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What New Research Reveals About Pre‑Service Teacher Preparedness

At IEU(SA), we know that pre‑service teachers and graduates deserve strong foundations as they enter the teaching profession. A new national study offers timely insights into why early‑career teachers so often feel unprepared. Unions like yours can help you navigate the transition into meaningful and sustainable employment.

Published in the Australian Journal of Education¹, Rosenberg, de Bruin and Ludecke’s research explores how beginning teachers perceived their preparation for inclusive education as they moved into the workforce in 2020–21.

Using Shulman’s three apprenticeships, head (knowledge), hand (practice), and heart (beliefs), the study highlights three consistent gaps in initial teacher education.

1. Limited grounding in professional knowledge

Participants reported confusion around essential inclusive education concepts, including the differences between differentiation and modification. Many had not been introduced to core legal and policy frameworks such as the Disability Standards for Education, Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), or the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD), describing the learning curve as overwhelming once they entered schools.

2. Insufficient practical, real‑world preparation

Despite hearing terminology at university, most early‑career teachers said they lacked opportunities to practise evidence‑based inclusive strategies. Inclusive education content was often elective rather than core, leaving graduates facing complex classroom needs without clear tools.

3. Confidence was built outside university—not within it

Perhaps most strikingly, most participants said their confidence in supporting students with disability came from prior roles including as school support staff, tutoring, outside school hours care (OSHC), or disability support, not from their initial teacher education programs. Practical exposure, even when informal, shaped their readiness far more than coursework. Many of our pre-service teacher members currently work in a school setting, which is evidently excellent grounding for future employment as a teacher.

What This Means for Schools in South Australia

With a considerable number of students nationally requiring adjustments, and with non‑government schools in South Australia (SA) seeing increasing complexity, the findings reinforce what many educators already experience: new teachers want to be inclusive but feel underprepared to do so confidently and legally.

Stronger support structures, clear induction processes, and access to professional learning make a significant difference, not only to inclusive classroom practice but to early‑career teacher wellbeing and retention. As we know, there is a national teacher shortage, and tangible support for pre-service teachers and early career teachers is imperative to future success.

How the IEU(SA) Supports Pre‑Service and Early‑Career Teachers

In light of these findings, the IEU(SA) remains committed to supporting pre‑service teachers and graduates as they navigate the transition into the workforce.

By joining the IEU as a Student Associate Member, we offer you:

• guidance on rights and responsibilities under the DDA and Disability Standards
• support understanding the NCCD, reasonable adjustments, and school‑based processes
• advice on employment pathways across Catholic and Independent sectors
• FREE professional learning through the Teachers Learning Network (TLN)

Some of the upcoming free 1-hour professional learning IEU(SA) is offering through our Learning Hub, as part of the “Set Yourself Up for Success” sessions (that come highly recommended for pre-service and early career teachers) include:

• Set yourself up for success: Personal wellbeing (SIEU2623), Mar 12, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Presented by Kristy Elliott, AITSL Standards: 7.1.2 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities, 6.2.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice, 7.2.2 Comply with legislative administrative and organisational requirements
• Set yourself up for success: Difficult conversations with students and parents (SIEU2602), Mar 26, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM, Presented by Coby Beatson, AITSL Standards: 3.7.2 Engage parents/carers in the educative process, 5.2.2 Provide feedback to learners about their learning, 7.3.2 Engage with the parents/carers
• Set yourself up for success: Classroom management – Responding to extreme behaviours (SIEU2628) May 7, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Presented by Coby Beatson, AITSL Standards: 4.4.2 Maintain safety of learners
• Set yourself up for success: Pacing lessons for maximum impact (SIEU2607i), May 21, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM, Presented by Abbey Boyer, AITSL Standards: 1.2.2 Understand how learners learn, 2.1.2 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area(s), 3.3.2 Use teaching strategies

As higher education institutions consider how to strengthen their initial teacher education programs, unions like IEU(SA) and AEU SA (government schools) continue to play a vital role in ensuring new educators are supported, protected, and empowered from their very first step into the profession.

Education students can join both the IEU and AEU for FREE. If you know an education student or are mentoring or facilitating a practicum placement, make sure they know about this opportunity.

Source

1. Rosenberg, R., De Bruin, K., & Ludecke, M. (2023). Beginning teacher preparation and readiness for the profession as inclusive educators. Australian Journal of Education, 68(1), 23-35. https://doi.org/10.1177/00049441231218724 (Original work published 2024)