessons yet 56(36.8%) were not able to state any adaptation skill learnt. However, a significant difference was found to exist between student-teachers’ pedagogical knowledge from the two universities t(6.010) at df (30) p<0.05. The study revealed that the teacher preparatory programme in the universities does not expose student-teachers to teaching and instructional strategies applicable to inclusive practical settings. In conclusion, a pedagogical knowledge aspect of instructional skills was adequate but that of adaptation skills was inadequate. It is recommended that practical course lecturers in the two departments should equip student-teachers with a well-rounded arsenal of effective teaching and instructional skills applicable in inclusive practical settings. Further studies should compare student-teachers’ perceived pedagogical knowledge and actual pedagogical knowledge for inclusive practical PE teaching.
Description
article in International Journal of Whole Schooling, 18(1), 51-73.
Keywords
Pedagogical knowledge, adaptation, instructional skills, physical education, inclusion, students with disabilities
Citation
Darko, R.A., Mwangi, J & Wachira, L.J (2022). Pedagogical knowledge of university student-teachers on inclusion of students with disabilities in practical physical education lessons in Ghana. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 18(1), 51-73.