Dealing With an Autistic Pupil in Playgroup Kristen BETA, Surakarta.

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i Maranatha Christian University

ABSTRACT

Tugas Akhir ini berisi pembahasan masalah yang saya hadapi selama magang pada bulan Januari dan Februari 2013 sebagai asisten guru di Playgroup dan TK Kristen BETA Surakarta. Dalam penelitian ini, saya membahas masalah dalam menangani anak yang berkebutuhan khusus (ABK) terutama anak autis yang ada di Playgroup.

Saya menganalisa sebab dan akibat masalah dalam penanganan anak autis di kelas sebagai seorang asisten guru baru. Penyebab

munculnya masalah tersebut adalah tidak adanya pengalaman yang saya miliki dalam menangani anak–anak autis, kurangnya pengetahuan tentang autis, dan tidak adanya pelatihan tentang menangani anak autis sebelum saya mulai mengajar.

Berbagai penyebab ini memunculkan suatu masalah tersendiri bagi saya sebagai asisten guru baru yang disebabkan dari berbagai pihak. Hal–hal tersebut antara lain saya tidak dapat mengajar dengan baik, anak autis tersebut mengganggu anak–anak lain saat proses belajar mengajar berlangsung, dan menyebabkan saya tidak dapat memberikan perhatian yang cukup kepada anak–anak yang lain dikarenakan harus memberikan perhatian khusus untuk membimbing anak autis tersebut selama proses belajar mengajar berlangsung.

Untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini, saya memiliki tiga solusi yang dapat diterapkan, yaitu melakukan observasi saat guru pengawas mengajar di kelas yang ada anak autis, membangun hubungan dengan orang tua dari anak tersebut dengan cara berkomunikasi, dan saya mengikuti pelatihan guru tentang autis di KBK BETA. Hasil penelitian ini mengungkap bahwa untuk menyelesaikan masalah dalam kesulitan menangani anak autis, sebagai asisten guru baru, saya harus dapat memanfaatkan ketiga solusi tersebut, yaitu saya melakukan observasi saat guru pengawas mengajar di kelas yang memiliki anak autis,

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v Maranatha Christian University

APPENDIX A.

FLOWCHART

Causes of the Problem:

1. I did not have any experience in dealing young learners with ASD.

2. I lacked knowledge about ASD. 3. I did not get any training about

dealing with an ASD pupil before teaching.

Problem:

I had difficulties in dealing with an Autistic

pupil in Playgroup Kristen BETA

Potential POSITIVE Effects:

1. I will get the information and advice from my supervisor. 2. I will develop my skills in

teaching autistic pupils.

Potential Solution I:

I will observe my supervisor when teaching the class where

there is an autistic pupil

Potential NEGATIVE Effects: 1. I might spend a lot of time

discussing about Autistic pupils after the school ends.

1. I will know the characteristic of the pupil with ASD.

2. His parents and I will work together as partners.

Potential Solution II:

I will build a relationship with parents of the autistic pupil by having

communication with between the parents and me.

1. I will have more information about Autism after join the training. 2. I will more confidence and

competence dealing with ASD pupil.

Potential Solution III:

I will join the teacher training about autism

at KBK BETA.

Potential NEGATIVE Effects

1. The school will need to spend a lot of money to invite the trainer for teacher training.

Effects of the Problem:

1. I could not teach the lesson well. 2. The ASD pupil disturbed other

pupils during the learning process.

3. I could not give enough attention to other pupils because I had to give extra attention to assist ASD pupil during the lesson

Chosen Solutions:

1. I will observe my supervisor when teaching the class where there is an autistic pupil

2. I will build a relationship with parents of the autistic pupil by having communication with them.

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1 Maranatha Christian University

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Nowadays, the number of children with autism is increasing. The article entitled “Jumlah Anak Autis Meningkat” tells us that in Indonesia the number of autistic children increases from year to year . . . (par.2).

Whereas in the US, as stated by Wilson, “There are also many more children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – one in every 110 children nationwide, with nearly 10,000 eligible for services in

Massachusetts alone” (22). Therefore, it is important for school teachers to learn about autism and how to deal with ASD children. Based on the

research of Volkmar, Lord, Bailey, Schultz, & Klin, the definition of autism is stated as follows:

Autism is one of the pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs),

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does not respond to his name by 12 months of age, has delayed speech and language skills, avoids eye contact, has trouble understanding others’ feelings or difficulty expressing her own, repeats words and phrases over and over, child is obsessed with specific objects (such as the wheels of a toy truck, or a ceiling fan); . . . (23).

It can be seen that pupils with ASD have difficulties in communication and social skills.

During my internship at Kelompok Bermain Kristen “BETA”

(henceforth, KBK) I found a pupil with ASD. My position was as a teacher assistant. My jobs were assisting the pupils and also teaching English vocabulary, if there was an English class. There were between15 (fifteen) until 20 (twenty) pupils in the class, I usually taught them for about 30 (thirty) minutes and then I helped the teacher when I had finished my teaching.

