commit to user THESIS
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGLISH TEACHING AND
LEARNING PROCESS TO STUDENTS WITH VISUAL
IMPAIRMENT
(A Case Study onthe Ninth Grade ofJunior High School at SMP
YKAB Surakarta in the Academic Year of 2012/2013)
By:
AFIFAH LINDA SARI
S891108002
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
GRADUATE PROGRAM
commit to user LEGITIMATION
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGLISH TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS TO STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
(A Case Study on the Ninth Grade of Junior High School at SMP YKAB Surakarta in the Academic Year of 2012/2013)
By:
AFIFAH LINDA SARI S891108002
commit to user ABSTRACT
Afifah Linda Sari. S891108002. 2013. The Implementation of English Teaching and Learning Process to Students with Visual Impairment (A Case Study on the Third Grade of Junior High School at SMP YKAB Surakarta in the Academic Year of 2011/2012). Thesis. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Sri Samiati Tarjana, Co-Advisor: Dra. Dewi Rochsantiningsih, M.Ed., Ph.D. English Education Department. Graduate School of Sebelas Maret University Surakarta. 2013.
This research aims at (1) describing the implementation of English teaching and learning process to students with visual impairment; (2) finding the problems encountered by the English teacher during the teaching and learning process; (3) finding proposed solution given by the English teacher to overcome the problems during the teaching and learning process; (4) investigating students‟ achievement in the implementation of the method used by the English teacher in teaching and learning process.
The research was conducted at SMP YKAB Surakarta, Central Java, from September to December 2012. It was a qualitative research in the form of case study. The subjects of the research were the teaching and learning English at SMP YKAB Surakarta. The data of this thesis were taken from several techniques including non-participant observation, in-depth interviewing, and document analysis. In analyzing the qualitative data, the researcher conducted three things namely: data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusion/verification.
The result of the research revealed four major findings which consist of: (1) the curriculum, syllabus, and lesson plan applied in English teaching and learning process to students with visual impairment are equal with regular school; (2) the difficulties found out from students perspective are the lack of textbooks in Braille, time limitation for students to do examination test and the long sentence of question text. Then, the difficulties viewed from teacher‟s perspective are the lack of teaching media and classroom management; (3) proposed solutions by the teacher to overcome the difficulties are printing the material in Braille, providing English course to prepare students in national examination, providing alternative teaching media, and arranging classroom management; and (4) the level of IQ was more beneficial to students‟ achievement rather than visual acuity.
In conclusion, the research finding of this study indicates that the implementation of English teaching and learning process to students with visual impairment gives some contribution to English education for special needs. Therefore, the suggestion made from the research findings: (1) it is suggested to the teacher to prepare and organize every detail of activities in the classroom based on the students‟ needs and curriculum requirements; (2) it is suggested to the students to be confident and aware with their study even though they have physical disabilities, and (3) It is suggested to school principal to provide the material, guidance book, and examination text in Braille‟s print to make the students more independent to study without helping from private reader.
commit to user MOTTO
“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may
come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if
you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.”
Keller-commit to user DEDICATION
This thesis is a tribute to:
My parents, Bapak Djoko Santoso and Ibu Asih Tri Astuti, who have
fought for my education up to master degree, thank for your praying; for loving me on and on; and for the affection given. I wish I could repay
one day.
commit to user ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Alhamdulillahi rabbil „alamin, praise and gratitude be to Allah SWT, who
has given the merciful and blessing, so I can accomplish this thesis punctually. It is my pleasure of conveying my deepest thank for many people who give me motivation, support, and even help from arranging up to finishing this thesis. The wise one, Prof. Dr. Sri Samiati Tarjana as my advisor, thank a bunch for the priceless advice and encouragement in finishing this thesis. Then, my second advisor who motivated me to always do my best, Dewi Rochsatiningsih, M.Ed., Ph.D., thank you very much for invaluable guidance, understanding, critical idea making this thesis improved both technical appearance and content, and for hundreds of corrections in writing this thesis.
I present my sincere appreciation to Dr. Abdul Asib, M.Pd. as the head of English Language Education Department of Graduate Program and all the lectures who guide me during my study, thanks for the valuable knowledge transferred and for every single tutorial given.
I do really appreciate to all my friends in English Language Education Department of Graduate Program, especially to: Fibriani Endah, Ernadewi, Puput Arianto, and Roihatul Millah for being my critical friend and accompanying me when I almost gave up doing this thesis, and friends of mine: Dika Pranadwipa, Yuyun W., and Endang S., thank a million for helping me so much.
commit to user A. The Nature of English Language Teaching... 10
1. Language Learning... 10
2. Language Teaching ... 11
3. The Objectives of Teaching English ... 12
4. Teaching and Learning Process ... 14
5. The Components of Teaching and Learning Process ... 18
B. The Nature of Visual Impairment... 23
1. Definition of Visual Impairment ... 23
2. Types of Visual Impairment... 24
3. Characteristics of Students with Visual Impairment ... 25
4. Teaching English to Students with Visual Impairment... 29
commit to user
7. The Impact of Visual Impairment on Language Skills ... 34
C. Review of Relevant Studies ... 37
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A. Context of the Research ... 39
B. Type of the Research ... 40
C. Source of Data ... 43
D. Technique of Collecting Data ... 43
E. Validity of the Data ... 46
F. Techniques of Analyzing the Data ... 47
G. The procedure of the Research ... 48
CHAPTER IV FINDING AND DISCUSSION A. The Implementation of English Teaching and Learning for the Students with Visual Impairment ... 50
1. Teaching and Learning Documents ... 52
2. The Implementation of Teaching and Learning Process ... 59
3. Supporting Components on English Teaching and Learning Implementation ... 77
B. The Difficulties Found during Teaching and Learning Process ... 84
1. Students‟ Perspective ... 85
2. Teacher‟s Perspective ... 87
C. Proposed Solutions by the Teacher to Overcome the Problem in Teaching and Learning Process ... 91
commit to user LIST OF ABREVIATION
BNSP : Badan Nasional Standard Pendidikan JAWS : Job Access with Speech
KD : Kompetensi Dasar
KKM : Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimal
KTSP : Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan MBC : Mitra Netra Braille Converter
MGMP : Musyawarah Guru Mata Pelajaran RPP : Rencana Pelaksanaan Pembelajaran SK : Standar Kompetensi
YKAB : Yayasan Kesejahteraan Anak Buta
commit to user LIST OF TABLE
Table 3.1 Details of Students ... 40
Table 3.2 Procedure Commonly Used in Case Study ... 49
Table 4.1 Issues Arising from the Research Questions ... 49
Table 4.2 The Implementation of Curriculum ... 53
Table 4.3 The Indicators of English Learning ... 55
Table 4.4 The Implication of Three Main Steps Activity ... 61
commit to user LIST OF PICTURE
...
