Conference themed “The implementation of cognitive strategies for students with learning disabilities” was organized by European University of Lefke Special Education Center. Department Head of Gazi University Faculty of Education Special Education Department Prof. Dr. Emine Rüya Özmen attended the conference which took place at EUL Rauf Raif Denktaş Education Complex Conference Hall as a speaker.

Department Head of EUL Special Education Teaching Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Ataman made the opening speech of the conference and pointed out that the field of cognitive strategy applications in students with learning disabilities is a field that should be considered important, not only by special education teachers but also by class teachers, guidance teachers, pre-school teachers and psychological counselors.

Özmen: “The process of behavior change in cognitive strategy teaching is important”

Özmen described learning as permanent changes that eventually took place as a result of interactions with the environment in which the person present. Özmen stressed that the process of behavior change in cognitive strategy teaching is important. Özmen said that; “In order for the learning to be actualized; one should be willing to learn the data (motivation), be able to continue learning carefully, process the knowledge using memory strategies, and guide by organizing learning process”.

Özmen pointed out that, the aim of cognitive strategy teaching is to provide students with the appropriate strategies to achieve academic skills. Özmen expressed that the main goal of cognitive strategy teaching is to enable learners to use strategies automatically with these internalizing strategies.

Özmen stated that cognitive strategy teaching has three main elements which are; loud thinking, interactive dialogue and supporters. Özmen pointed out that being a model by thinking aloud with the aim of making cognitive processes apparent is the most important element of cognitive strategy teaching. Özmen stated that in interactive dialogues the teachers should show the students how they think aloud and apply the strategy and use supporters to facilitate the thinking process of the student and added that these supporters also made the strategy visible.

Teaching Phases of Cognitive Strategy Instruction;

–          Thinking aloud and interacting, modeling the use of strategies and operational facilitators through dialogues

–          Guiding the use of strategy and the preparation of operational facilitators

–          In the strategy use of independent applications, withdrawal of some of the independence-facilitators, making the students prepare some of them

At the end of the conference Özmen pointed out that strategy teaching is a long-term process and that a multi-level strategy teaching can last a month when it is considered according to the course hours, and added that the taught skill includes reading comprehension, written expression and problem solving. Özmen finally stated that; “Considering its advantages, this process is very valuable to the student”.

At the end of the conference Department Head of EUL Special Education Teaching Department Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Ataman presented a certificate of appreciation to Özmen.