Influence of personal factors on teachers’ knowledge and practices regarding learning disability

Personal factors encompass a range of attributes such as age, gender, education, and lifestyle, reflecting the diversity among teachers. These factors offer insights into how teachers understand and approach learning disabilities. The study was conducted in Coimbatore, India, in August 2022 with 514 primary school teachers. Their background, knowledge of learning disabilities, and teaching practices were assessed. Cronbach’s Alpha reliability score on the knowledge scale was 0.829 and the practice scale was 0.700. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and post hoc tests were applied to determine personal factors’ association with teachers’ knowledge and practices. The study found that age, family type, years of experience, and school type significantly influenced teachers’ knowledge levels regarding learning disabilities. Such factors were also found to have a significant impact on their teaching practices. Notably, factors like the area of residence and educational qualifications did not appear to affect teachers’ knowledge and practices related to learning disabilities. Understanding the connection between personal factors and knowledge offers insights into teaching methods and effectiveness. Educational stakeholders should collaborate to create an environment that helps teachers improve their knowledge and practices, benefiting children with learning disabilities beyond individual constraints. Top of Form.