HOW TO PREPARE STUDENT TEACHERS FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Diversity is perceived both as a value and as a challenge, but also as a wide range of risk factors bringing about exclusion in education. However, the challenge remains to prepare students of pre-primary and primary education to respect diversity while ensuring and providing high-quality education for all children in the classrooms. How to prepare teachers for diversity in pre-primary and primary education so that they can respect diversity and ensure high-quality education for all? According to the study Teacher Education for Inclusion - Profile of Inclusive Teachers [1], the work of all teachers within inclusive education is based on four key pillars: 1. Valuing learner diversity - learner difference is considered as a resource and an asset to education; 2. Supporting all learners - teachers have high expectations for all learners' achievements; 3. Working with others - collaboration and teamwork are essential approaches for all teachers; 4. Continuing personal professional development - teaching is a learning activity and teachers take responsibility for their lifelong learning. In the study, the authoress analyses the content of pre-school and elementary education studies in relation to the four key pillars of teachers' work within inclusive education. It is focused on describing the actual training and preparation of the pre-primary education teachers in the Slovak Republic. It analyzes in detail the educational content in connection with the above individual pillars of the teacher's profile. Based on the analyzes, it appears that it is also necessary to emphasize the didactic level of teacher training, where teachers should be supporting all learners - teachers have high expectations for all learners' achievements.