Effectiveness of teaching self-care and domestic skills to children with mental retardation by teacher aides

Abstract

Background/Problem Statement: Most of educators, especially those of students with Mental Retardation (MR), work with paraprofessionals (teacher aids) while teaching these students. It is stated that teacher aides are successful when they know what is expected from them, or what responsibilities they have. Therefore, the research need is to apply the teaching self-care and domestic skills program to teacher aires and to determine the effectiveness of a skill instruction program delivered by teacher aides on teaching self-care and domestic skills to students with MR. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a skill instruction program delivered by teacher aides (SIPDTA) on teaching self-care and domestic skills to students with MR. The following questions were addressed in the study: (1) Was the skill instruction program delivered by teacher aid F. effective on teaching Sinem to clean nozzle with handkerchief, fold his shirt, shoeshine?; (2) Was the skill instruction program delivered by teacher aid S. effective on teaching Aysun to tye their shoelaces, iron, make salad?; (3) Was the skin instruction program delivered by teacher aid V. effective on teaching Sedat to run a washing machine, tye their shoelaces, and make soup? Methods: Among the single subject research designs, multiple probe model with probe conditions was used in the study. The study was conducted with three teacher aides and their students. Procedure consisted of three meetings and a sample practice, each of which took one and half-hour. Results: The results of the study revealed that children achieved the target skills independently. They have maintained their performance during the follow up phase. Overall results indicated that SIPDTA was acknowledged as a very valuable program by teacher aides. The results of the current study are consistent with those of similar studies Conducted previously. Recommendations: Training programs on teaching self-care and domestic skills to students with MR should be provided to teacher aides of these students. By modifying the skill instruction program (e.g., including teacher aides and parents), generalization of self-care and domestic skills acquired by students should be examined. This study should be replicated with different participants and research methods in various settings.