Abstract:

Loreman (2007) sees positive attitudes as one of the basic pillars of inclusive education. B. G. Cook et al (2000) consider teachers' attitudes towards the education of students with SEN in mainstream schools as an important indicator of the quality of education. The authors further state in the text that the attitudes of teachers towards included pupils also influence the relations between pupils and the teacher (p. 116), as well as the attitudes of intact pupils. Positive attitudes enable and support strategies and practices that, according to Hobbs and Westling (1998), virtually guarantee the success of inclusion. They state that the success rate of inclusion can be linked to several factors and that teacher training, attitudes and opportunities for cooperation seem to be the most important. Whereas several studies (Savolainen et al., 2012) have emphasized the need to examine attitudes already in undergraduate preparation. Leatherman and Niemeyer (2005) consider it important to identify precisely those factors in the undergraduate training and professional development of teachers that help to develop the teacher's positive attitudes towards inclusion. Vocational training in several areas can positively influence teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education. In the study, we analyze the student teacher attitudes of pre-primary and primary education. Data were obtained using the TAIS tool (Saloviita, 2015). The researched sample consisted of one hundred and ninety-two full-time bachelor's and master's students in the field of preschool and elementary pedagogy. There is a relationship between acquired knowledge and teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education.Analysis of the data showed that students' attitudes toward inclusive education are slightly positive. There is no statistically significant difference between the attitudes of bachelor's and master's degree students.

References:
[1] Cook, B. G., Tankersley, M., Cook, L., & Landrum, T. J. (2000). Teachers' attitudes towards their included students with disabilities. Exceplional Children, 67(1), 115- 135.
[2] Hobbs, T., & Westling, D.L.(1998). Inclusion Promoting Successful through Collaborative Problem-Solving, Teaching exceptional children, 31(1), 12-19.
[3] Leatherman, J. M., & Niemeyer, J. A. (2005). Teachers’ Attitudes TowardInclusion: Factors Influencing Classroom Practice. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 26(1),23-36
[4] Loreman, T. (2007). Seven pillars of support for inclusive education. International journal of whole schooling, 3(2), 22-38.
[5]Saloviita, T. (2015). Measuring pre-service teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education: Psychometric properties of the TAIS scale. Teaching and Teacher Education, 52, 66-72.
[6] Savolainen, H., Engelbrecht, P., Nel, M., & Malinen, O. (2012). Understanding teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy in inclusive education: implications for pre-service and in-service teacher education. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 27(1), 51-68.

Keywords:

Student teacher, primary education, inclusive education, attitude.