Abstract:

This research explores the music-based competencies of teachers who graduated from the field of education for the mentally disabled and did not receive professional music lessons during their undergraduate education. The aim of the research is to determine the level of usage of musical elements in the lessons of teachers for the mentally disabled and the music-based individualized education plans/programs they have developed. The method of the research constitutes a situation determination study, and the data obtained are described in the axis of the interpretive paradigm method. Two teachers who graduated from the field of mentally disabled participated in the research. Bilateral interviews were held online in June 2022. It has been determined that the number of participants is in accordance with the research norms for assessment, and that the quantity can be enough to describe the quality. In conclusion it has been observed that the teachers’ students with special educational needs can benefit from musical elements in non-music development areas. However, the teachers have been observed not to have enough knowledge to develop a music-based individualized education plan/program for non-music acquisitions and purposes. This research has shown that, the teachers who work with the mentally disabled need training processes that will increase their professional potential. The findings and results of the research are considered to provide a basis for pedagogical music therapy programs of music-based practices and music-based interaction studies in special education to be developed for special education teachers for the mentally disabled. Moreover, the research is considered to have the quality to guide new researches in the field.

Keywords: