📄 Abstract
Teacher education plays a pivotal role in developing socially responsible educators capable of creating inclusive and equitable learning environments. Social justice in education emphasizes equal opportunities, respect for diversity, and the elimination of discrimination in educational settings. The present study aims to examine the relationship between social justice orientation and preparedness for inclusive and equitable classrooms among prospective teachers. A normative survey method was adopted for the study. A sample of 500 prospective teachers was selected from Colleges of Education in Tamil Nadu using a stratified random sampling technique. Standardized tools were used to measure social justice orientation and preparedness for inclusive and equitable classrooms. The data were analyzed using percentage analysis, mean, standard deviation, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and regression analysis. The findings revealed that prospective teachers possess a moderate level of social justice orientation and preparedness for inclusive and equitable classrooms. Significant differences were found with respect to gender, locality, medium of instruction, type of institution, parents’ educational qualification, and family monthly income. A significant positive relationship was observed between social justice orientation and preparedness for inclusive and equitable classrooms. Regression analysis revealed that social justice orientation significantly predicts preparedness for inclusive and equitable classroom practices. The study highlights the importance of integrating social justice perspectives, inclusive pedagogies, and experiential learning opportunities in teacher education programmes to prepare future teachers for diverse and equitable learning environments.
🏷️ Keywords
📚 How to Cite:
Dr. D. Elumalai , TEACHER EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE: PREPARING PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS FOR INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE CLASSROOMS , Volume 12 , Issue 7, July 2026, EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) , Pages: 937 - 946 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra31048