Teacher Education for Values Education Integration: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

This literature review synthesises key arguments and research on values education within general education and teacher education with references to English Language Teaching (ELT). The review addresses two research questions concerning the core concepts of values education and the considerations for teacher education. A systematic search of databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar yielded thirty peer-reviewed sources, which were analysed thematically. The findings indicate that values education is widely recognised as integral to holistic development, offering benefits such as enhanced academic engagement, improved student well-being, and a more positive school culture. However, persistent challenges remain, including insufficient teacher training, a lack of theoretical consensus, and difficulties navigating diverse cultural and religious contexts. For successful values integration, teacher professional development plays a crucial role that requires a combination of theoretical grounding, practical strategies, reflective practice, and professional identity formation. The review also reveals a tension between universalist frameworks and contextually grounded approaches. Future research directions include international comparative studies, longitudinal and discourse-analytic investigations of classroom practice, and the development of targeted professional development programmes that equip educators to integrate values education ethically and effectively.