Struggling to Teach Disadvantaged Students: The Role of Preservice Education in Turkey

Abstract

It is widely accepted that effective teachers can make the most significant difference to student learning, particularly for disadvantaged students. On the other hand, teacher education has a critical role in effective teaching. However, can preservice education in Turkey sustain its role in social justice, especially for disadvantaged students? The present study seeks to answer this question by focusing on the views of teachers of disadvantaged students. Most struggling areas while teaching disadvantaged students were uncovered, and the role of teacher education and educators was explained. The most typical finding is that teacher education’s theory-based structure hinders teacher candidates from practicing their knowledge, which causes a shock for teachers when they first start doing their jobs in disadvantaged school districts. In the final part, how teacher education could be developed in this sense was discussed in light of social justice.

Keywords

• teacher education
• teacher educators
• disadvantage
• disadvantaged students
• social justice

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