An Exploration of Resource Teachers’ Identity in the Context of Inclusive Education: A Case Study of Pre-School and Compulsory Education Schools in a County in Zhejiang Province

To further investigate resource teachers’ identity status in inclusive education and to develop their identity appropriately, a survey was conducted with 40 resource teachers at the preschool and compulsory education stages in a county in Zhejiang, based on the theories of identity crisis, cognitive-affective theory, and social constructivism. The findings include a serious gender imbalance and restricted promotional channels among resource teachers in the county. Although the identity levels remain relatively high due to favorable national policies and greater social recognition of these teachers, further improvement in contextual identity remains necessary. As many as 45% of resource teachers are part-time workers, and almost one-fifth have no experience of special education training. Some teachers lack special education knowledge. For various reasons, including heavy workload, low salary, differences in compensation with other positions, a lack of county-level special education training programs, and poor social recognition of their professional skills, special resource teachers have an inadequate professional identity. Based on this study, recommendations have been made regarding professional standards, staff and welfare issues, enhancing professional training and awareness, and establishing a collaborative system among the family, school, and community. This is meant to maximize the performance of resource teachers as teams and improve inclusive education practices.