EXAMINATION OF TEACHERS’ AND PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ AWARENESS LEVELS REGARDING DYSCALCULIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the awareness levels of teachers and pre-service teachers regarding dyscalculia and to examine whether this awareness differs according to various demographic and professional variables. The research was conducted using a descriptive survey model. The study group consisted of 353 participants in total, including 250 pre-service teachers studying at different universities in Turkey and 103 in-service middle school mathematics and classroom teachers. Data were collected using the “Dyscalculia Awareness Scale” developed by Sousa et al. (2017), and analyzed using the independent samples t-test. According to the findings, teachers and pre-service teachers demonstrated an overall moderate-to-high level of awareness regarding dyscalculia. Significant differences in awareness were found based on prior exposure to the concept of dyscalculia, participation in courses related to learning difficulties, and media interaction. No significant differences were observed in relation to gender, educational status, program type, years of experience, or participation in in-service training. The results highlight the importance of incorporating practical and experiential content into teacher education programs to enhance awareness of dyscalculia.