English Language Teachers’ Awareness Level and Views on Inclusive Education in Basic Education Levels in Northern Central Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

The fundamental fact underlining inclusive education generally is to entrench equality of educational opportunity to all categories of learners irrespective of their short comings. This will have a direct influence upon the quality of education experienced by individuals, their full participation and acceptance in the mainstream and the opportunities to contribute their quota to the development of their society through the quality education given. However, the readiness for acceptance of inclusion varies across nations and continents of the world. Many nations in Africa, especially Nigeria are still not in total conformity with this practice. Therefore, this paper attempts to highlight and examine the concept and history of inclusion, inclusive education in Nigeria, teacher’s awareness and views on inclusion in relation to the four major components  of gender, disabilities, ethnic difference, and religious difference in English studies classroom in the North-Central zone of Nigeria. The paper at the end revealed the low level of teachers’ awareness about inclusive education but they had positive views supporting its practice on the account of the four categories of learners into the mainstream of education in the North-Central zone of Nigeria. It was therefore recommended that the public should be more enlightened about inclusive education, its benefits and practice especially on the account of its component of physical disability.

Keywords:  inclusive Education, teacher’s awareness, physical disabilities, gender, ethnicity and religion.