The Practices of Special Education Teachers in Improving the Reading Skill of Students with Autism

Abstract

Reading proficiency is important to help students become better learners and improve their self-esteem. This research investigated the strategies utilized by teachers in the Integrated Special Education Programme (ISEP) in teaching reading skills to students with autism. Specifically, the objectives of this study are to identify teacher’s knowledge, practices, and constraints in teaching reading skills to these students. This quantitative study involved a total of 132 teachers working in the Integrated Special Education Programme in a district in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. They answered a questionnaire which had been adapted from two existing instruments. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively. The results show that the level of knowledge of these teachers in teaching reading to students with autism is at a moderate level (mean 3.05), teacher’s teaching practices at a moderate level (mean 3.04), and teacher’s constraints at a moderate level (mean 2.69). These findings showed that teachers need ongoing training to improve this specific teaching skill. Further research is also needed to investigate the impact of these teachers’ moderate level of teaching skills on the children with autism in their classes.