The relationship between knowledge levels and attitudes regarding specific learning difficulty of social studies teachers and social studies teachers opinions on specific learning difficulty

The main purpose of this research is; To examine the relation between the knowledge levels and the attitudes of Social Studies Teachers about Specific Learning Disability, whether knowledge level and attitudes differ according to varius variables and opinions about SLD. In line with this main purpose, the research was handled in two dimensions, qualitative and quantitative. In the quantitative dimension; It was aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between the knowledge levels of Social Studies Teachers regarding Specific Learning Disability and their attitudes and whether it differs according to several variables. In the qualitative dimension, it was aimed to determine what Social Studies teachers' opinions are about SLD. The paper has a combined searching characteristic in terms of using both qualitative and quantitative dimensions together. The study group of the research consists of the Social Studies Teachers working on in the 5th, 6th and 7th grades of secondary schools in the central districts of İzmir such as Buca, Karabağlar, Konak, Bornova, Bayraklı, Karşıyaka, Gaziemir, Çiğli, Balçova, Narlıdere, Güzelbahçe in the fall and spring semesters of the 2021-2022 academic year. Data were collected with "Specific Learning Disability Attitude Scale, Specific Learning Disability Knowledge Level and Semi-Structured Interview Questions for Specific Learning Disabilities". Package program was used in the analysis of the quantitative data collected. And also descriptive analysis method was used for analyzing qualitative data. According to the research findings; the knowledge level and attitudes of the social studies teachers participating in the research regarding SLD were examined in terms of various variables, and it was determined that some variables showed significant differences and some showed insignificant differences. At the same time, the knowledge level and attitudes of the teachers regarding SLD were found to be at a medium level; it was also seen that there was a positive, low-level significant relationship between the knowledge level and attitudes of the teachers regarding SLD. Considering these assesments; various suggestions were made to increase the knowledge and attitudes of the social studies teachers regarding SLD, which is at a medium level.