Effects of direct instruction through natural language use on teaching polar concepts to children with mental retardation

Ill ABSTRACT EFFECTS OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION THROUGH NATURAL LANGUAGE USE ON TEACHING POLAR CONCEPTS TO CHILDREN WITH MENTAL RETARDATION The purpose of the present study was to analyze the effectiveness of direct instruction implemented through natural language use on the acquisition of polar concepts by children with mental retardation. The independent variable of the study was direct instruction delivered by natural language use. The dependent variable was the subjects' acquisition levels of the long-short concepts and large- small concepts. The study was a single-subject study and the design of the study was multiple probe design across behaviors implemented with probe phases. The subjects of the study were three children with mental retardation. The subjects were 7, 10 and 12 years old. All subjects were able to discriminate long from short and large from small. Baseline data were collected at the beginning of the study and than treatment phases consisting of the instruction of the dependent variables took place. Direct Instruction Module for Teaching Long-Short and Direct Instruction Module for Teaching Large-Small were used during the instruction delivered at the treatment phases. The data were collected by Long-Short Concepts Assessment Instrument and Large-Small Concepts Assessment Instrument. The findings of the study revealed that direct instruction delivered through natural language use was effective on the acquisition of long-short and large- small concepts by each subject. Furthermore, it was found that all subjects kept the concepts they acquired at the follow-up phase.