“I never considered how difficult it can be for parents”: pre-service teachers learning from listening to parents of children with disability

Preparing pre-service teachers for effective communication with parents, particularly with parents of children with disability, is challenging in initial teacher education as they typically have limited or no interactions with parents. Therefore, different approaches such as utilising parent-guest speakers in coursework should be explored. The aim of this study was to examine what pre-service teachers learn about communication from listening to parents of children with disability. In this qualitative study, three mothers of primary-school aged girls with disability shared their experiences of communicating (about learning) with their child’s teachers. The mothers shared their experiences with pre-service teachers studying a postgraduate teaching course in Australia during a tutorial in a core unit on inclusion. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with pre-service teachers and written reflections. Four themes were identified from thematic analysis: understanding, listening, impact, and interpersonal communication. As reflected in the title of this paper, pre-service teachers learned about the complexities and challenges that parents of children with disability can experience. Overall, the personal experiences shared by the parents enhanced the unit content and enriched pre-service teachers’ understanding of how to communicate effectively with parents of children with disability. Implications and recommendations for initial teacher education are presented.