Teachers’ attitudes towards learners with disability scale (TALDS): Construction and psychometric analysis

This study was designed to develop and validate an instrument that can enable researchers and scholars to measure the attitudes of teachers towards learners with disabilities in an inclusive classroom. The study was grounded on the three-components theory of attitude. A series of steps were followed to ascertain the face and content validity of the instrument. Based on the data collected from 532 respondents, preliminary screening was performed, items with weak or high correlation to others were dropped or retained. The construct validity and dimensionality of the instrument was evaluated using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), following the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) extraction, with a varimax rotation based on Eigenvalues greater than one. The results yielded a three-factor solution after suppressing loadings less than .40. These factors were labelled carefully based on the statements of the leading items loading. Cronbach alpha was employed in evaluating the reliability of the instrument, with values ranging from .849 to .938, indicating that the instrument is internally consistent. Consequently, the proposed 36 items instrument was reduced to 30 items. The procedures followed, coupled with the removal of dysfunctional items, resulted in an instrument with appropriate psychometric properties and high reliability for measurement

Determinants of Social Studies Curriculum Implementation by Teachers with Intellectual Disabilities in Selected Schools of Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria: Implication for Psychology

Teachers with intellectual disabilities frequently have cognitive processing or perceptual problems. Visual processing problems interfere with understanding text, illustrations, and written work associated with a social studies lesson. Most social studies textbooks include many maps and graphs. For most teachers, these maps clarify the topics covered and those that should be covered as well; however, teachers with visual-spatial and visual-processing disorders may have difficulty interpreting such information. Hence, this study evaluated the factors that affected how the social studies curriculum was implemented by teachers with intellectual disabilities in a sample of schools in the Cross River State, Nigeria, Calabar South Local Government Area; implications for psychology. Two survey factors have been developed to guide the study. The variables under review were used to guide the literature review. The survey study's template was employed. Purposeful selection approaches were used to choose the 60 respondents that made up the study's sample. A structured questionnaire with 10 items and a four-point Likert scale was used to collect the results. Using the Cronbach Alpha reliability method, the instrument's approximate correlation was 0.78. The data was examined using a descriptive methodology. The findings of the study indicated that a teacher's teaching style and level of training among teachers with intellectual disabilities had an impact on how they instruct students in social studies. It was suggested that secondary school teachers with disabilities be given the opportunity to participate in curriculum development and implementation so that they can use student-centered methods in teaching

Prediction of Self-Concept and Anxiety on the Tendency of Postgraduate Students with Learning Disabilities (LD) to Acquire Research Skills in Two Public Universities of Cross River State, Nigeria: Implications for Counseling

Background: Acquisition of research skills provide the forum for incorporating Nigerian graduate students with disabilities and university lecturers into the international scientific culture and the developing knowledge economy. Aim: This study investigated the prediction of self-concept and anxiety on the tendency of postgraduate students with Learning Disabilities (LD) to acquire research skills in two Public Universities of Cross River State, Nigeria: Implications for counseling. Two objectives of the study were stated to guide the study and to achieve the purpose of the study. Two research questions were formulated, which were converted to two statements of hypotheses. A literature review was carried out based on the variables under study. Method: The survey research design was considered most suitable for the study. A stratified random sampling technique was adopted in selecting the 49 respondents sampled for the study. A validated 20 items four-point modified Likert scale questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The face and content validity of the instrument was established by experts in Test and Measurement. The reliability estimates of 0.81 of the instruments were established using the Cronbach Alpha method. A simple Linear regression statistical tool was used to test the hypotheses formulated for the study. The hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. Results: The results obtained from the data analysis revealed a significant prediction of self-concept and anxiety on the tendency of postgraduate students with Learning Disabilities (LD) to acquire research skills in the study area. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the study, it was therefore recommended, among others, that internal seminars and workshops should be organized by Graduate schools every quarter of the year, where each postgraduate student delivers a standard paper, and this should be made compulsory. This will encourage sharing knowledge and increase skills and zeal for using knowledge and more research publications

Home Background and Self-Concept of High Achieving Students With Emotional Disorder in Ibadan North Local Government

Home environment and self-concept influence child development in many ways. This is particularly critical for high achieving students who because of their uniqueness suffer social isolation and rejection among their peers in school and at home. The knowledge of self is necessary for overcoming emotional issues. This study focused on home background and self-concept of high achieving students in Ibadan, Oyo State. The study adopted survey design of the expo facto type. Three research questions were raised. Simple random sampling was used to select 250 participants for the study. Simple percentage, t-test and multiple regression analysis were conducted on the data collected. It was found that self-concept and parenting styles relate with emotional adjustment. Even though socioeconomic background does not predict emotional adjustment, the researcher found that the combination of the three predictor variables yielded very strong emotional adjustment of the participants. Parenting styles is the most significant predictor of emotional adjustment of the participants. The need for parents to imbibe good parenting styles, the need for school to organize periodic talks to enhance students’ self-concept, the essence of counselling for high achieving students and better societal attitude towards high achieving students were advocated. Key word: Emotional adjustment, family background, high achieving students, parenting style, socio-economic status