A special call from inclusive classroom teachers of Turkish students with specific learning disabilities (SLD): “I don’t want them to dissappear!”

Abstract

Students with specific learning disabilities continue their education in an inclusive environment in Türkiye. Teachers play an important role in effectively teaching students in inclusive settings. Teachers' classroom practices in reading, the most difficult academic area for students with specific learning disabilities, are critical for achieving successful results. There is a limited number of studies on this subject. This study aims to analyse the requirements, problems, and opinions of inclusive primary school teachers who teach students with specific learning disabilities. A qualitative research method was used in this study. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 11 inclusive classroom teachers in a study group and analysed through the content analysis method. The results show that the resources required for teaching students with specific learning disabilities in reading are insufficient and that the students need reading improvement programs. In addition, the teachers stated that the additional resources to support the students’ reading skills should consist of short, fun, and interesting texts.

Keywords

• inclusive classroom teachers, reading, SLD, Turkey