Examining Listening and Reading Comprehension Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Listening skill is one of the least researches skills although it is acquired while still in the womb. Listening is the first skill used in acquiring other skills, particularly academic skills. Such an important skill develops spontaneously in neurotypically developing students. However, like students with learning disabilities, some students cannot acquire this skill without additional support. The aim of this study was to compare the listening comprehension and reading comprehension skills used in the acquisition of academic skills in terms of students with learning disabilities. For this purpose, the listening comprehension and reading comprehension scores of 21 students with learning difficulties and 21 fifth grade neurotypical students were compared. Analyses were carried out on the types of questions and the scores obtained from all questions. The Mann Whitney U Test was used in the analysis of this study where the comparative descriptive design was used. According to the research results, it was found out that students with learning disabilities outperformed their neurotypically developing peers in implicit and inference questions and total scores of listening comprehension. In addition, students with learning disabilities performed lower in reading comprehension skills than their peers in total scores and question types other than inference questions. The variables that might cause the findings and the results of other studies were discussed within the framework of the literature and suggestions are given.

Keywords

• Learning disability
• listening comprehension
• reading comprehension
• lower-secondary school students

Öğrenme Güçlüğü Olan Öğrencilerin Dinlediğini ve Okuduğunu Anlama Becerilerinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Dinleme becerisi daha anne karnındayken kazanılan bir beceri olmasına rağmen üzerinde en az çalışılan becerilerden biridir. Başta akademik beceriler olmak üzere dinleme becerisi pek çok becerinin edinilmesinde ilk kullanılan beceridir. Bu kadar önemli olan bir beceri normal gelişim gösteren öğrencilerde kendiliğinden gelişmektedir. Ancak öğrenme güçlüğü olan öğrenciler gibi bazıları bu beceriyi gerekli desteği almadan edinememektedirler. Bu çalışmanın amacı akademik becerilerin ediniminde kullanılan dinlediğini anlama ve okuduğunu anlama becerilerinin öğrenme güçlüğü olan öğrenciler açısından karşılaştırılmasıdır. Bu amaçla beşinci sınıfa devam eden, öğrenme güçlüğü olan 21 öğrenci ile tipik gelişim gösteren 21 öğrencinin dinlediğini anlama ve okuduğunu anlama puanları karşılaştırılmıştır. Analizler soru türlerinden ve tüm sorulardan alınan puanlar üzerinden yürütülmüştür. Karşılaştırmalı betimsel desenin kullanıldığı bu çalışmanın analizlerinde Mann Whitney U Testi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre; öğrenme güçlüğü olan öğrencilerin kapalı, çıkarım soru türlerinde ve toplam dinlediğini anlama puanlarında tipik gelişim gösteren akranlarından daha düşük performans sergiledikleri görülmektedir. Ayrıca öğrenme güçlüğü olan öğrencilerin okuduğunu anlama becerilerinde de çıkarım soruları dışındaki soru türlerinde ve toplam puanlarında tipik gelişim gösteren akranlarına göre daha düşük performans sergiledikleri görülmektedir. Elde edilen bulgulara neden olabilecek değişkenler ve diğer çalışmaların sonuçları alanyazın çerçevesinde tartışılarak önerilere yer verilmiştir.

Keywords

• Öğrenme güçlüğü
• dinlediğini anlama
• okuduğunu anlama
• ortaokul öğrencileri

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