Investigation of primary school teacher candidates' perspectives on working in special education institutions

This research has a qualitative research approach. In this sense, face-to-face interview questions were created and the participants' career approaches in the field of special education were examined. The sample group of the study consisted of a total of 40 students studying in the fourth academic (year in the academic year of 2018-2019) in Fırat University's, Erciyes University's and Hacı Bektaş Veli University's Department of Primary School Teaching. All the data obtained from the interviews were coded and analyzed by using computer aided qualitative data program. The analyzes carried out within the scope of this research showed that more than half of the prospective classroom teachers did not intend to work in private educational institutions. The results of the desire to work in private educational institutions differ according to the universities where the research participants are studying. Another result of this research is that almost all of the participants have not been in a "special education institution" before. When the results of the analysis regarding the contributions that prospective classroom teachers could encounter in special education institutions were examined, it was observed that the participants first emphasized the fact that they could develop and become more sensitive in the field of special education. Findings of worries revealed that participants think that they have the possibility of having problems due to lack of knowledge and skills. Key Words: Education, Special Education, Candidate Teacher, Career