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The Problems Faced by Primary School Teachers about Inclusive

Education in the Teaching-Learning Process in Multigrade
Classes

Article  in  International Journal of Pedagogy and Curriculum · January 2014

DOI: 10.18848/2327-7963/CGP/v20i04/48976

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 VOLUME 20 ISSUE 4

The International Journal of

Pedagogy
and Curriculum
__________________________________________________________________________
The Problems Faced by Primary School
Teachers about Inclusive Education in
Teaching-Learning Process at Multigrade
Classes
GULCIHAN HASANOGLU AND PINAR GIRMEN

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THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEDAGOGY AND CURRICULUM
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First published in 2014 in Champaign, Illinois, USA

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ISSN: 2327-7963

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peer-reviewed, supported by rigorous processes of criterion-
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ensuring that only intellectual work of the greatest substance
and highest significance is published.
 The Problems Faced by Primary School Teachers
about Inclusive Education in the Teaching-
Learning Process in Multigrade Classes
Gulcihan Hasanoglu, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Turkey
Pinar Girmen, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Turkey

Abstract: The main aim of this study is to discover the problems faced by teachers about inclusive education in the
teaching-learning process in multigrade classes and discuss the possible solutions. The qualitative research approach
was used in this study. Also, the criterion sampling method, which is a purposive sampling method, was used in the study.
According to the criterion for sample selection, the study enrolled teachers teaching at schools with multigrade classes
offering inclusive education. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews and then analyzed by means of
content analysis. The study found that the participating teachers did not use materials prepared for students with special
needs in the teaching-learning process, that they were not able to implement the group teaching method for students with
special needs, that they used individualized teaching methods, and that made adaptations by simplifying learning content
for these students. In addition, the study revealed that the participating teachers had problems with the teaching process
in inclusion classes, which had a negative effect on the productivity of teaching-learning process. Finally, the study
determined that the participating teachers were not able to create an effective collaboration with normally developing
children, parents, and other specialized staff for a successful teaching-learning process.

Keywords: Inclusion, Multigrade Classes, Teaching Learning Process

Introduction

T he right to education, which is a basic human right, includes the right to access to
education. Access to education is usually a problem for disadvantaged students such as
those living in rural areas or those with special needs. One of the various arrangements
designed to ensure equality of opportunity and access to education for children in rural areas is
education in multigrade classes.
As in the case of single-grade classes, teaching in multigrade classes is conducted in
accordance with the objectives stated in primary education curriculum, the instructional
principles of primary education and the general regulations about the implementation of primary
education. However, the way courses are taught in multigrade classes can differ from that of
single-grade ones as there are children of two or more grade spans with diverse ability levels in
multigrade classes. In multigrade classes, lessons are conducted actively by teachers or guided by
teachers through assignments. When teachers actively conduct lessons they act as a guide and
take part in activities designed to equip students with the desired knowledge, attitude and skills
(Erdem 2004, 83). When lessons are conducted by means of assignments, students are supposed
to study themselves and revise the previous modules and topics in order to increase their capacity
of knowledge and skills about those subjects (Doğan 2000, 181).
In addition to multigrade classes aimed to ensure equality of opportunity and access to
education for children in rural areas, there are also various arrangements in Turkey, as in other
countries, to ensure education.
The most popular term over the recent years with respect to special education in Turkey has
been inclusion (Batu and Kırcali İftar 2010, 16). Typically, inclusive education means that
students with disabilities are served primarily in the general education settings, under the
responsibility of regular classroom teacher (Mastropieri and Scruggs 2004, 7).
The most important factor affecting the success of inclusion implementations is the teacher
(Batu and Uysal 2010, 128). Determining and discussing the problems which are related to

The International Journal of Pedagogy and Curriculum

Volume 20, 2014, www.thelearner.com, ISSN 2327-7963
© Common Ground, Gulcihan Hasanoglu, Pinar Girmen, All Rights Reserved
Permissions: cg-support@commongroundpublishing.com
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEDAGOGY AND CURRICULUM

inclusion education and faced by primary school teachers, who are supposed to assume the
responsibility in this case, and coming up with recommendations could provide a significant
contribution to the success of inclusion implementations.
In this regard, the main aim of this study is to determine the problems faced by teachers
about inclusive education in teaching-learning process at multigrade classes and discuss the
possible solutions.

Method
Special education, its cultural values, professional practice and research in the field of
interpersonal relationships are developed through qualitative methods (Mertens 2005, 232). In
the light of this, this study used the qualitative research approach to determine the problems
faced by teachers about inclusive education in teaching-learning process at multigrade classes
and investigate the possible solutions in-depth.
This study used the criterion sampling method, which is a purposive sampling method.
According to the criterion for sample selection, the study enrolled teachers teaching at multigrade
classes offering inclusive education. None of the teachers interviewed had taken Special
Education course during their university education. Among 11 teachers in this study, six teachers
had never been trained about special education while five teachers had received training about
special education through in-service training sessions, courses and seminars. Among the
teachers, seven were female and four were male. Out of the participants, three teachers had a
degree other than primary school teaching, two teachers had graduated from institutes of
education (former teacher training institutions in Turkey), and the remaining six teachers had a
degree in primary school teaching. Among the participants, the average time of experience with
students with special needs was one year and a half.
There were eight students with special needs who had mental learning disabilities, two
students had speech and language difficulties and two students had both special learning
difficulties and orthopedic impairment. Out of them, three were attending 2nd Grade, three were
attending 5th Grade and five were attending 3rd Grade. All of these were involved in full-time
inclusion program.
The study used the semi-structured interview technique, a qualitative research method, so
that quality data could be collected and the interviewees could give authentic and natural
responses.
In this study, the data collected by means of the interview sessions were analyzed through
content analysis method. The main purpose of content analysis is to obtain the concepts and
relationships that can explain the data collected (Yıldırım and Şimsek 2005, 227). The audio
cassettes recorded during the interviews were transcribed by the researchers and the interview
transcripts were formed by assigning a number to each line of these transcripts. The interview
transcripts and audio cassettes were checked by an expert for any errors or missing parts.
The data were examined in detail and the important dimensions were determined according
to the aim of the study. The coding process was carried out by reading the transcripts line by line
several times. After that the codes were gathered and their common aspects were found and,
therefore, the themes that the study would be based on were determined. The codes within these
themes were explained and interpreted in relation to each other and the results regarding the aims
of this study were presented. The study included quotes from the interview transcripts in order to
reflect the interpretations made by the researcher and support the participants’ points of view.
The researcher and a subject-matter expert worked independently to analyze the data. The
reliability of the study was measured with the percentage of agreement suggested by Miles and
Huberman (1994). For the consistence of the interview coding keys, the interview coding keys of
the researcher and the expert were compared. After the numbers of “agreement” and
“disagreement” were determined, the reliability of the study was calculated through the formula

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 HASANOGLU & GIRMEN: PROBLEMS FACE BY TEACHERS ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

(Reliability = agreement / agreement + disagreement x 100) suggested by Miles and Huberman

(1994, 64). In qualitative studies, a desired level of reliability is achieved when the agreement
between the expert and researcher reviews is 90% or over. The level of agreement (reliability)
was calculated as 100% in this study.

Results
In this study, two themes about the problems faced by teachers about inclusive education in
teaching-learning process at multigrade classes, teaching-learning process and collaboration and
sub-themes under these two themes were determined.

Theme of Teaching – Learning

In the light of the data obtained, the theme of Teaching-Learning was examined under four sub-
themes: Teaching Materials, Teaching Methods and Techniques, Teaching Style, and
Adaptations in Teaching-Learning Process.

Teaching Materials

All of the participating teachers except for one of them stated that they did not use any tools in
teaching-learning process for students with special needs. While some of the teachers stated that
they did not use any materials for students with special needs due to insufficient materials in their
schools, far from the city center, some of them said that they needed guidance about the selection
of appropriate materials for those students. With respect to this subject, the teachers said:

“We don’t have the necessary equipment. The Counseling and Research Center did not
specifically tell us anything about the equipment to be used.” (Teacher 2)

“I do not usually use any equipment because I do not have any. Perhaps, if the Ministry
of Education provided us with any curriculum designed for this situation or if they
guided us, we could do it, but we do not have any resources.”(Teacher 6)

On the other hand, Teacher 11 prepared and used materials for the student with special needs
and said:

“I had counting rods that I had prepared when I was at university. I mean those colored
rods for units, tens, etc. Well, I used them.” (Teacher 11)

Teaching Methods and Techniques

All of the teachers said that they were not able to implement the group teaching technique for
students with special needs but they used individualized teaching techniques. The teachers also
said that they did not have time allocated for students with special needs. With respect to this
subject, the teachers said:

“I couldn’t make much time during lessons but I taught them individually after lessons.”
(Teacher 1)

“I do something different from one-to-one education. We do not have lessons in groups.

