The Role of Teachers in the field of Life Guidance for the Practice of Inclusive Educational Welfare

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the roles and scope of teachers as inclusive educational welfare practitioners in addition to their roles as subject-matter experts, aiming to alleviate the deepening educational disparities in the rapidly changing educational environment. Methods To achieve this, a focus group interview (FGI) was conducted with a total of nine teachers divided into two groups: elementary school teachers and middle/high school teachers. Results The detailed topics included (1) teachers' perceptions of inclusive educational welfare, (2) teachers' perceptions of the roles in practicing inclusive educational welfare in the area of life guidance, (3) teachers' roles and scope in the area of life guidance for practicing inclusive educational welfare, and (4) support measures for teachers in practicing inclusive educational welfare in the areas of life guidance. The research results revealed that the roles and scope of teachers in the area of life guidance for supporting student growth are unclear, and there are differences in the stages and levels of practicing educational welfare across school levels. However, there was a consensus that teachers are the main agents in implementing educational welfare practices within the school. Conclusions Based on these findings, the study suggests establishing the identity of teachers' roles in the area of life guidance required for inclusive educational welfare and proposing support measures to effectively guide students.