Picture 4.1 Braille Print ... 77
Picture 4.2 Slate and stylus ... 77
Picture 4.3 Braille Alphabet ... 79
Picture 4.4 Computer ... 80
commit to user LIST OF GRAPHIC
Graphic 4.1 Listening Score ... 95
Graphic 4.2 Speaking Score ... 95
Graphic 4.3 Reading Score ... 97
Graphic 4.4 Writing Score ... 98
commit to user LIST OF APPENDICES
...
Appendix 1. Field Note 1st Observation ... 109
Appendix 2. Field Note 2nd Observation ... 116
Appendix 3. Field Note 3rd Observation ... 124
Appendix 4. Field Note 4th Observation ... 133
Appendix 5. Field Note 5th Observation ... 141
Appendix 6. Description of Class Observation ... 145
Appendix 7. Teacher‟s Interview ... 146
Appendix 8. Students‟ Interview ... 153
Appendix 9. Biography of the Students ... 156
Appendix 10. Syllabus ... 159
Appendix 11. Lesson Plan ... 179
Appendix 12. Blue Print Observation ... 197
Appendix 13. Mid-Semester Examination ... 202
Appendix 14. Semester Examination ... 209
commit to user CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers the introductory part of the study involving: (a) the
background of the study; (b) problem of the study; (c) limitation of the study; (d) objectives of the study; and (e) benefits of the study.
.
A.Background of the Study
Children with special needs, including persons with disabilities are some
of the human resources in Indonesia which should be improved in quality to contribute themselves as the objects even the subjects of development. Social Ministry of Indonesia in 2006 noted that there was 295.763 children with
disabilities, involved 17 % of visual impairments. These numbers increase from year to year up to 1.749.981 persons who have visual impairments in 2011
(Direktorat Jendral Rehabilitasi Sosial). The data showed the amount numbers of
disabilities need to be recognized and identified because they require a special education and a specific exercise.
According to the constitutions, Pasal 31 ayat 1 UUD 1945, everyone has the same right to get education. This obligation means that all children have the
commit to user
in teaching handicapped learners is the method used in the learning process, in which the method should match with their ability and disability.
Unfortunately, in the implementation of national examination this year, the government assessed remiss in providing Braille script for blind students who take
national examination. As quoted from kompas.com (04/24/12):
Dalam pelaksanaan Ujian Nasional (UN) tahun ini, siswa berkebutuhan khusus di sekolah inklusi tidak mendapat naskah soal dengan huruf braille. Padahal, sesuai kriterianya, para siswa tersebut seharusnya mendapat pelayanan khusus dalam bentuk naskah soal braille.
The government adopted a policy of eliminating Braille script for inclusion
school. Even so, the government should pay attention to their rights of blind students that provide Braille script in national examination. Therefore, they can be
more independent in doing the exam.
Visual impairment is defined as a visual disorder that interfere the learning
process and the optimal learning achievement, thus, special methods of teaching, learning, adjustment of learning materials and learning environment are necessary (Sunaryo and Surtikanti, 2011: 20). In this case, English is one of the subjects
tested in national examination should be accounted in teaching and learning process. The teacher is required to teach English so that the students have
capability in developing communicative competence both oral and written form. In addition, English as a foreign language is important to improve the nation's competitiveness in the global community, and the learners understanding of the
interrelationships between language and culture.
commit to user
process run effectively. For example, when teachers recognize a new vocabulary, they cannot only just say about the name of the object. It is essential for teachers
bringing the object, then, the students touch it to acquire more description about the shape of the object. Due to the visual impairment, students often use sense of
touch to recognize the objects around them. They develop their concept about physical object by their tactual experience, while sighted students develop it by visual object. In this case, the teachers hold a big role in engaging themselves to
provide manifold of new challenges and encourage them to maximize their efforts in understanding the lesson given.
The common problems appeared in teaching and learning process are about the difficulty in catching verbalistic lessons, using books and selecting appropriate teaching and learning methods (Shea & Bauer, 1996:255; Sunaryo &
Surtikanti, 2011:18) . They also get the reading and writing difficulties. They need more time than sighted person for doing that kind of activities (Associate
Professor Saowalak Rattanavich, 2007: 129). Besides, they have a limited ability in touching, hearing and memorizing. Therefore, both the teacher and the parents of the students should give more attention and burn the spirit of them to overcome
the problem.
There are no different objectives in teaching English for the students with
visual impairment and sighted students. It is because the curriculum used is similar to the regular school. The objectives are divided into general and specific objectives of teaching English. It is discussed in Patel & Jain (2008: 48) that the
commit to user
topic correctly, as well as to read, to listen and to write English easily. It is admitted that the way students read and write is different with sighted students,
yet the goal of the study is not quite different, to make students easy to study English.
According to BNSP (2006: 278), the competence standard and basic competence of English subject to SMP/MTS is targeted to reach the level of functional that is able to communicate both oral and written in daily life. In other
words, the graduate are expected to use the language to fulfill the needs in daily life such as reading newspapers, manuals or instructions. Accessing the program
of studies is often challenging for students with visual impairment or blindness. It is because the students who are visually impaired or blind have major problems in gaining educational or learning opportunities.
