Developing critical ‘legitimate peripheral participation’ in Initial Teacher Education for Inclusion: A teacher educator perspective from Ireland

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7146/ejie.v4i2.160759

Keywords:

Teacher Education for Inclusion, Inclusive Education, Teacher Education

Abstract

This paper presents the concept of critical ‘legitimate peripheral participation’(CLPP) as a reflective tool to be used in initial teacher education to help beginning teachers in their burgeoning understandings of inclusive practice. The concept was developed through the Initial Teacher Education for Inclusion (ITE4I) project funded by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in Ireland. The CLPP concept uses Lave and Wenger’s (1991) seminal work on ‘legitimate peripheral participation’ and ‘situated learning’. The critical aspect to CLPP has been developed to consider the reflective awareness and agentic possibilities of student teachers’ experiences in school contexts.

Author Biographies

Kevin Cahill, University College Cork

First author

Senior Lecturer

Kathy Hall, University College Cork

Second author

Emeritus Professor

Peter Hick, Edge Hill University

Third author

Professor of Inclusive Education

Joseph Mintz, University College London

Fourth author

Yvette Solomon, Manchester Metropolitan University

Fifth author

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Published

2026-07-02