Education Publications
Pre-service teacher education for mental health and inclusion in schools
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2016
Journal
Exceptionality Education International
Volume
26
Issue
2
First Page
93
Last Page
118
Abstract
Pre-service teacher education in mental health and mental health literacy is essential to creating the conditions necessary to support the mental health and wellness of children and youth in schools. Many teachers report never having received any education about mental health, but recognize the importance of this knowledge in meeting the needs of their students in regular classrooms. This article describes the development of a completely online mental health course organized around five learning objectives and delivered in a large pre-service teacher education program in Canada. Next, this article presents the results of research to evaluate impact on the pre-service teacher education students. Results are organized into expected and unexpected learning outcomes. Implications for further research and practice are shared.