In order to participate fully within the educational environment, the students require instruction from a trained professional in such disability-specific
skills as Braille literacy and numeracy, assistive technology skills, use of low-vision devices, career and life management skills, social interaction skills, independent living and personal management skills, orientation and mobility
skills. Therefore, the students need special education to help them surviving themselves and to be more independent as mentioned in pasal 32 undang-undang
no. 20 tahun 2003:
commit to user
An educational service for children with special needs is called exceptional education or known as special education or Ortopedogik. The word
Ortopedogik is derived from Greek in which Ortos means straight, good, normal;
Paedos means children; and Agogos means education or guidance. Thus,
exceptional education means the education of straightening, repairing, and normalizing (Nong, 2012). Nowadays, there are two kinds of educational system for the students with special needs, exceptional school and regular school with
inclusive educational system. Exceptional school is a special school for students who have certain disorders, such as exceptional school-A which is built for
children having disorders in sight. In this way the system is called by regression. It means that they learn separately from children who attend public school (regular). Besides, regular school with inclusive educational system is an
educational system for the students with special needs in regular school with certain adaptation (Sunaryo & Surtikanti, 2011: 6).
According to Balai Pengembangan Pendidikan Khusus (BP-Diskus) of Central Java, there are 20 Exceptional Schools in Surakarta. One of them focused on education to visual impairments‟ is SLB-A YKAB Surakarta. This school
provides the education from elementary up to senior high school. The curriculum of teaching and learning process is divided into curriculum for exceptional
commit to user
Previously, several studies had been conducted regarding to teaching and learning to students with visual impairment. Most of them concerned with a
treatment in teaching and learning process, even only described about the activities occurred on the students with visual impairment. Indeed, to the best of
my knowledge no research has drawn attention to all aspects of English teaching and learning which is engaged the English skills did not explain yet. Based on the description, I conducted this research on the implementation of English teaching
and learning process at SMP YKAB Surakarta as the one of exceptional school for children with special needs that takes English as one of the lesson material.
Further, this research only focused on the students of the ninth grade Junior High School.
B. Problem Statement
Based on the background of the study having been depicted in the previous
passages, the main problems to study in this term are stated as follows:
1. How is the implementation of English teaching and learning to students with visual impairment on the ninth grade of Junior High School at SMP YKAB
Surakarta?
This question will be specified in the following sub-questions:
commit to user
b. What are the supporting components on the English teaching and learning implementation?
2. What are the difficulties found during the teaching and learning process? 3. What are proposed solutions by the teacher to overcome the problem in
teaching and learning process?
4. How is students‟ achievement in the implementation of English teaching and learning process?
C. Limitation of the Study
In this research, the writer has limited the scope of her study on the
following account.
1. The description of this study is limited to explain the process of English teaching and learning to the students on the ninth grade of Junior High School
at SLB-A YKAB Surakarta with the proposed solutions given to encounter the problem and students‟ achievement in the implementation of the method used
by the English teacher in teaching and learning process.
2. The subject of this study is the students on the ninth grade of SMP YKAB Surakarta in the academic year of 2012/2013.
D. Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are stated as follows:
commit to user
implementation of teaching and learning process, and the supporting components on the English teaching and learning implementation.
2. To discover the other supporting things of the English teaching implementation.
3. To find out the problems encountered by the English teacher during the teaching and learning process.
4. To find out proposed solution given by the English teacher to overcome the
problems.
5. To investigate students‟ achievement in the implementation of the method
used by the English teacher in teaching and learning process.
E. Benefits of the Study
Through a case study which is one of descriptive research type in
qualitative approach, there are some expected benefits that could be taken from this research. They are portrayed in the following detail.
1. Practical a. Government
The result of this study becomes a reference for the government about the
phenomena of teaching and learning English for students with special needs especially visual impairment. Moreover, the government can give more attention
commit to user
b. Teacher
Having finished the study, the writer expects to get additional information
to the teacher that deals with the strengths and the weaknesses of the method used in teaching and learning process. Furthermore, by knowing the result of the study,
the teachers may maximize the strengths for teaching improvement and minimize the weaknesses for better teaching.
c. Student
It is hoped that the students can develop their achievement by using appropriate method and they can be more active in improving their skill in
English. Likewise, the student can reach the goal of the study easily. 2. Theoretical
The writer expects this study can give contribution to the development of
English teaching and learning process for the student with visual impairment. Besides, it also hopes that this research can be used by other researchers to
commit to user CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
In this section, the writer presents theories underlying the research. The
theory consists of English Language Teaching and Visual Impairment.
A. The Nature of English Language Teaching
1. Language Learning
Learning can be simply defined as acquiring or getting of knowledge of a subject or a skill by study, experience, or instruction. It involves active, conscious
focus on and acting upon events outside or inside organism (Brown, 1994: 7). Besides, Hamilton and Ghatala (1994: 8) say that learning could be regarded as a relatively permanent change in an individual‟s knowledge or
behavior that results from previous experience. Then, Johnson (2007: 18) supports that definition by stating that learning is a relatively permanent change in response
which can be retained occurring as a result or reinforced practice.
Furthermore, Richard and Rogers (1998: 19) state that traditionally, language learning focuses on language structure and elements such as
pronunciation, sentence and so on. Now, some methods in language learning have focus more on general communication skill and give bigger priority to the ability
commit to user
skills covering speaking, writing, and receptive skills covering listening and reading.
Based on the definitions above, it can be concluded that language learning covers a conscious active process of acquiring a new knowledge or behavior in an
individual as the output brought by practice and experience focusing on language skills in order to be able to use the language for communicating in real situation. It covers the idea that language learning focuses on language skills that are used in
real communication in the real setting where learners are regarded as the member of society.
2. Language Teaching
The term of teaching is closely related to learning. Teaching could be defined as a set of activities involving guiding and facilitating learning, enabling
learners to learn and also setting the conditions for learning (Brown, 1994: 7). Then, Stern (1996: 21) defines language teaching as the activities that are intended
to bring about language learning. In other words, the concept of teaching is understood as the process that inseparably and intrinsically bound up with learning.
The teaching of language is basically conditioned by the nature of the subject. Language is the manipulation of experience by the use of symbols. The
concept of language as a learning task is a complex of interrelated and interdependent experiences and elements, in which growth proceeds simultaneously but in varying degrees, dependent on points or emphasis and
commit to user
In addition, Littlewood (1992: 1) say that language teaching focuses on developing learners‟ communicative competence since the purpose of language
teaching has big deals with the learners‟ learning in which they learn language to
have language skills in order that they are able to communicate using the
language.
