The papers in this Round Table present the findings of a set of country case studies on the preparation of teachers for inclusive education in the Western Balkans.

Current changes in education in this region (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo (as defined by UNSCR 1244), Montenegro, and Serbia) are strongly influenced by their aspirations to join the European Union. In this perspective, increased attention by policy-makers, planners and teacher educators to all learners in these contexts of diversity is considered essential for inclusive education and social justice.

The preparation of teachers for working in real-life diverse contexts is considered a key to inclusive education. Despite the region’s troubled history and its social and cultural diversity, teacher preparation has tended to assume homogenous school populations. A number of changes are now being introduced in legislation, education policies and practices with the intention of ensuring equity and inclusion with respect to diversity in students’ cultural backgrounds, socio-economic status, abilities, religious identities, etc. However, research evidence that could inform the development of policies and practices for teacher preparation in the region is scarce.

The objectives of the study, carried out by local researchers on behalf of the European Training Foundation (ETF), was to map policies and practices for the preparation of teacher preparation for inclusive education in the seven individual countries, and to analyse those policies and practices against relevant European and international trends. The papers in this Round Table will examine to what extent teachers in the region are supported in developing relevant competences through such approaches as:

§ the promotion of a philosophy of pluralism prevailing amongst culturally-aware teachers (Ford & Trotman, 2001);

§ an explicit focus on issues of social justice, cultural and linguistic diversity, poverty (Kidd et al., 2008);

§ opportunities for experiential learning (Kolb, 1984), reflection (Schön, 1983; Leeman & Volman, 2000), dialogue, discussion and challenges to traditional conceptions of the teacher role, learner's role, subject matter and pedagogy (Tatto, 1999).

The overall setting for the development of teacher competences is analysed from the perspective of socio-cultural theory (Huizen et al., 2005; Lasky, 2005; Korthagen, 2004; Vygotsky, 1997; Wubbels, 1992), which assumes that learner’s functioning and development should be studied in the context of their participation in socio-cultural practices. The studies therefore, also examine the contexts in which teachers learn, work and develop, including wider societal, legislative and institutional arrangements, policies of recruitment, teacher education, the licensing and promotion of teachers, the school environment and interactions with families and local communities.  Each of the papers seeks to answer three questions:

§ What teacher competences are needed for inclusive education in contexts of social and cultural diversity?

§ What is the current situation regarding teacher preparation for inclusive education?

§ How can teacher preparation for inclusive education be improved?

The study’s primary purpose is to provide evidence for improving policies and practices for the preparation of teachers, pre-service and in-service, in the Western Balkans.

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