Abstract:

This research aims to determine the relationship between the skills of elementary school teachers concerning reading difficulties (dyslexia) and teaching practices. The research participant group consists of six elementary school teachers teaching second and third-grade students during the school year of 2017-2018 in Kastamonu province in Turkey. This research is qualitative research and was designed in a case study pattern. An observation form, a semi-structured interview, and a teachers' opinion survey form were used during the data collection process of the research. Content analysis and descriptive analysis were made with the data obtained from the observation form, teachers’ opinion survey form and semi-structured interviews. The elementary school teachers’ practices, solutions to problems, and to what extent their skill levels matched with their practices were analysed comparatively via the observation form, teachers' opinion survey form and interview form by the researchers. When the study results are examined; it was determined that the participants group did not show special attention to their dyslexic students, did not receive an effective education and had difficulties coping with dyslexia. Moreover, it has been determined that certain teaching practices such as improving reading and reading comprehension, motivating and encouraging students, giving feedback, arranging the learning environment, and guiding are not carried out qualitatively by using different methods and strategies such as awakening and forming prior knowledge to do fluent reading, paired reading and repetitive reading activities as well as education of dyslexic children and syllable and word exercises.

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