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ABSTRACT
This paper explores how mainstream teachers, in mainland China with experience of inclusive education, perceive individual differences (ID) among students in general education classrooms. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and employed purposeful sampling and semi-structured interviews. It was found that the mainstream teachers tended to conceptualise ID among students in accordance with five categories: perceived student ability; perceived student behaviour and motivation; perceived students’ personal attributes; perceived family factors and observed learning outcomes. The mainstream teachers’ particular concerns in relation to catering for ID were also revealed and discussed.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 Note on presentation of data: participants are referred to by the following letter/number codes: F = female teacher; M = male teacher; G = girl pupil, and B = boy pupil; 11F refers to the eleventh teacher to be interviewed, and that she is female; S7 refers to the seventh student the teacher 11F mentioned. CT = Chinese teachers; MT = mathematics teachers. Words that appear in italics are direct quotations, translated from the Chinese, from interviews with teachers.
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Notes on contributors
Su Qiong Xu
Su Qiong Xu, PhD, graduated from Education University of Hong Kong. Now she does research at Chongqing Normal University of China. Her research interests lie in inclusive education and practice.
Paul Cooper
Paul Cooper is a professor at the Department of Education, Brunel University in UK.