Based on the definition of language teaching, it can be defined that language teaching is a set of activities that bound up with learning and focus on developing learners‟ communicative competence in order to make the learners can
use the language in real situation.
3. The Objectives of Teaching English
A major goal of all English language teaching should be to enable learners to use English effectively, and as far as possible accurately, in communication.
Davies (2002: 4) states that obviously, the goals of English courses vary according to the contexts in which they are taught. The goal of different courses may be, or
at least may appear to be, any of the following: (1) to enable the learners to communicate in real English, both spoken and written; (2) to enable the learners to read technical publications in real English; (3) to get the learners to memorize
English grammar rules and vocabulary.
It is supported by Patel & Jain (2008: 48) that there are general and
specific objectives of teaching English. The general objectives are: (a) to enable the students to speak English correctly; (b) to enable to understand topic correctly; (c) to enable student to read English ease; (d) to enable student to listen English
commit to user
Besides, specific objectives are short term goals. Specific objectives state what to achieve at the end of the unit. Specific objectives are based on the above
sub skills or general objectives, such as:
a) To enable the students to understand spoken language. The specific objective,
then, to enable student to: (1) differentiate sounds of English words and sounds of words of mother tongue; (2) Recognize the sounds of English; (3) carry out oral instruction; (4) follow the meaning of words, phrases and
structure in their context; (5) establishment of chronological order of statement narration, maintaining a continuity of thoughts, (6) get main idea of
the narration, talk and discussion, (7) point out the missing point in oral presentation; (8) understand the purpose of the speaker by noting his stresses and intonation pattern, and (9) follow the typical usage of the spoken form of
language.
b) To enable the students to speak simple language. The specific objective, then,
to enable student to: (1) pronounce the sounds of English letters and words correctly; (2) speak sentence with proper stresses, pauses and intonation pattern; (3) Use appropriate words and sentence pattern; (4) answer the
questions; (5) speak without any reversion; (6) speak without using any meaningless and unnecessary words; (7) put ideas in proper sequence; (8)
speak with confidence; (9) acquiring skill of effective communication and active vocabulary.
c) To enable the student to write simple language. The specific objective, then, to
commit to user
(3) write words with proper spacing between letters; (4) write sentence with proper spacing between words; (5) use capital letters in writing; (6) use
appropriate words, phrase and sentence pattern; (7) use punctuation correctly; (8) spell the word correctly; (9) write different types of compositions; (10)
write answer keeping in mind the format of questions.
d) To enable the student to read simple language. The specific objective, then, to enable student to: (1) recognize English words; (2) follow the meaning of
words, phrases and structure in their context; (3) recognize different shades and meaning of words; (4 ) note and keep in view the punctuation mark while
reading; (5) associate ideas of reading material with a picture or a chart; (6) read with the correct pronunciation and clear expression; (7) find out appropriate answer to question based on reading material; (8) locate key word,
phrases and sentence; (9) give the list of content material read; (10) locate the sequence of ideas and facts; (11) read with ease and appropriate speed.
4. Teaching and Learning Process
Teaching and Learning Process consist of three main steps, they are planning, main activity or acting, and evaluating. The descriptions of those steps
are as follow:
a. Preparation or Planning Lesson
All good teachers have some type of plan when they walk into their classrooms. A lesson plan is an extremely useful tool that serves as a combination guide, resource, and historical document reflecting the teaching philosophy,
commit to user
can be described with many metaphors such as road map, blueprint, or game plan. But regardless of the analogy, a lesson plan is essential for novice teachers and
convenient for experienced teachers (Murcia, 2001: 403).
Richards (2001: 262) indicates that preparing effective teaching materials
is similar to the processes involved in planning and teaching a lesson. It is important for preservice teachers because they may feel more of a need to be in control before the lesson begins. Further, Mulyasa (2009: 156) states that standard
materials which developed and used as study material by learners should be adjusted to the needs and abilities, containing the value of the functional,
practical, and adapted to the conditions and needs of environment, school, and region.
b. Action or the Lesson Activity
The real success of language teaching and learning is when learners can actually communicate in English inside and outside the classroom. Successful
teachers and institutions differ in many ways, but tend to have certain things in common. Among these are routine communication in English in class, an emphasis on practice rather than explanation, and cooperation among teachers
(Davies, 2002: 15).
Richards and Lockhart (1994: 114) state that lessons are organized into
sequences and how the momentum of lesson is achieved. This is referred to as structuring. The focus will be on four dimensions of structuring: Opening. How a
lesson begins. Sequencing How a lesson is divided into segments and how the
commit to user
a lesson. Closure. How a lesson is brought to an end. 1) Opening
The opening of a lesson consists of the procedures the teacher uses to focus the students‟ attention on the learning aims of the lesson. Research on
teaching suggests that the opening is to focus the students‟ attention in teaching
and learning aims. Opening or “entry” generally occupies the first five minutes
and can have an important influence on how much students learn a lesson
(Kindsvatter Willen and Ishler in Richards and Lockhart, 1994: 114). 2) Sequencing
Sequencing is the teacher analyzes the overall goals of a lesson and the content to be taught and then plans a sequence of activities to attain those goals (Richards and Lockhart, 1994: 118). Experienced teachers often have a mental
format in mind when they think particular kinds of activities. In second or foreign language teaching, a number of principles have emerged for determining the
internal structure of lessons. These principles are based on different views of the skills and processes underlying of different aspects of second language learning and how learning can be accomplished most effectively.
