Illuminating Impediments in Pre-Service Teachers preparation for Inclusive Pedagogies: A phenomenological approach at Mufulira College of Education, Zambia

This study was grounded in the constructivist paradigm and guided by Vygotsky theory to understand and analyse description of phenomena relating to preservice preparedness in inclusive pedagogies. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to construct a shared essence of lived experiences of how pre-service teachers are prepared in inclusive pedagogies. Purposive sampling was employed to select Six participants; two females and four males in their third and final year of secondary teachers diploma studies. Data were generated through phenomenological observation, semi structured and focus group interviews. It was later analysed through phenomenological reduction in which transcription of verbatim were clustered into themes by horizontalisation, creating meaningful units and developing textural descriptions. The findings from participants’ essences reveal that; Developing inclusive pedagogies among pre-service teachers demands a recognition and welcoming disposition towards diversity. The challenges in their practices were drawn from demand for planning time, practice & commitment, Overcrowded classrooms, poor modelling of the practice from lecturers to identifying learner diversities in a classroom. Theory lessons in teacher education systems should pursue core features of growth mindset, values and norms that embrace social justice. These lessons should also be linked to practicum components of the peer, school visitation observations and field based platforms of preparing pre-service teachers as a way of modelling what we teach.