Language Teacher Cognition and Professional Teacher Identity Formation of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments : a case study

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2022-10
Çınarbaş, Halil İbrahim
International and national initiatives encourage celebrating diversity in the field of education, yet available literature shows the experiences of teachers of students with disabilities are often overlooked, if not marginalized. Thus, this study aimed to explore language teacher identity and cognition of teachers of students with visual impairment in the context of a School for the Blind. The setting of this case study is a public School for the Blind in Ankara. Interviews, observations, field notes, and legal documents were data collection tools for this case study. Obtained data were analyzed by MAXQDA software. Also, complexity theory was used as the theoretical framework to address the participants’ language teacher identity and cognition. The findings showed that language teacher identity is dependent on personal, social, cultural, and educational background, and it is subject to changes throughout the participants’ careers in the field of language teaching. On the other hand, the development of language teacher cognition was the result of the interactions between the participants’ undergraduate education, instructional practices, and teacher identities. In the context of the School for the Blind, the interactions between participants’ language teacher identity and cognition created different system configurations and behaviors to cater to the needs of the students with visual impairments. Lastly, this study implicates practical and theoretical suggestions for language teacher identity and cognition in the context of special education schools. Additionally, the results can inform policymakers in addressing the needs of teachers for students with visual impairments.

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Citation Formats
H. İ. Çınarbaş, “Language Teacher Cognition and Professional Teacher Identity Formation of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments : a case study,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2022.