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Dergiler / The Literacy Trek / 2026 / Volume: 11 Issue: 1

Teaching English to visually impaired learners in Türkiye – Experiences of EFL instructors in higher education

Ayşe Nur Ekinci(İZMİR BAKIRÇAY ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0009-0002-7367-2361
Kadriye Dilek Bacanak(GAZI UNIVERSITY, GAZİ FACULTY OF EDUCATION)0000-0002-3755-3560
Sayfa
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Yayın Tarihi
2025-06-30
DOI
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⚡ TL;DR(1 Cümlede Hızlı Çıkarım)

The study concluded with implications for language teaching and suggestions for further research.

📌 3 Maddede Bu Makale

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Amaç & Hipotez:"There are always two sides to every story," as noted by the American philosopher Jonathan Edwards.
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Temel Bulgular & Veri:This study investigated the overall experiences of the EFL instructors who taught visually impaired learners, challenges they faced and accommodations and assistive strategies they used.
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Sonuç & Katkı:The study concluded with implications for language teaching and suggestions for further research.
🔬Tür:Research Article
📍Kapsam:Genişletilmiş Akademik Örneklem
⚙️Değişkenler:teaching English as a foreign language · special educational needs · inclusive education

Abstract

"There are always two sides to every story," as noted by the American philosopher Jonathan Edwards. It is, therefore, crucial to consider the perspectives of both parties, especially when dealing with a complex phenomenon. In the context of this research, that perspective involves the EFL instructors who taught visually impaired learners. Due to insufficient preparation stemming from a lack of adequate background knowledge on how to engage with individuals with visual impairments and what considerations are necessary when teaching them EFL, it is unsurprising that instructors have encountered difficulties in instructing visually impaired learners. This study investigated the overall experiences of the EFL instructors who taught visually impaired learners, challenges they faced and accommodations and assistive strategies they used. The participants consisted of four EFL instructors working at higher education institutions in Türkiye. The data were collected through an observation of a class hour of one of the instructors and semi-structured interviews with all participants. The findings revealed that the instructors felt anxious, emotional and were in self-doubt at the beginning, and gradually developed confidence and appreciation as a result of the experiences they gained through teaching, reading the relevant literature, and the continuous feedback they got from their learners. Instructors also implemented a number of strategies to deal with the challenges they faced. The study concluded with implications for language teaching and suggestions for further research.

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Bu Makaleye Atıf Yap

Ekinci, A. N., Bacanak, K. D. (2025). Teaching English to visually impaired learners in Türkiye – Experiences of EFL instructors in higher education. The Literacy Trek, Volume: 11 Issue: 1. https://ajindex.com/articles/1552900

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Kaynakça (20)

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