SUPPORTING TEACHER DEVELOPMENT ABOUT EARLY LITERACY IN CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS: AN ACTION RESEARCH IN TURKEY

Abstract

Children with hearing loss show a similar development to their hearing peers in terms of the development of oral and written language. They may experience some delays in oral language skills, which is one of the sub-fields of literacy. Children with hearing loss in the preschool period in Turkey receive support education services from preschool inclusive environments and special education and rehabilitation center (SERC). Research indicates that education programs related to early literacy positively affect teachers' professional development, the characteristics, and practices of literacy environments. In addition, supporting the professional development of teachers with roles such as guidance/mentoring/coaching indirectly affects the literacy development of children indirectly. Research with teachers on early literacy development in children with hearing loss in Turkey are about teachers' reflections on their own learning-teaching processes. It is stated that teachers working with preschool children do not have sufficient knowledge about early literacy in Turkey. Research in SERCs also emphasize the importance of supporting the education of children with hearing loss through the participation of teachers in SERCs with in-service training. The study aims to examine the process with one hearing-impaired children teacher in the context of the early literacy development in-service training program. It was designed as participatory action research because it overlaps with an in-service training process that can meet the information needs of one teacher in SERC about early literacy development. The data were collected through field notes and video recording observations, semi-structured and unstructured interviews, documents, products, and a research diary. All data were analyzed inductively during the research process and at the end of the research. It is seen that the knowledge of teachers in the SERC, where support education services in Turkey, is limited on early literacy development. Teacher's needs can be listed as relating the goals with early literacy experiences, planning the lesson in accordance with the level of the child and supporting early literacy, determining the appropriate material, implementation and evaluation. A program to be developed to support teachers regarding early literacy; in addition to informing, it can be stated that the implementation and evaluation processes are supportive of the development. In the implementation of such programs, it can be emphasized that it is important to consider adult learning, to give positive and immediate feedback, and to use internal and external motivational resources.  Article visualizations: