A Study On The Competency-Framework Of Inclusive Teachers In The Philippines

Inclusive education has been recognized popularly in the world since 1990s.The schools take main responsibility to meet the needs of a wide range of diverse learners.There are a plethora of factors influencing the implementation of inclusive education in schools,however,teachers are the key,especially,teachers' competency-framework.The teachers have to acquire additional knowledge,skills,and attitudes to become effective inclusive practitioners.The present study sought to address the situation of the Filipino teachers'inclusive practices and to develop a teachers' competency-framework of inclusive teacher,in order to help them become more qualified ones to implement inclusive education in their positions through pre-service and in-service professional training.This study was operationalized through a complex mixed-methods approach which involved a series of data collection and analysis.A Delphi study was conducted to establish a competency-framework.The three-round Delphi study yielded six core-competencies and 52 sub-competencies that an inclusive practitioner should acquire and enhance.Following the Delphi study is the development and validation of a tool to investigate the teachers' level of competency for inclusive practices and its relationship to some demographic variables.The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis yielded four factors and 43 statements.The test for the psychometric quality of the newly developed and validated questionnaire suggests a good,valid,and reliable tool to measure the teachers' competencies for inclusive practices.Then,the second phase is a cross-sectional survey(n=488).Descriptive analysis was utilized to determine the respondents' level of competency for inclusive practices.In contrast,ANOVA was utilized to investigate the significant difference in the respondents'level of competency for inclusive practices and their relationship to some demographic variables facilitated through the use of Statistical Package for Social Science(SPSS).Findings construed that there is no significant difference in terms of the respondents'job placement and years in the teaching profession.However,a significant difference was found between professional and personal development and educational background.The final phase,a case analysis,is carried out to establish a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the results of the cross-sectional survey,n=15.A with-in case and multi-case analysis of the raw data was done through the use of MAXQDA.The study unveiled that the teachers' competency for inclusive practices is attributed to one's educational qualification,experience,in-service training,and professional characteristics;and the level of competency to inclusive education orbits around in-service preparation,training provided,mentoring and collaboration,developing an understanding of the foundations of inclusion,assessment of learners with perceived differences,and preparedness of the teachers to carry on with the inclusive goals.To bridge the chasm between theory and practice,this study forwards this recommendation:the implementation of inclusive education be revisited and re-evaluated,specifically,in the parlance of pre-service and in-service teacher training and preparation,there is a need to craft and implement policies that shall support the inclusive practitioners in the acquisition of competencies for a practical inclusive approach.For a developing country like the Philippines,banking on its human capital through the development and enhancement of the teachers' competencies for inclusive practices is a viable option,which could only be realized through a comprehensive policy that is entrenched in the capacity-building for effective inclusive approaches.A thorough understanding of the Filipino teachers' adeptness as inclusive pedagogues should be achieved for the sake of "education for all."...