Connecting beliefs, noticing and differentiated teaching practices: a study among pre-service teachers and teachers

Abstract

The ability of identifying decisive classroom situations such as inclusive instructions, named 'noticing', has been identified as a crucial skill in the context of creating inclusive classrooms. To our knowledge, the associations between differentiated teacher beliefs (i.e. growth mindset and ethical compass), noticing abilities, and implementation of differentiated teaching practices have not been empirically explored. This study aims to explore and contrast these associations by conducting two structural models within both pre-service teacher and in-service teacher contexts. The instruments consisted of self-reported questionnaires and a standardised video-based comparative judgement instrument. Results indicated that differentiated teachers' beliefs predict teachers' noticing of inclusive classroom situations. Regarding pre-service teachers, growth mindset beliefs also worked as filters on noticing inclusive instructions but not for ethical compass beliefs, as they are still inactive. Another important finding is that pre-service and in-service teachers' ability to notice inclusive instructions did not function as mediator between differentiated beliefs and practices. It can be concluded that more empirical grounding on the connection between pre-service teachers' and teachers' noticing of inclusive classroom situations with actual classroom practices is needed.