On the Process of Understanding the Reading of Students with Mental Disabilities: An Examination of Teacher Practices

Abstract

This study aims to examine the teacher adaptations related to the stages of the reading process used in the process of understanding the reading of students with mental disabilities according to different variables. A descriptive survey model which is one of the quantitative research methods was used in the study. In 2018-2019, to ensure the research sample, reliability, and validity of the scale, 361 classroom teachers were gathered from 18 primary schools of Meray and Kartay districts of Konya province. It was applied to 93 more classroom teachers to provide a confirmatory factor analysis of the scale. After ensuring validity and reliability, it was applied to 99 special education teachers working in primary schools in Karatay, Meram, and Selcuklu districts of Konya province for descriptive analysis. Scores of male teachers are a little higher than female teachers in the scale of teacher practices related to the stages of the reading process. Graduate-level teachers, who have received training in the scale of teacher practices related to the stages of the reading process, score at the undergraduate level. Yet, the observed difference was not statistically significant in question.