Teachers' Dyslexia Knowledge and Belief Levels: Are Tomorrow's Teachers Ready for Inclusive Education?

ABSTRACT Teachers have a distinctive role in recognising students with dyslexia and implementing differentiated instruction within inclusive classrooms. Based on this fact, faculties of education in Turkey have made special education courses a compulsory component of teacher training programs. The aim of this study is to explore the knowledge and belief levels regarding dyslexia among Turkish pre‐service teachers who are preparing to work in general education classrooms. The Scale of Knowledge and Beliefs form about Developmental Dyslexia was employed, and data were analysed using a descriptive approach. The scale was administered to 1170 pre‐service teachers across 15 provinces in Turkey. Results indicated statistically significant differences in knowledge and belief levels related to dyslexia based on gender and programme area. Notably, female pre‐service teachers demonstrated significantly higher levels of knowledge and more positive beliefs than their male counterparts. In addition, students in social studies teaching departments outperformed those in other fields. One of the most critical implications of this study is the necessity to align teacher preparation programs with professional standards widely recognised in special education, particularly in areas such as teaching diverse students, content knowledge, assesment, and communicaiton. Given that students with dyslexia are increasingly included in mainstream classrooms, equipping teachers with foundational knowledge and awareness about dyslexia is essential for ensuring equitable and effective inclusive practices.