3) Pacing
Pacing is the extent to which a lesson maintains its momentum and
commit to user
4) Closure
Another important dimension of structuring a lesson is making closure
effectively. Closure refers to those concluding parts of a lesson, which serve to: (a) reinforce what has been learned in a lesson, (b) integrate and review the
content of a lesson, and (c) prepare the students for further learning. Typically, the closure sequence of a lecture served to reinforce what has been presented with a review of key points covered in the lesson. This may include questioning by the
teacher to determine how much the students have understood. (Richards and Lockhart, 1994: 124).
c) Evaluating
Evaluation is the process of examining a subject and rating it based on its important features. Process of evaluations describe and assess program materials
and activities. Examination of materials is likely to occur while programs are being developed, as a check on the appropriateness of the approach and
procedures that will be used in the program. Evaluation in teaching English should be much more than giving tests to learners. Achieving improvement in teaching English is a matter of evaluating and developing syllabuses, materials, and
teaching as well as testing (Davies, 2000: 181). Additionally, he divided evaluation into three parts: (1) evaluating learning; (2) evaluating teaching; and
(3) evaluating courses.
Tests are only one way of evaluating learning. That concept used to measure how effectively the learners communicate in free conversation and group
commit to user
them for their own impression of their progress. Learner‟s test results become one way to evaluate teaching. Good results should reflect good teaching, but the
results are only as valid and reliable as the tests. Then, courses can be evaluated by using learner‟s test results, questionnaires given to learners and teachers, and
class observation (Davies, 2000: 183). In conclusion, teaching, teaching materials and courses should be evaluated as well as learning.
5. The Components of Teaching and Learning Process
The process of teaching and learning involves not only one component to master the objectives of teaching and learning but also needs the others. Ramelan
(1992: 4) states that factors like teacher, students, time allotment, the use of visual aids, methodology, teaching material, and other facilities work together in affecting the final result of teaching.
a. Teacher
According to Richards (2005: 99) teachers are the key factor in the
successful implementation of curriculum changes. Successful teachers are those people who can identify with the hopes, aspirations and difficulties of their students while they are teaching them. In many situations teachers should be
qualified according to some dimensions: (1) language proficiency; (2) teaching Experience; (3) teaching experience; (4) skill and expertise; (5) training and
qualification, (6) morale and motivation; and (7) teaching Style.
Moreover, Harmer (2003: 58) categorized the roles of the teacher involved: (1) controller; (2) organizer; (3) assessor; (4) prompter; (5) participant;
commit to user
take will depend on the learners‟ attitudes to teacher/learner roles and
relationships. Interestingly, Harmer (2007: 108) avoids identifying teachers as „facilitators‟, suggesting that this term is usually used to describe teacher who are
„democratic‟ rather than autocratic‟, and who favour knowledge construction
rather than knowledge transmission.
Davies (2000: 2) states that successful teachers tend to have certain things in common. They usually:
1) Have a practical command of English, not just knowledge of grammar rules. 2) Use English most of the time in every class, including beginners‟ classes.
3) Think mostly in terms of learner practice, not teacher explanation.
4) Find time for really communicative activities, not just practice of language forms.
5) Focus their teaching on learners‟ needs, not just on „finishing‟ the syllabus or course book.
b. Students
The student age, educational level, capacity, handicaps, level of proficiency, goals, and linguistic and cultural background are significant variables
with regard to student. Besides, students or learners are the key participants in curriculum development projects and it is essential to collect as much information
as possible about them before the project begins (Richards, 2005: 101). The teachers should know their students‟ differences and similarities characteristics,
personalities, and temperaments.
commit to user
to speak. The students‟ potentials and interest and experience will give a great
effect to them. They are the factors that determine to enable them to learn English well. Students‟ experiences in learning English will influence their skills. And
their skills determine their abilities or capabilities in the grade to continue their
education level.
Hallahan &Kaufman (1994: 348) points out that many studies shows that students who are visually impaired do not differ from sighted students on verbal
intelligence test. They cannot use the phonemic alphabet. They may, on the other hand, have greater acuity in listening and a longer memory span for speech than
those who depend on their sight for much their learning. This theory is supported by Shea & Bauer (1996: 255) which states that learners with visual impairments can learn the same concepts that are taught other learners; the only difference is
method of learning. c. Curriculum
A curriculum takes an important role to the education. It influences the taking of decision of direction, content and an education process. Curriculum concerns with the planning, implementation, evaluation and administration of
education program (Nunan, 1997: 9). In addition, Fauziati (2002: 51) say that curriculum refers to all aspects of planning, implementation and evaluation of an
educational program, the why and the how together with what of teaching learning process. it means that beside curriculum as a planning arranged to get success in teaching learning process, it can be reason to the teacher to teach the students
commit to user
According to Mulyasa (2009: 178) the implementation of curriculum at least influences from three factors: (1) the characteristics of curriculum, (2) the strategy of implementation, and (3) the characteristics of curriculum‟s user.
Concerning with special education for students with visual impairments, Shea &
Bauer (2000: 258) points out that:
Three sets of needs must be addressed if schools are to provide service for learners with visual impairments. First, needs that can be met by adapting the curriculum; second, needs that require changes in teaching method but not curriculum or objective; third, needs that are the direct result of visual impairments that cause a lack of incidental learning.
d. Method of Teaching and Learning
Regarding with Anthony‟s model, method is the level at which theory is put into practice and at which choices are made about the particular skills to be taught, the content to be taught, and the order in which the content will be
presented. The objectives of method, whether defined primarily in terms of product or process, are attained through the instructional process, through the
organized and directed interaction of teachers, learners, and materials in the classroom (Richards & Rodgers, 2001: 26).
All methods of language teaching involve the use of the target language.
All methods thus involve overt or covert decisions concerning the selection of language items (words, sentence patterns, tenses, constructions, functions, topics,
etc.). Therefore, in the implementation of teaching, the teacher can choose and determine approaches and methods that are accommodated with his ability, characteristic of teaching material, facility, and students‟ condition (Richards &
commit to user
represent two contrasting teaching approaches based on constructivist and instructivist perspectives, one approach is clearly student-focused and primarily
concerned with bringing about deeper conceptual understanding and change in students. The other is more teacher-focused and concerned with effective
transmission of information and skills from teacher to learner. e. Teaching Materials
The role of teaching materials is potentially more positive. They can, for
example, be a useful form of professional development for teachers, and foster autonomous learning strategies in students (Crawford, 2002). Richard and Rogers
(2001: 30) state the role of instructional materials within an individualized instruction system might include the following specifications that are: (1) materials will allow learners to progress at their own rates of learning; (2)
materials will allow for different styles of learning; (3) materials will provide opportunities for independent study and use; (4) materials will provide
opportunities for self- evaluation and progress in learning.
