making efl classes inclusive for visually impaired students

Alexis Lefranc – IATEFL 2016 - British Council ©

Making Adult EFL Classes Inclusivefor Visually Impaired Students

Alexis Lefranc - British Council Riyadh. Saudi Arabia

Session aims

Do you know anyone who is blind / visually impaired? (UK: 2 million people experience sight loss, 360,000 legally blind / partially sighted).

• Situational awareness: experimenting with blind behaviour.

• Practical awareness: identify challenges linked to Visual Impairment (VI) inclusion in the EFL classroom.

• Practical solutions: a set of teaching tips to make your classes inclusive.


Blind and Bold - Experimenting with Visual Stimulus

With your blindfolded partner, make your way to your seat. Take off your blindfold and take a moment to look into your partner’s eyes.

• If you were blindfolded: how much trust did you feel you needed to place in your partner’s hands?

• If you were guiding: how much responsibility did you feel you had to ensure your partner’s safety?

Have you ever taught blind/visually impaired students? Or students with other physical disabilities?


Different types of visual impairment

Source: Maha Khochen British Council SEN WebinarDecember 2013. With Permission.

Macular Degeneration (centre of the retina)

Glaucoma (optic nerve)


Mainstreaming: Background

Is anyone familiar with the concept of mainstreaming in education?

• Until Classical age, disability = divine punishment or social inadequacy (Foucault, 1961)

• 19th / 20th century: Disabled persons = objects of specific attention. Notion of special education (e.g. Montessori) and medical model.

• Mainstreaming posits disabled persons as subjects with rights, including being part of society - social model (UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons - 2006).


Visual Impairment: International Context

Late 19th century: Writing and reading systems developed for VI and blind persons (incl. Braille).

1948: International Declaration of Human Rights

1953/1991: International Conventions on Braille usage.

Since 1970s: Mainstreaming developed as a concept

2006: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UK ratified 2009)


Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities

Article 24: Education

1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning (…)

2. In realizing this right, States Parties shall ensure that (…) persons with disabilities are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of disability,

3. States Parties shall enable persons with disabilities to learn life and social development skills to facilitate their full and equal participation in education and as members of the community.

https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html





Visual impairment inclusion in EFL

• A blind spot in global mainstreaming. There is “Little interface or cross-training among ESL and Braille teachers” (Guinan, 1997).

• Initiatives do exist, but tend to be isolated and local. Access to Braille material, training and support when operating abroad is a challenge.

• The EFL sector lags behind the UK education system in accommodating special needs.


VI Inclusion in EFL: Real life situation

Scenario: you are an EFL teacher working for a mid-size school or teaching centre.

A group of 25 visually impaired students are joining your school. One of them is due to study in your elementary class.

What are the challenges you expect to face in providing inclusive classes to these students (and in particular the one you teach)?

Think of the following:Practical issuesRelationship (or social) issues


VI Inclusion: Practical & Social Challenges

Mobility and safety

Centre Access

Mobility on the premises

Go to person?

Emergency procedure?

Making contact

Course information access?

Additional guidance if required?

Communication

Basic communication (low levels)

Staff trained to interact with VI?

Staff aware of VI presence on premises?

Discrimination

EO&D policy?

If yes, are students and staff all aware of it?

Will they act accordingly?


Addressing practical and social challenges

Mobility and safety

Provide full premises induction (lavatories, emergency exits, etc)

Identify students’ degree of impairment (can they get around)

Have a SEN coordinator (SENCO) liaise on SEN issues.

Making contact

Make regular email or phone contact, incl. in L1.

Ensure information is sent via email (handouts, course info).

Communication

Ensure a bilingual colleague is on hand to help when needed.

Provide adequate staff training

CS must be aware of SEN presence - best flag it upon registration.

Discrimination

Communicate EO&D policy to staff (training) and students (upon reg).

Publicise it through visuals, emails, awareness raising events.


Blind and bold - In the classroom

• You are elementary students of English. learning comparatives.

• Here are two pictures: think of three comparative sentences to describe them. Work in pairs.

• Oh and by the way: one of you is blindfolded. Work that one out…

☺Alexis Lefranc – IATEFL 2016 - British Council ©

VI Inclusion in the classroom: Academic Challenges

Access to material: How can they read the

textbook?

Homework How can it be given, and

checked?

Testing How can they input their

answers in a receptive skills test?

How can they produce any written assessed work?

Classroom interaction How can they join pair and

group work?

How can they retain elements of language if they cannot write?

What if I’m using pictures?

What do I have to do differently for / with them?


Academic challenges: material / homework / testing

How can they read the textbook? 17 / 9 / 12

⇒ Braille⇒ Screen reading software⇒ Enlarged print

How can homework be given, and checked?2 / 3

⇒ Re-assign class exercises through email.⇒ Student emails written work.

How can they input their answer in a receptive skills test?4 / 11 / 1

⇒ Computer access⇒ Assign ascribe⇒ Customised / shorter / Braille test

How can they produce any written assessed work?3 / 10

⇒ Student emails written work.⇒ Inclusive technology: Ipad/smartphone


Academic Challenges: Classroom Interaction

.

What if I’m using pictures?7

⇒ Elicit descriptions

What do I have to do different for / with them?8 / 16 / 15 / 14 / 13

⇒ Spell out vocab⇒ Verbal signals⇒ Higher TTT⇒ More realia⇒ Focus on listening

How can they join pair/group work and mingling activities?6 / 5 / 20

⇒ Pair or team them with stronger students⇒ Pair with a weaker student.⇒ Pair with teacher (who monitors)

How can they retain elements of language if they cannot write? 10 / 19 / 18 /

⇒ Portable audio devices⇒ Email key vocabulary⇒ Braille reader.⇒ Ipad/tablet


VI Inclusive EFL : a challenge, many rewards

A real challenge that requires a build-up of additional teaching skills.

Once trained, should not be more demanding on teacher than regular mixed-ability class.

Mainstreaming is a global effort fostered by many governments and organisations, including the UK, UN and British Council.

As we implement inclusive teaching, teachers develop skills that will benefit their students, but also their future careers.


VI Inclusive EFL : Conclusion

I drew for this workshop inspiration, material and insight from two esteemed visually impaired colleagues.

• Maha Khochen (UK, Lebanon), British Council [email protected]

• Anwar Al Nassar (Saudi Arabia), Al Kafeef inclusion [email protected]

Alexis Lefranc - BC Riyadh: [email protected]

Maha’s webinar: https://britishcouncil.adobeconnect.com/_a917587435/p1qsevufl86/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal

UN convention website: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html


mailto:[email protected]



https://britishcouncil.adobeconnect.com/_a917587435/p1qsevufl86/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal

https://britishcouncil.adobeconnect.com/_a917587435/p1qsevufl86/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal




Literacy Option: Braille

A 6-dot cell:

Each cell stands for one letter:
