Abstract
Inclusive education has become a central priority within global and national educational reform, yet the readiness of future teachers to enact inclusive practices remains a significant concern. This qualitative exploratory study examined how pre-service teachers at one university in Kazakhstan understood inclusive education and relational practices, how they perceived their preparedness and confidence to enact inclusive teaching, and what social, institutional, and pedagogical conditions they perceived as shaping their readiness. Data were collected from 53 pre-service teachers through 6 focus group discussions, 7 semi-structured individual interviews, and written reflections, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis generated three overarching themes: developing understandings of inclusive education, uncertainty about preparedness to teach inclusively, and conditions that constrain and enable inclusive practice. Participants generally understood inclusion in terms of fairness, participation, belonging, and responsiveness to learner diversity, although narrower disability-focused understandings remained evident. A central finding was a gap between commitment to inclusive principles and confidence in translating them into classroom practice. Readiness was also perceived as shaped by practical experience, pedagogical modeling, resources, class size, institutional conditions, and social relationships. Interpreted through relational pedagogy, the findings suggest that readiness for inclusive teaching extends beyond knowledge and positive attitudes to encompass relational responsiveness, practical capacity, and the conditions within which teaching occurs. The study highlights the need for teacher education in Kazakhstan to integrate inclusive and relational pedagogies more systematically across coursework and practicum experiences.