This student finds 5th Grade syllabus challenging and cannot answer any question at this
level.” (Teacher 3)

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THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEDAGOGY AND CURRICULUM

Teaching Style

Teaching style is what distinguishes multigrade classes from regular classes. Teachers have to
teach more than one grade of students in the multigrade classroom. Teacher studies with one
grade level and simultaneously the other grade levels students are expected to take more
responsibility for their own learning in a group or individual studies.
With respect to the problems caused by the teaching style in teaching-learning process, the
teachers said:

“During university education, we did not take any course particularly designed for
inclusion students. On the other hand, we took a course about how to teach in
multigrade classes, but we did not have the opportunity to practice, so it was not useful
so much. When I first came here, I started to teach a multi-grade class. And when there
was an inclusion student added to the class, it was really hard for me.”(Teacher 1)

“Multigrade classes are already challenging. 1st graders desperately expect attention. 2nd
graders are at an intermediary stage; they did not make any preparation at all during
summer holiday and forgot many things. And there is 3rd graders… they are not
advanced like their peers in single-grade classes and I don’t want them to fall behind
even more. I have an inclusion student in addition to them. And I have additional
difficulty with that student.” (Teacher 10)

The school where Teacher 1 worked was the first workplace for that teacher. In addition to
lack of professional inexperience and difficulty in teaching in multigrade classes, the same
teacher was supposed to teach a student with special needs for the first time and did not have
sufficient knowledge and experience about this situation.
Apart from lacking experience in teaching profession and with students with special needs,
another problem faced by the teachers was the fact that they were usually the only, or one of the
two, teachers in their schools, as in the case with many multigrade classes.

Adaptations in Teaching-Learning Process

This study found that, in teaching-learning process, the participating teachers made adaptations
by simplifying and modifying learning content for students with special needs. With respect to
this subject, the teachers said:

“I teach this student subjects from the 1st Grade syllabus that are appropriate for him
because he is really behind academically. While I give the others 2nd Grade tests, I give
this student 1st Grade tests and increase their levels gradually.” (Teacher 6)

“I treat this student in a different way from the others. I don’t give him problems as
difficult as the ones I give to 3rd graders. I teach him add-subtract at a level appropriate
for him.” (Teacher 10)

Theme of Collaboration

The theme of Collaboration was examined under four sub-themes: Collaboration between
Teachers and Normally Developing Students, Collaboration between Teacher and Parents,
Collaboration between Students with Special Needs and Normally Developing Students and
Collaboration between Teachers and Other Staff.

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 HASANOGLU & GIRMEN: PROBLEMS FACE BY TEACHERS ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Collaboration between Teachers and Normally Developing Students

Among the participants, eight teachers stated they just advised normally developing students to
try to understand students with special needs and show empathy towards them to achieve
inclusion. Regarding this, the teachers said:

“I do not arrange any activities. Generally, I warn them and explain that they are
different.” (Teacher 3)

“For example, I explain the other students that he has problems when speaking and warn
them to be patient and give him some time.” (Teacher 5)

“This student sometimes stumbles when playing. I warned them about that and
explained that they should approach him softly so that he could keep his balance when
playing together.” (Teacher 8)

Among the participants, three teachers said that they advised their normally developing
students to help their friends with special needs when these students had problems. Peer
assistance is an important factor that ensures the success of teaching in multigrade classes. The
teachers claimed that peer assistance could facilitate learning of the students with special needs.
Teacher 1 argued that peer education would be useful not only for students with special needs but
also for all students. Regarding this subject, the same teacher said:

“I usually arrange activities that let them work together. Children understand each other
better and they can easily ask each other what they don’t want to ask me. My students
act like a teacher and they are not doing this only for this student but for all
students.”(Teacher 1)

Collaboration between Teacher and Parents of Students with Special Needs

The results showed that there was hardly any communication between the teachers and the
parents of students with special needs. Communication is one of the prerequisites of
collaboration. Considering the fact that multigrade classes is based on the concept of villages, the
distances between the schools and houses in the villages in the sample were short. This might
have made it easier to communicate in this sense. However, some of the teachers thought that
they were not able be involved in a communication with the parents of students with special
needs because the parents had a lower educational background or either of the parents had mental
problems. Regarding this issue, the teachers said:

