Pre-Service Teachers' Beliefs About Classroom Management: The Mediating Role in the Relationship Between Perceptions of Teacher Education and Self-Efficacy in Inclusive Classroom Management

Abstract

Children with special educational needs often experience discrimination in inclusive classrooms when their academic needs are not adequately met, restricting their opportunities to benefit fully from inclusive education. Poor inclusive classroom management (CM) has frequently been identified in the literature as a key factor contributing to this issue, closely linked to teachers’ self-efficacy in CM—beliefs about their ability to manage inclusive classrooms effectively. While several studies show that teacher education courses incorporating CM training can strengthen these beliefs, the mechanisms through which such training shapes teachers’ perceived competence remain underexplored. To fill this gap, this study proposes a mediation model based on the integrated model of Tschannen-Moran et al. (1998) to examine whether pre-service teachers' beliefs about CM mediate the relationship between their perceptions of teacher education courses and their self-efficacy in CM. Data were collected online from a convenience sample of 480 pre-service teachers from a state university and National Colleges of Education in Sri Lanka, using standardized scales to measure teacher perceptions, self-efficacy in CM and CM beliefs. The data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modelling with AMOS to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings, grounded in both statistical and theoretical bases, revealed the mediating role of CM beliefs—both fully and partially—in the connection between perceptions of CM courses and self-efficacy for CM, underscoring the importance of CM beliefs in enhancing CM self-efficacy rather than the direct influence of course perceptions. The study advocates targeted interventions focusing on inclusive practices, including structured classroom observations to evaluate pre-service teachers' CM skills. These are essential for fostering CM beliefs and creating more equitable and supportive learning environments for all students.