Challenges and Pathways for Enhancing Early Childhood Educators' Inclusive Education Competencies from an Identity Theory Perspective

Early childhood educators play a crucial role as key practitioners of inclusive education. Whether early childhood educators possess clear self-identity, role identity, group identity, and cultural identity regarding inclusive education literacy directly impacts the quality of preschool inclusive education. Based on identity theory, this study identifies several challenges: low self-identity due to insufficient professional knowledge, weak role identity awareness stemming from lacking inclusive skills, group identity struggles arising from scarce resource utilization, and cultural identity crises fueled by high-pressure work environments. Building upon identity theory, this study proposes breakthrough strategies: enriching professional knowledge to enhance self-identity; strengthening practical experience to foster role identity; deepening resource integration to promote group identity; and creating a harmonious atmosphere to support cultural identity. These approaches aim to elevate the overall quality of the preschool inclusive education workforce, thereby advancing high-quality education that supports children's healthy development.