Second Language Teachers' Knowledge and Beliefs About Dyslexia: Turkish Context
1Faculty of Education, Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Dyslexia (Chichester, England)
|March 16, 2025
Summary
Turkish second language teachers have moderate knowledge of dyslexia, correctly identifying the need for individualized instruction but holding misconceptions about its causes. Targeted professional development is crucial for improving L2 education for dyslexic students.
Area of Science:
- Education
- Linguistics
- Psychology
Background:
- Dyslexia is a common language-based learning disability impacting academic success.
- Second language (L2) acquisition for students with dyslexia presents unique challenges.
- Educator knowledge and beliefs about dyslexia are critical for effective L2 classroom inclusion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the knowledge and beliefs of Turkish second language teachers (SLTs) regarding developmental dyslexia.
- To identify strengths and misconceptions in SLTs' understanding of dyslexia.
- To inform professional development initiatives for supporting dyslexic learners in L2 settings.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative study involving 150 Turkish SLTs.
- Data collection using the Knowledge and Beliefs About Developmental Dyslexia Scale (KBDDS).
- Statistical analysis to identify significant differences in knowledge based on demographics.
Main Results:
- Turkish SLTs demonstrated moderate knowledge of dyslexia, effectively refuting myths about laziness or low intelligence.
- Persistent misconceptions include the belief that dyslexia stems primarily from visual processing deficits.
- Female teachers and those with less than 11 years of experience showed higher knowledge levels.
Conclusions:
- Targeted professional development is necessary to address specific misconceptions among Turkish SLTs.
- Building on existing strengths in understanding individualized instruction can enhance support for dyslexic L2 learners.
- Further research should examine the link between teacher knowledge and student outcomes in L2 dyslexia education.
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