Teachers' experiences, problems and solutions regarding special education and inclusive education in secondary school mathematics lessons: The case of Turkiye

Abstract

The aim of the research is to present the secondary school mathematics teachers’ experiences regarding special education and inclusive education, determine the challenges and needs, find solutions through teachers, and describe the current situation, respectively. The phenomenological method was preferred in line with the stated aims. The participants of the study are eight secondary school mathematics teachers working in Elazığ province and they were included in the research by using the criterion sampling method, which is one of the purposeful sampling types. A semi-structured interview form consisting of 11 questions was used to collect data in the current study. The obtained data were analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. The mathematics teachers have limited knowledge about the general features of individuals with special needs in special education and inclusive education. The majority of the teachers did not receive on-the-job training regarding special education and inclusive education. It was identified that the mathematics teachers experience challenges due to students’ features, and pedagogical problems. Another result of the study showed that the mathematics teachers had the most difficulty in numbers and operations learning areas in special education and inclusive education. Suggestions can be made based on the research results. Mathematics teachers working at secondary schools should be informed about the general features of individuals with special needs and should be directed to on-the-job training on special education and inclusive education.