Examining the efficiency of constant time delay procedure in teaching the concept of "living and non-living" in science class to children with minor mental deficiency

The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness the Constant Time-Delay Procedure in teaching the students with mild mental deficiency the concepts of living and non-living. The study is conducted on five primary school students diagnosed with mild mental deficiency in an educational environment. The research is formalised with a single subject research model, multiple probe design. Before the application, the families of the students were provided with a "Reinforcer Specification List" for the purpose of specifying the effective reinforcers that are effective for the students and with the acquired data reinforcers were prepared for each student. The students' performances about the research topic were evaluated through a beginner level evaluation form prepared by the researcher before the teaching began. By using Constant Time-Delay Procedure, it is intended to endow the students with the following talents: "Shows the pictures of the living beings on the cartoons when asked" and "Gives accurate examples for the living and non-living beings". The concepts of living and non-living were addressed on the basic level considering the level of development of the students in a 3rd year Science class in accordence with the programme offered by the Ministry of National Education. The concet of living was exaplified with humans, animals and plants and the concept of non-living, with objects, stones, etc. Prepared cards with the pictures of living and non-living beings were used during the teaching. The teaching was conducted in an educational environment designed in accordance with the student's incapability and whether the objectives were accomplished or not was determined with the help of the evaluation forms prepared by the researcher. At the end of the application, the ecquired data is analysed with diagram analysis. As a consequence of this research it is observed that Constant Time-Delay Procedure is effective in the teaching of the concepts of the living and non-living to the primary school level special needs students with mild mental deficiency.