Teacher Opinions About Hearing Impaired Children’s Literacy Learning

Abstract

 The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the opinions and suggestions of teachers of hearing impaired children working in elementary schools about hearing impaired children’s literacy learning in Turkey. In this study, the data were mainly derived from semi-structured interview technique. Eight teachers were the participants of the study. The data were analyzed descriptively concerning each research questions. The findings showed the teachers believed that similar to hearing children hearing-impaired children become developmentally literate. However, their becoming literate is considered as being delayed comparing to hearing children. They also expressed that there were various other problems that have impacts on the literacy teaching processes to hearing-impaired children. The lack of material and equipment in literacy instruction, various developmental differences among students, mismatches between student and book levels, the denial of impairment by the families and lack of knowledge of the families about the impairment were described as the major problems. On the other hand, the research findings showed that the teachers have provided many suggestions for the solution of the problems encountered in literacy instructions applied to hearing impaired students. The most prominent ones were the stress on family education, the suggestion of preparation of appropriate books and curriculums for hearing impaired children by the Ministry of National Education, ensuring realistic and practical oriented university education, and continuous debriefing of teachers on the education of hearing-impaired children.