The relationship among fluent reading and reading comprehension with phonological awareness levels of individuals with down syndrome

Phonological awareness is prerequisite of reading skill which is the base of many academic skills. This investigation was planned to reveal phonological awareness, fluent reading and reading comprehension levels of individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) with mild and moderate intellectual disability. The purpose of the study is to describe phonological awareness, fluent reading ,reading comprehension levels and type of error in reading and investigate the relationship among these variables. Study group of the study is 44 individuals with DS who can read. Age range of the study group is 7 to 30. The study is designed with descriptive correlational model which is one of the quantitative research methods. EÇDFDÖ developed by Aktan Acar and Sarı (2012) and SOBAT II developed by Melekoğlu, Çakıroğlu and Erden (2014) was used to collect datas. Datas of the research was collected in 2015-2016 education period. Researcher collected datas by carrying out the tests and the scale indivually via going to the Special Education and Rehabilitation Centers that individuals with DS who can read receiving education and visiting individuals with DS was out of the centers at their home. As a result of the study, phonological awarenes level of individuals with DS has been found moderate, fluent reading and reading comprehension levels of individual with DS is low. Additionaly, eliding is the type of error that individuals with DS most frequently do (%80). As a consequence of analyses, statistically significant difference is came out phonological awareness, fluent reading and reading comprehension levels of individuals with DS according to their disability severity. Besides, stastically significant relationship among phonological awareness, reading comprehension and fluent reading levels is came out. Anahtar Sözcükler: Down syndrome, Phonological awareness, Fluency reading, Reading comprehension.