Teacher Beliefs and Professional Identity Formation in Pakistani Inclusive Classrooms: A Grounded Theory

This paper utilizes constructivist grounded theory that explores how Pakistani teachers (15) construct their professional identities by the translation of conventional teaching methods to inclusive schools. This study presents the ways in which teachers develop their professional identities through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation as they engage in working with different learners, especially those with disabilities. The findings indicate that the reconstruction of identity is complex and consists of three central stages that include Identity Disruption and Questioning, Collaborative Reconstruction, and Transformative Integration. The paper presents various social processes which aid in identity construction, such as peer-mentoring, communities of practice and making cultural senses. Findings reveal that Pakistani teachers find themselves in distinct cultural conflicts to create common pedagogical identities of practicing both practices of inclusion with traditional education. The study adds to a culturally based theoretical framework to understand the identity change in teachers working in inclusive learning settings.