Relationship between Teachers’ Knowledge Levels in Teaching Social Skills and Students’ Social Skills

Abstract

. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between teachers’ knowledge levels in teaching social skills and their students’ social skills in inclusive classrooms. 40 classroom teachers with special needs students in their classrooms, 40 special needs students and 40 students with typical developmental patterns whose social skills were assessed by these teachers participated in the study. Research data were collected via Knowledge Test of Teaching Social Skills developed by Sazak-Pınar (2009) and Social Skills Scale of Social Skills
Rating System developed by Gresham and Elliot (1990) and adapted to Turkish by Sucuoğlu and Özokçu (2005). Results pointed to a medium level relationship between teachers’ knowledge levels in teaching social skills and special needs students’ social skills whereas a high level relationship was identified between teachers’ knowledge levels in teaching social skills and regular students’ social skills. The qualitative data of the research showed that the teachers mostly think that the social skills are different because of the difference
caused by the intelligence levels of the special needs students.