Knowledge and beliefs about developmental dyslexia in pre-service and in-service Spanish-speaking teachers.
The present study investigated knowledge, misconceptions, and lack of information about dyslexia among pre-service (PST) and in-service (IST) Spanish-speaking teachers in Spain and Peru. Two hundred and forty-six pre-service teachers and 267 in-service teachers completed the Knowledge and Beliefs about Developmental Dyslexia Scale (KBDDS). In-service teachers scored significantly higher on the total scale, and on the symptoms/diagnosis and general information subscales, than pre-service teachers. The percentages for misconceptions and lack of information ("do not know responses") were higher for PSTs than for ISTs on the general information subscale, the symptoms/diagnosis subscale, and the treatment subscale. Analyses of individual items were conducted to differentiate concepts that teachers did not know from misconceptions. In-service teacher self-efficacy, years of teaching experience, post-graduate training in dyslexia, and prior exposure to a child with dyslexia were positively related to knowledge about dyslexia. Implications for pre-service teacher training and professional development are discussed.
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibañez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain. Manuel.Soriano@uv.es.
Manuel
M
Soriano-Ferrer
Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibañez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
Joyce
J
Echegaray-Bengoa
TLAC, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
R Malathesa
RM
Joshi
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004410:Dyslexia; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010568:Peru; D000070777:School Teachers; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013030:Spain; D000070260:Teacher Training; D055815:Young Adult
Dyslexia; Spanish; Teacher education; Teacher knowledge