Special education in the United Arab Emirates: Anxieties, attitudes and aspirations

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief background about the educational system in the United Arab Emirates and particularly describe the present types of programs and services offered within the country with respect to individuals with special needs. In addition, findings of an ongoing study about the attitudes of teachers and preservice teachers towards the integration of children with special needs into regular schools across the United Arab Emirates have been discussed. As the country continues its dramatic period of change as a nation, changes in the education of children with special needs will occur at a rapid rate. For success in the change process information on the attitudes and anxieties of the major stakeholders needs to be investigated and addressed. The findings of study would contribute to the literature base. Finally, the educational implications and recommendations will be explored within the social, religious and cultural contexts of the country

Emergence of Professional Identities of Novice Emirati Teachers

This article explores the emergence of Emirati novice teachers’ professional identity from a socio-cultural viewpoint where influences on identity are sourced internally through beliefs, attitudes, values and dispositions and externally through factors such as roles and responsibilities. Empirical data collected through individual and group interviews and analysed using content analysis, highlights both challenges and emergence of professional identity from point of graduation through to the end of the first year of teaching. The results show that influences on professional identity relate to challenges of raising learner outcomes in relation to delivery of the curriculum, managing the self in multiple contexts, and participating in school-based communities of practice. Teaching science and mathematics in English raises queries of ‘self’ as a teacher. Novice teachers’ emerging professional identity emphasises the ethics of teaching in the UAE

Emirati Pre-service Teacher Behaviors in Mathematics Classrooms

The purpose of this study was to investigate the teaching behaviors of Emirati pre-service teachers in mathematics classrooms. Using a validated ecobehavioral assessment tool, the Mainstream Code for Instructional Structure for Instructional Software (MS-CISSAR), the current study examined the teaching behaviors of nine pre-service teachers in general education Cycle 1 (elementary) public schools in Abu Dhabi. Results revealed the pre-service teachers taught mathematics using instructional groupings of whole class for 62% of the time and small group sessions for 22% of the time. Independent work time was assigned for only 8% of the mathematics class. The participants engaged students in discussion for 32% of the time and used other media such as a mathematics video and/or manipulatives for 31% of the time. Worksheets were assigned for only 16% of the time. The pre-service teachers spent 45% of class time talking or asking questions about academics and 15% of the time engaged in talk related to managing the classroom. Implications for teacher education and directions for future research are discussed. Keywords: Pre-service teachers, Mathematics, Ecobehavioral assessment, MS-CISSAR, Middle Eas

Perspectives of Emirati Married Women in Higher Education

Abstract United Arab Emirates (UAE) women have enthusiastically taken advantage of the educational opportunities available for all after the discovery of oil. Their access to higher education has expanded considerably, opening new opportunities to them for participation and career development. This exploratory study has attempted to gain an insight into the challenges married female Emirati students undergo during their learning journey to pursue the Bachelor of Education teaching degree. The study also examines motivating factors and strategies, albeit individual and/or institutional serving as support factors. The research has been positioned within a socio-cultural framework of the UAE context. This article delineates the complexities of balancing married life juxtaposed with the demands of being a student teacher within a 21 st century tomorrow's multicultural perspective school framework. The need for tertiary level supportive services empowering and inspiring these students is also discussed within the daily life family reality, community and society at large

If it Takes a Village, Then We\u27d Better Educate the Villagers: Preservice Teachers\u27 Attitudes and Beliefs about the Inclusion of Students with Severe Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and beliefs of preservice teachers concerning inclusive education for students with severe disabilities. Individual interviews were conducted with 35 preservice teachers to determine their attitudes and beliefs concerning inclusion of students with severe disabilities and to examine the factors that influenced these attitudes and beliefs. Following qualitative data analysis procedures, findings indicated that the preservice teachers were relatively evenly divided on their opinions about where students with severe disabilities should receive educational services. The most significant finding of this study was that the preservice teachers attributed the underlying basis of their beliefs about inclusive education to prior experiences in their schools, families, and communities. These findings suggested that teacher educators should consider the far-reaching impact of the training they provide. The future of inclusion may depend upon preparing thoughtful practitioners whose positive attitudes and beliefs are modeled in their classrooms and in their communities. These teachers will have the power to influence the attitudes and beliefs of the members of the villages in which they teach

From Teacher Preparation to Classroom Practice: Perceptions of Novice Emirati Teachers INTRODUCTION AND RELATED LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract: The teacher-training college where this research took place prepares Emirati primary school teachers to teach the subjects of English, Mathematics and Science through the medium of English. The college courses taught have been aligned to the 'New School Model' developed by the Abu Dhabi Educational Council (ADEC) as part of the overall education reform. The current group of graduates is unique in that most English Medium Teachers in the past have been recruited from overseas to teach these subjects. They were also the first graduates to have been specifically trained to teach these subjects in English throughout their entire course of study. Therefore, it is critically important to review the effectiveness of their college preparation. This study explores their journey in their first year as novice teachers, looking at the ways in which they found their teacher preparation useful and relevant, and the ways in which they felt it was lacking. Findings from survey and interview data identify the areas where the novice teachers suggest how preparation can be improved, and give suggestions for ways in which the gap between theory in college and practice in school can be narrowed to become more effective