Materials obviously reflect the writes‟ views of language and learning, and
teachers (and students) will respond according to how well these match their own
beliefs and expectations. Both teachers and materials writers, of course, walk a tightrope. The teacher‟ challenge is to maintain the balance between providing a
coherent learning experience whish scaffolds learner comprehension and production, and modeling effective strategies without losing responsiveness to the unique situation and needs of each learner (Crawford, 2002).
commit to user B. The Nature of Visual Impairment
1. Definition of Visual Impairment
Hallahan and Kauffman (1994: 344) state that there are two definitions of visual impairment; those are based on legal and educational. Legal definitions
depend on the measurement of visual acuity and field of vision. A person who is legally blind has visual acuity of 20/200 or less in better eye, even with correction, or has very narrow (less than 20 degrees) field of vision. Figure 2.1 describes the
different between Normal, Nearsighted, and Farsighted Eyes. Figure 2.1 Normal, Nearsighted, and Farsighted Eyes
Besides, Vaughn, Bos, and Schumm (2000: 249) define that when glasses or contacts do not correct vision to within normal or near normal limits, students
may be considered to have a visual impairment that may require special education services. Moreover, Sunaryo & Sutikanti (2011: 21) support the definition that the
blind is defined as a vision defect that interfere with the learning process and optimal learning achievement, so, special methods of teaching, learning, adjustment of learning materials and learning environment are necessary. On the
commit to user
experiences a child needs in order to be able to learn. Educators, however, prefer to define blindness according to how well the person functions, especially in
reading. For educator, blindness indicates the need to read Braille or use oral method (Karen, 1999: 126).
From the definition given by the expert, it can be concluded that visual impairment is a person who is legally blind or low vision which cannot correct vision to within normal or near normal limits. Therefore, special methods of
teaching, learning, adjustment of learning materials and learning environment are necessary.
2. Types of Visual Impairment
There are degrees of visual impairment. Amstrong (1996: 120) divides this type into two, partially sighted and legally blind. People who are partially sighted
usually have a visual acuity between 20/70 and 20/200 after the best possible correction has been obtained. This means that they see at a distance of twenty feet
what a person with unimpaired vision sees at a distance of seventy to two hundred feet. While, people who are legally blind have less than 20/200 acuity after correction; however, they can see. They are readily able to distinguish light from
dark and may also be able to read large print. People who are totally blind often can distinguish light from dark and see large from.
Vaughn, Bos, and Schumm (2000: 249) give additional information about the types of visual impairment. Beside partially sighted and legally blind, they describe that blind individuals are unable to see, and therefore use tactual (touch)
commit to user
is the amount of usable vision a person has with which to complete a task or interact with the environment. The last is Low vision which describes the visual
impairment of an individual who is either partially sighted or legally blind, and refers to the amount of functional vision a person has.
Students with visual impairment may have limited visual acuity, visual field, or both. How clearly individual can see a designated object at a distance of 20 feet is called visual activity. How well an individual can see, using peripheral
or side vision, is called visual field.
3. Characteristics of Students with Visual Impairment
Even though a student with a visual impairment is more like sighted peers than different from them, a visual impairment has an impact on some aspects of development, such as: language development, cognitive development,
social-emotional development and behavior. a. Language Development
Most authorities believe the lack of vision does not alter very significantly the ability to understand and use language. They point to the many studies that show that students who are visually impaired do not differ from sighted students
on verbal intelligence tests. The child who is blind is still able to hear language and may even be more motivated than the sighted child to use language because it
commit to user
repeating words or phrases they hear) or they may ask many questions (Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm, 2000: 250).
Some learners with visual impairment show an early facility with expressive language, greater even than their true level of comprehension with first
words appearing as late as four years age. The learners who are visually impaired have a higher frequency of inappropriate pronoun use than who are partially sighted, and they employ less variation in sentence types. However, there is a
greater variation in the level of language maturity among learners with visual impairment than among those who are partially sighted. It suggests that the
developmental context of the learners may influence language development (Bauer & Shea, 1996: 246).
Further, Brieland in Effendi (2006: 48) classifies the difference of
language competence between blind from sighted children is: (1) have a bit vocal variation; (2) voice modulation is not a quite good; (3) tend to speak louder; (4)
visual impairments tend to speak slower; (5) the use of gesture and facial expression is not effective; (6) use a little lip movement in articulating sound.
Overall, there is no serious problems occurred in terms of language
development because they are still able to hear language. Even though, some of them have difficulty with language skills, they can make interaction or
communication with other people properly. b. Cognitive Development
The development of object permanence in children with visual impairment
commit to user
used to organize information are necessarily different. The mental images or concepts or objects that children with visual impairment develop through
nonvisual experiences are not significantly different from those acquired by children who are sighted (Shea & Bauer, 1996: 246). Another difficulty is on
eye-hand coordination (Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm, 2000: 250). For example, these students may have trouble with scissors, write illegibly, or spill liquids when pouring.
In terms of their own bodies in space, learners with visual impairment have a poorer ability than who are partially sighted. Though learners with visual
impairment are as able as learner who are sighted to discriminate right and left in tasks related to themselves, they have difficulty relating right and left to others. Learners with visual impairment have difficulty projecting positions in space,
including recognition of shapes, construction of a projective straight line, and conceptualization of right and left in absolute and mirror-image orientation (Shea
& Bauer, 1996: 247).
Psychomotor development in children with visual impairment will influence the development of their mental abilities. At the beginning of their life,
the children start to observe their surrounding up to their adulthood or even old. These observation activities will produce a perception. Then, this perception will
commit to user
variety of experience; (2) the ability of mobility orientation; (3) education); and (4) intelligence (Sunaryo & Sutikanti, 2011: 28).
It can be concluded that the development of concept in children with visual impairment parallels that of children who are sighted; however, the
modalities used to organize information are necessarily different. Learners with visual impairment have difficulty projecting positions and bodies in space. They also find the barrier of psychomotor development that affect language and
cognitive development.