As a teacher assistant, I had difficulties in dealing with one pupil with ASD in KBK “BETA”. The first time I saw the pupil it seemed that he would learn and play together with his friends. After one week, I realized that the pupil acted differently. I asked my supervisor in the class and I was

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was one of the pupils with ASD. I did not know how to deal with him in class. Therefore, this situation becomes a problem for me as the teacher assistant.

Based on the above explanations, I would like to analyze how to handle an autistic pupil, aged 3 years old. It is important to discuss this topic because there are many teachers who do not have any experience in dealing with children who have ASD, and they have difficulties in helping the children to learn. Therefore, I would like to get the best solution in solving the problem.

B. Identification of the Problem

In this study, I would like to analyze the following research questions: 1. Why did I have difficulties in dealing with an autistic pupil in

KBK “BETA”?

2. How did the problem influence the pupil with ASD, other pupils, and also I, as a teacher assistant?

3. How should I overcome the problem to deal with an autistic pupil in KBK “BETA”?

C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study

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“BETA”. Third, to discover the best solution to deal with an ASD child in KBK “BETA”.

The benefit of this study for the teachers in Kelompok Bermain dan

TK Kristen “BETA”, is to help the teachers to deal with autistic pupils. For

the readers, this study will provide useful information to solve similar problem. And for me, this study will help me to broaden my knowledge about dealing with a similar situation if it happens again in the future.

D. Description of the Institution

Based on the information written in Sejarah Singkat Taman Kanak– kanak dan TK Kristen “BETA” , it is stated that the school is an educational institution especially for 3–6 year old children. Ms. Dra. Yan Aryanti is the founder of Kelompok Bermain dan TK Kristen “BETA”. At that time, she was still working as a lecturer in Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana,

Salatiga for students taking a counseling major. Because of her passion to educate children, she decided to build Kelompok Bermain dan TK Kristen “BETA” on August 1, 1984, which was located at Jalan Ronggowarsito no.133, Surakarta. Due to the increasing number of students, Kelompok Bermain dan TK Kristen “BETA” was moved to Jalan Arifin no. 84 in 2005. Ms. Dra. Lea Sriwahyuni is the principal. There are 10 (ten) teachers, 2 (two) English teachers, 1 (one) Chinese teacher, and 1 (one) dance teacher. The students in the year of 2012 – 2013 were 108 pupils.

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The mission is first, to provide teachers who are qualified, love Christ and their students; second, to equip the students to become competent, skilled, intelligent, and independent; and third, to implant the values of morals and faith in Jesus Christ (5).

E. Method of the Study

In order to analyze the problem in this term paper, I collect several data. I get some data from my internship journal. Besides, I also use library research in order to get the relevant theories from the books and the Internet. The data is used to analyze the problem and to find the best solutions to the problem.

F. Limitation of the Study

This study is based on my experience as an assistant teacher when I was doing my internship in Kelompok Bermain dan TK Kristen “BETA”

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G. Organization of the Term Paper

This term paper starts with the Abstract, which contains the summary of the term paper in Bahasa Indonesia. It is followed by the Declaration of Originality, which contains the statement of the term paper’s originality. Next, there is Acknowledgements, which contains the expressions of gratitude for the people who have helped me to write this term paper. And then, there is Table of Contents, which shows the titles and subtitles of each chapter and page numbers.

The main content of this term paper consists of four chapters. The first chapter is the Introduction, which is divided into seven parts,

specifically, Background of the Study, Identification of the Problem,

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CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION

In the previous chapters, I have discussed my difficulties in dealing

with an autistic pupil in Playgroup Kristen BETA as a new assistant

teacher. The causes of the problem are I did not have any experience in

dealing young learners with ASD, I lacked knowledge about ASD, and I

did not get any training about dealing with ASD pupil before teaching. The

problem has several effects. I could not teach the lesson well, the ASD

pupil disturbed other pupils during the learning process; besides this, I

could not give enough attention to other pupils because I had to give extra

attention to assist an ASD pupil during the lesson. I suggest three potential

solutions to solve the problem. The first is I will observe my supervisor

when teaching the class where there is an autistic pupil. The second is I

will build a relationship with parents of the autistic pupil by having

communication with them. The last is I will join the teacher training about

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Based on the analysis, the best solution to overcome my problem is

combining the three potential solutions because all of them are effective to

solve the problem. First, I will observe my supervisor when teaching the

class where there is an autistic pupil. This is the first step to know how to

deal with the pupil, and get the information and advice from the supervisor.

Second, in order to know the pupils better, I will build a relationship with

parents of the autistic pupil by having communication with them.

Communication with parents is important to build a relationship between

parents and teacher. After building a communication with parents of the

autistic pupil, I will join the teacher training about autism at KBK BETA.

Joining the training in KBK will give me more information about autism,

and I will have confidence and competence in dealing with ASD pupil. By

combining the three solutions, I will get useful information from my

supervisor, the pupil’s parents, and the trainer to deal with ASD pupils

effectively.

This research shows that the role of the teachers is important for

the development of the pupils, especially those pupils in Playgroup. And

for the teachers in TK and Playgroup Kristen BETA, I hope that they will

teach the autistic pupils well. I hope my research can help everyone who

wants to teach autistic pupils, to join the internship or work in TK and

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Maranatha Christian University

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