“I cannot communicate with the family. The mother of one of these students came to me
when we had a meeting the other day, but she was not able understand what I said. The
father seemed a little bit easier to communicate, though. He was aware of things but he
did not even finish primary school. He was coming to see me in the first grade, but I
have not seen him for the last two years. The brother of that student has the same
condition; in fact, even worse. He is going to go to the Counselling and Research
Center, so I keep calling him to sign the necessary documents but he will not come.”
(Teacher 1)

“We do not have a proper communication with the parents of this student. They do not
have a phone. The father came once. However, it is not easy to communicate with him
because he does not seem to be psychologically normal, either.” (Teacher 3)

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THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEDAGOGY AND CURRICULUM

Collaboration between Students with Special Needs and Normally Developing Students

Another prerequisite of collaboration is interaction. Among the participants, four teachers

thought that there was no negative situation concerning the interaction between normally
developing students and students with special needs. On the other hand, the statement made by
Teacher 7 about this subject revealed that the teachers did not arrange activities to equip
normally developing students with skills of empathy. Regarding this issue, they said:

“If they think that this child had problems, they may look down on him (her) or treat
him badly claiming that he (she) does not understand a thing. However, as they are not
completely aware that this student is an inclusion student, they play all together
normally.” (Teacher 1)

“Actually, we cannot talk about a negative attitude here. But they cannot evaluate some
of his (her) behaviors according to his (her) special condition. They cannot show
empathy.” (Teacher 7)

Among the participants, seven teachers said that they believed the interaction between the
students with special needs and normally developing students was negative. The same teacher
also said that students with special needs and normally developing students shouldn’t be in the
same classroom but they need to be in separate schools. This shows that the same teacher did not
believe that the collaboration between students with special needs and normally developing
students was beneficial. With respect to this subject, the teachers said:

“This student cannot make many friends or play games with other students. They do not
accept him. He just plays on the slide or swing. Other students do not want to play with
him. We have that kind of a problem. We can’t solve this problem.” (Teacher 3)

“There is very little interaction between them. This student cannot adapt to other
students and other students do not support him in any way. There is no point for him in
being with other students.” (Teacher 4)

“This student often exploits his friends’ feelings to make them do what he wants. When
they don’t do what he wants, he always cries and gets what he wants in the end.”
(Teacher 11)

Collaboration between Teachers and Other Staff

The interviews showed that none of the teachers in this study had taken a course about special
education or inclusion education during their university education and, considering the fact that
the majority of them were in their first years in the profession, they deeply needed to cooperate
with staff specialized in special education. However, the results showed that nine of the teachers
had never been involved in a collaboration with any staff in Special Education. With respect to
this subject, the teachers said:

“Personally, we were not given any training about special education and there is no
school counselor in our school. In fact, there are no school counselors in village schools,
not even in many schools in city centers.”(Teacher 7)

“I was not competent as a teacher. I couldn’t realize at first that this student was an
inclusion student. I am alone in this village and there were times when I needed experts
whom I could consult what to do but, unfortunately, there were not any…” (Teacher 11)

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 HASANOGLU & GIRMEN: PROBLEMS FACE BY TEACHERS ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

“I incidentally learnt that these students were inclusion students. The local office of the
Ministry of Education informed us that they were inclusion students.” (Teacher 5)

In addition, two of the teachers stated that they collaborated with special education experts.
About this subject, the teachers said:

“School counselors visited the school twice this year. They wanted to come here more
often but they couldn’t because of difficult transportation. I asked them what I could do
for this student.” (Teacher8)

“We had a meeting with special education teacher. The Counseling and Research Center
only prepared a report and that was all; they did not do anything else. In fact, the
department of special education in the local office of the Ministry of Education have
been doing a better job for the last two years. For example, they come here and inform
us. They examine the child and ask us questions about his development and we make
comparisons together.” (Teacher 6)