C. Social-Emotional Development and Behavior
Social interaction and affection from parents to their children are very important for developing social, emotional, and personality of children with visual impairment. The ability to life in society caused many attitudes, treatment, and
reaction from parents, family, peers, and society as a consequence of eye defect suffered. However, social development delay is caused by the inability of blind
children to receive and respond to visual stimulation. The lack of visual stimulation cause blind children less in learning social skill directly. Inability to receive visual stimulation sometimes can lead wrong perception. Wrong
perceptions about the social environment can constrain social development (Sunaryo & Surtikanti, 2011: 30).
The social adaptation of learners with visual impairment found to be a consistent challenge throughout their development. The specific problems of social-emotional development are in verbal and nonverbal social skill. If learners
commit to user
participating in games and friendships, they do not differ from their sighted peers in social cognitive tasks. Learners with visual impairment found to be more
externally controlled, though social adaption improves with age and intellectual (Shea & Bauer, 1996: 247).
4. Teaching English to Students with Visual Impairments
It is important for teachers to realize that a physical disability does not automatically impair a student‟s ability to learn. In the case of students with
physical disabilities (in the absence of other handicapping conditions), the teaching methods used are often the same as those applied in an regular school.
Student with visual impairment does not automatically mean that a student has lower intelligence; but it does mean that modified ways of accessing the curriculum will be needed. It is essential for teachers not to hold low expectations
of students with impaired vision, but to provide many new challenges and encourage them to do as much as possible (Westwood, 2008: 48)
Students with impaired vision require specific training in mobility (moving safely about the environment) and orientation (being familiar with various environments to the extent that you know your position relative to other objects).
Hallahan & Kaufman (1994: 344) describes that many of those who recognize the limitations of the legal definition of blindness and partial sightedness favor the
educational definition, which stresses the method of reading instruction. For educational purposes, individuals who are blind are so severely impaired they must learn to read Braille or use aural methods (audiotapes and records). Blind
commit to user
communication system using fingertip touch to „read‟ patterns of raised dots on
the page. Orientation, mobility and Braille are usually taught by specialist teachers
or trainers.
Westwood (2008: 49) suggest the general teaching purposes that can be
integrated into the teaching method the class teacher is using with partially sighted students:
a. Encourage partially sighted students to use their residual vision effectively
using the remaining vision is helpful, not harmful to these students. b. Use a word processor or photocopier to greatly enlarge all text and notes.
c. Allow students when writing to use a fbre-tip black pen that will produce clear, bold writing.
d. Allow much more time for students with impaired vision to complete their
work.
e. Read written instructions to students to reduce the amount of time required to
begin a task and to ensure that the work is understood.
f. Use very clear descriptions and explanations; verbal explanation has to compensate for what the student cannot easily see.
g. Train other students, and any classroom aide or assistant you may have, to support the student with impaired vision (e.g., for note-taking, repeating
explanations).
h. Speak to blind students frequently by name during lessons to engage them fully in the group learning processes. Make sure they contribute. Value their
commit to user
i. Make sure that any assistive equipment is always at hand and in good order. j. Ensure that your material on the board or screen is neat and clear, using larger
script than usual. Keep the board surfaces clean.
k. Avoid overloading worksheets with too much information and heavy density
of print.
In addition, Westwood (2008: 18) states that lectures are a valid method of teaching if the main goal is to present key information to students. In those
situations, the students generally have the necessary study skills, motivation, attention span and self-management to be able to benefit from this approach. In upper primary schools and middle schools the „mini lecture‟ (10-15 minutes) is
appropriate for achieving some objectives included: (1) introducing a new topic, providing an overview, arousing interest and raising issues that can be pursued
later by different methods; (2) bringing students up to date with recent information that is not readily available through other media; (3) presenting
information in a quick, concise and integrated way that would otherwise take students a great deal of time to research and discover for themselves; (4) providing an opportunity for review and revision of course material (e.g., prior to
examinations).
5. Intellectual Ability
At one time it was popular for researchers to compare the intelligence of sighted persons with that of persons with blindness. Using verbal tests is not entirely satisfactory because they exclude important performance areas. Some
commit to user
individuals while requiring the latter to wear blindfolds, but this is problematic because sighted individuals are unaccustomed to doing performance tasks without
using their vision. From what we do know, however, there is no reason to believe that blindness results in lower intelligence (Hallahan & Kaufman, 1994: 349).
Generally, IQ for visual impairments is normal, or appropriate with the stage of their age (Sunaryo & Surtikanti, 2011: 29).
Heyes, an expert on education of visual impairments has conducted the
research on the condition of the intelligence of children with visual impairment (Effendi, 2005: 44). The conclusion of the study as follows:
a) Visual impairment does not automatically cause lower intelligence.
b) The beginning of visual impairment does not affect the level of intelligence.
c) There are many visual impairments who success to achieve a good intellectual achievement, when the environment provides the opportunity
and motivation for blind children to develop.
d) Persons with blindness do not show weakness in verbal intelligence.
6. Teaching Aids to Students with Visual Impairment
Many devices have been designed to enable a student with impaired vision to cope with the medium of print. The devices include magnification aids,
closed-circuit television and microfiche readers (used to enlarge an image), talking calculators, speaking clocks, dictionaries with speech out-puts, „compressed speech‟ recordings, and thermoform duplicators used to reproduce Braille pages
commit to user
devices or instruments that help the individual with some sight to work with maximum visual efficiency. Some students with impaired vision get benefit from
modified furniture such as desks with bookstands or angled tops to bring materials closer to the child‟s eyes without the need to lean over, or with lamp attachments
for increased illumination of the page (Westwood, 2008: 48).
Furthermore, to facilitate the instruction of learners with visual impairments, the school may provide non-optical aids, tactual aids, and auditory
aids. Non-optical aids include large-print texts, bookstands to reduce postrural fatigue, yellow acetate to improve the contrast between print and its background,
broad-tip marking pens and pencils to increase the readability of print, and dimmer switches to increase or decrease light intensity. Among the tactual aids that can be provided in the classroom for learners with visual impairments are
books, braillewriters, braille computers, slate and stylus sets, tactual globes and maps, abacus and similar counting frames, measuring devices, and various
templates and writing guides. Two of more essential auditory aids are the cassette tape recorder and recorded books. The tape recorder can be used for taking notes, recording home assignments, and listening to assignments. Recorded or talking
books can be used for study and leisure. A number and variety of recorded books are available through the library of congress and other institutions and
commit to user
7. The Impact of Visual Impairment on Language Skills
Student with visual impairment have difference language skills with
sighted student. Indirectly, visual impairment affects on the language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
a. Listening Skills
The importance of listening skills for children who are blind cannot be overemphasized. The less a child is able to rely on sight for gaining information
from the environment, the more crucial it is that he or she becomes a good listener. Listening skills are becoming more important than ever because of the
increasing accessibility of recorded material (Hallahan & Kaufman, 1994: 363). Blind individuals rely on their ability to hear or listen to gain information quickly and efficiently. Students use their sense of hearing to gain information from books
on tape or CD, but also to assess what is happening around them. Jim Durkel, an outreach teacher with the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Outreach Program, recommends that blind students have their hearing evaluated by a good audiologist and have their skills evaluated using assessments such as those available through Learning through Listening (Tolbert, 2012).
b. Speaking Skills
Students who are blind need effective communication and listening skills so they can be successful and independent. Communication is a vital component
commit to user
students with special needs is learning and retaining the meaning of new vocabulary words presented in content areas (Polloway, Patton, & Serna, 2001:
209). That is why, students who are blind need to be taught a variety of communication methods. They should learn conversation skills, how to write an
email and how to use the computer to output written information. Like their sighted peers, blind students need to learn resume creation, interview skills, customer service skills and how to interact with fellow co-workers for transitional
purposes (Tolbert, 2012). c. Reading Skills
Reading is an essential element for academic success. Many students with disabilities have difficulty in this area. Additionally, students entering secondary schools with limited English proficiency struggle with academic subjects due to
reading difficulties. English as a Second Language is burdensome to these students as they have difficulty understanding teachers and reading subject matter
in a language they do not fully comprehend (Polloway, Patton, & Serna, 2001: 287).
In the case of visual impairments readers, the eye functions replaced by
functions of the fingertips. Amstrong (1996: 122) explains that the Braille alphabet is based on rectangle made up of six dot position. By changing the
commit to user
It has been stated by various studies that reading through the sight are faster than reading through the touch. The average of reading speed of visual
impairment readers is about 90-115 words per minute, while, visual readers can reach 250-300 words per minute (Simon & Huertas, 1998). This result can be
assumed that the main cause of the difference is on the total of information that can be absorbed. Sighted reader can absorb written information “visual fixation”, in which the field of perception from each visual fixation at least 15 letters (Simon & Huertas, 1998). Besides, in the case of reading Braille, “tactile fixation” cannot
be related with visual fixation, because reading tactual involve with the
coordination of the movement of the fingers, hands and arms. In addition, if eye movements allow people to spend a few words from the text read, (although there is little fixation on most of those words), but Braille readers cannot do the same
thing, because the tip of his fingers should be passed through all the letters of the text read.
d. Writing Skills
Many children are delayed or disabled for reasons that also may impact their handwriting skills. For example, they may have deficits in attention or visual
memory, or they may have physiological problems that inhibit the development of fine motor skills. Because writing combines fine motor skills, sequencing,
commit to user
Regarding with visual impairment students, they used Braille in writing, which consists of dots arising configuration. Reading Braille writing, the students
should penetrate the paper when they are writing. If it is not doing, the dots cannot arise and cannot be touched. That is why writing with Braille system is slower
than writing alphabet which is done by sighted person. Besides, student with visual impairment likes to listen more than to write. As a result, students writing skill are less practiced and cannot be developed well.
C. Review of Relevant Studies
Taylor and Preece (2010) conducted a research by using aspects of the
TEACCH structured teaching approach to students with multiple disabilities and visual impairment. They took three students as the sample of the research which is totally blind with no light perception, some varying light perception can discern
some colors and shaped, and registered blind. They taught the students with TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related
Communication-handicapped Children). The result of the study showed that TEACCH could maximize the students‟ strengths and skills to address the barriers they faced.
Besides, Tobin and Hill (2010) wrote a note on some problems in the
testing of personality characteristics in children with visual impairment. Based on the data gathered during a longitudinal investigation into the educational and
commit to user
better theoretical understanding of the personality structure of congenitally visually impaired children is considered necessary.
Another research conducted by Prasetyaningsing (2011) conducted a descriptive study of English Teaching and Learning process of children with
visual impairment in second grade of Junior High School at SLB-A YAAT Klaten. She reported that the teaching learning process of English class in SLB-A YAAT usually consist of three steps, as follows: the preparation, application and
evaluation. The teacher used various teaching methods which made students active. Besides, the teacher used presentation, questions, answer and discussion as
the technique of teaching. Some supportive factors in English teaching and learning process come from school facilities, parents and teacher. On the contrary, there was some problems came in teaching learning process, such as: the students
commit to user CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter presents a set of methodology, which covers context of the
research, type of the research, and data source. The technique of collecting data, validity of the data, technique of analyzing the data are elaborated afterwards.
A. Context of the Research
The research was carried out at SMP YKAB Surakarta, a unit of Junior High School in SLB-A YKAB Surakarta. SLB-A YKAB Surakarta built as one of
exceptional school especially for the students who had problems with visual impairment, mental retardation, and multiple disorders under YKAB charity foundation with the founding father Dr. Poerwadi. It was located at Cokroaminoto
street no. 43 Jagalan-Jebres, Surakarta. In this school, the education began from elementary school until senior high school, included: SDLB/A, SDLB/C, SMP,
SMPLB, and SMALB. This place was chosen as the research site with several reasons: (1) SLB-A YKAB Surakarta was the one of 20 Exceptional schools at Surakarta provided the education for students with visual impairment; (2) the
curriculum and syllabus used to apply English learning was similar with regular school, though they had different condition; (3) the school had many achievement
and talented students, one of them was often to be a representative of English speech on certain events in Surakarta.