Conclusion, Discussion, and Recommendations

The study found that the teachers did not use the necessary materials because they did not have
sufficient teaching materials as their schools were in rural areas far from city centers and because
they needed guidance about the selection of appropriate teaching materials for students with
special needs. Similarly, Bilen (2007) and Demir and Açar (2011, 730) found that teachers had
problems due to the inadequacy of equipment for students with special needs in school-classroom
environment. Also, Cankaya (2010) found that teachers with better materials and equipment
regarding inclusion education in their schools and teachers working at schools in larger
residential areas had higher self-perceived competence scores than those teachers with
insufficient materials and equipment regarding inclusion education in their schools and those
teachers working at schools in smaller residential areas, respectively.
With respect to teaching methods, the study determined that the teachers were not able to
implement group teaching technique but they used individualized teaching techniques for
students with special needs. Researches suggest that teachers have difficulty adopting teaching
methods regarding inclusion education (Spellman, 1989; Johns, Crowley and Guetzloe 2002, 5).
Also, this study revealed that the participating teachers had problems that were caused by the
teaching process in inclusion classes and had a negative effect on the productivity of teaching-
learning process.
The study found that, in teaching-learning process, the participating teachers made
adaptations by simplifying and modifying learning content for students with special needs. The
reason why the teachers made such limited adaptations may be that the teachers did not have
sufficient knowledge about this issue. Similarly, Sanır (2009) found that teachers did not make
instructional adaptations for their inclusion students in their classes but they involved those
students in teaching-learning process for normally developing students. Vural (2008) found that
the teachers of inclusion classes did not have sufficient knowledge about instructional
adaptations and some of their instructional adaptations were limited.
Finally, the study determined that the participating teachers were not able to create an
effective collaboration with normally developing children, parents and other specialized staff for
a successful teaching-learning process. In the same way, Bilen (2007) reported that there was a
poor collaboration between teachers and the parents of students with special needs because the
parents were unconcerned about their children. Conversely, Nizamoğlu (2006) found that
primary school teachers had regular meetings with the parents of students with special needs and
assigned the parents to some tasks, the teachers and parents together monitored the students’
development and the parents helped follow the students’ academic development. Similarly

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THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEDAGOGY AND CURRICULUM

Nizamoğlu (2006) and Ünal (2010) found that primary school teachers and the parents of
students with special needs communicated with each other and they together helped those
students with their homework, but in contrast with this study. Batu (2000, 43) suggested that
parents’ willingness about inclusion process and their assistance to their children in revising what
they learn at school and home could facilitate inclusion education. Also, Bilen (2007), Çuhadar
(2006), Mullings (2011) and Nizamoğlu (2006) found that teachers were not given sufficient
support at schools by administrators, other staff and school counsellors and they neither had
special education experts at their schools nor received help from experts outside their schools to
solve their problems about inclusion education. In Manason’s (2009) study, on the other hand,
the school administrators stated that the learning levels of students with special needs could be
increased through collaboration with teachers and collaborative effort and common objectives in
teaching.
In addition, the results showed that the majority of the teachers thought they couldn’t create
an effective communication and interaction between normally developing students and students
with special needs and this would have an adverse effect on teaching-learning process. Similarly,
Sanır (2009) found that the participating teachers thought their inclusions students were not
academically or socially adaptable to other students in the classroom environment as they did not
possess the communication and interaction skills required in the classroom.
In the light of these results, the following recommendations can be made:
 The teachers participating in this study were found to need improvement in solving
problems emerging in inclusion implementations as they worked at multigrade
classes in rural areas far from city centers and there were just one or two teachers
working at these schools. Teachers, who are considered to play the most critical
role in achieving inclusive education, need support services to be offered by
specialized staff in preparing, monitoring and assessing Inclusive Education Plans
(IEP). For this reason, Ministry of Education should provide teachers working at
multigrade classes with special support and guidance program for all stages of
inclusive implementations.

Teachers need to be given both pre-service and in-service training about subjects such as
instructional adaptations, arranging teaching environments, collaboration and educational support
services, IEP preparation-monitoring-assessment, and classroom management with respect to
students with special needs.

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 HASANOGLU & GIRMEN: PROBLEMS FACE BY TEACHERS ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gulcihan Hasanoglu: Student, Department of Elementary Education, Osmangazi University,
Bursa, Turkey.

Dr. Pinar Girmen: Assistant Professor, Department of Elementary Education, College of

Education, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey.

34
The International Journal of Pedagogy and
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The International Journal of Pedagogy and Curriculum

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ISSN: 2327-7963

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