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THESIS

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

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

GRADUATE PROGRAM

SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY

2013


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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

This thesis has been examined by the board of English Language Education

Department, Graduate Program of Sebelas Maret University on January 28th

,


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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.

Keywords: English teaching and learning, visual impairments


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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.”

-Helen Keller-


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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.

Brother of mine, M. Rozi Septian, you are the one that I always count

on, this thesis is a portrait that you should be able to do more than this.


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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.

The outmost gratefulness express to Sigit Wahyudi, S. Pd, the English

teacher of SMP YKAB Surakarta for being so kind helped me done the research,

and my deepest gratitude goes to the exceptional students of mine, you are just

amazing. You always tried to send me a message in English, though sometimes

there had been some mistakes in the word texted, in fact, you made me feel

appreciated and delightfully welcomed. Again, thank you very much for the worth

time we have spent; for the wonderful experience we have shared with; for the

valuable life lessons; and for everything. Wish, I can bring the flickering light to

your live.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE OF TITLE .............................................................................................. i

APPROVAL .................................................................................................... ii

LEGITIMATION ...............................................................................................iii

PRONUNCEMENT ........................................................................................... iv

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................ v

MOTTO ............................................................................................................. vi

DEDICATION .................................................................................................. vii

ACKNOLEDGMENT .....................................................................................viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................... ix

LIST OF ABREVIATIONS .............................................................................. xi

LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................ xii

LIST OF FIGURE .......................................................................................... xiii

LIST OF GRAPHIC ........................................................................................ xiv

LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................... xv

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study ......................................................................... 1

B. Problem Statement .................................................................................. 6

C. Limitation of the Study ........................................................................... 7

D. Objectives of the Study ........................................................................... 7

E. Benefits of the Study ............................................................................... 8

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

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

5. Intellectual Ability ............................................................................ 32

6. Teaching Aids to Students with Visual Impairment ......................... 33


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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

D. Students‟ Achievement in the Implementation of English Teaching and

Learning Process..................................................................................... 93

CHAPTER V CONCLUSION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion .......................................................................................... 101

B. Implication .......................................................................................... 102

C. Suggestion ........................................................................................... 103

BIBILIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................... 105

APPENDICES ................................................................................................ 108


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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

Teacher SW : The English teacher of class IX SMP YKAB


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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

Table 4.5 Teacher‟s Role .................................................................................. 65


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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

Picture 4.5 Talks Program ................................................................................. 80


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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

Graphic 4.5 Final Score of First Semester ........................................................ 99


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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

Appendix 15. Students Worksheet .................................................................. 218


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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

same right to learn at all stages of their development that are appropriate and

easily accessible to them. In this case, all the subjects should be taught whether

the students are physically normal or handicapped. However, one different thing


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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.

In term with visual impairment students, English learning cannot be taught

in common model, however, they need a special model which makes learning


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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

general objectives are to enable the students to speak correctly, to understand


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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:

Special education is an education for students who have difficulty in

learning process due to physical, emotional, mental, social, and/or have

potential of intelligence and special talents (gifted).


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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

students with or without learning disable. Therefore, the students are expected to

achieve an optimal development that is appropriate with the level and type of

specificity.


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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:

a. How is the documentation of the curriculum, syllabus, and lesson plans

applied on the ninth grade of Junior High School at SMP YKAB

Surakarta?


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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:

1. To describe the implementation of English teaching and learning process to

students with visual impairment included teaching and learning documents,


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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

and provide special facilities that support the teaching and learning process for the

students with visual impairment. Therefore, both sighted and visual impairment

student have the same right to get education.


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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

conduct the other analysis related to the research on English teaching and learning

process for students with visual impairment.


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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

to express oneself meaningfully and to make oneself understood than to

grammatical accuracy or perfect pronunciation. To reach the main goal of

language learning, it is very important to have language skills, both productive


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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

interest (Patel & Jain, 2008: 29).


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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

ease; (e) to enable student to write English ease.


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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

enable student to: (1) write the letter correctly; (2) shape the letter correctly;


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(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,

student population, textbooks, and most importantly, the goal for the students. It


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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

segments relate each other: Pacing. How a sense of movement is achieved within


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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

communicates a sense of development (Richards and Lockhart, 1994: 122). How

much time is allocated to each part of a lesson is thus an important decision,

which teachers must make while planning or teaching a lesson.


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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

work, how well they use the language in homework compositions, and even ask


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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;

(6) resource; (7) tutor; and (8) observer. Harmer observes that the role of teachers


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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.

Students start to learn language by listening and from listening they learn


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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

suitable with the material in teaching learning process.


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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 &

Rodgers, 2001: 26). To some extent, Prosser and Trigwell in Westwood (2008: 2)


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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).


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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

other hand, the educational definition of visual impairment focuses on what


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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)

and auditory (hearing) abilities to access the environment. Then, functional vision


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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

is the main channel through which he or she communicates with others (Hallahan

& Kaufman, 1994: 348). However, some students may have difficulty with

language skills; for example, they may engage in echolalia (inappropriately


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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

parallels that of children who are sighted; however, the modalities (touch, sound)


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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

affect language development. The barrier of psychomotor development in children

with visual impairment will affect in cognitive development. There are 4 things

determined cognitive development for children with visual impairment: (1) the


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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

with visual impairment have significant verbal interaction with others, such as


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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

students, if they have sufficient ability, are taught Braille, an alternative written


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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

contributions in the same way that you value those of other students.


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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

have used performance tests with individuals with visual impairment and sighted


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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

or embossed pictures, diagrams and maps. Low vision aids are magnification


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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

organizations serving learners who are visually impaired.


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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

of success in the academic, vocational and social world. A difficult task for many


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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

number of dots used and varying their positions within the rectangle, Louis Braille

was able to create enough variations to represent twenty-six letters, ten numerals,

and all needed punctuation marks.


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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,

language, memory, attention, thinking, skills, and visual-spatial abilities, it may be

quite difficult especially for those students with learning disabilities (Polloway,

Patton, & Serna, 2001: 293).


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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

psychological development of a group of 120 visually impaired learners, they

conclude that their own selection of a test instrument cannot be deemed to have

been successful. A more up-to-date assessment procedure and one based on a


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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

got some difficulties in spelling a new word, the teacher had a problem with

vocabulary and the lack of school facilities which needed in learning process.


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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.

This research conducted on September-December 2012, before mid-

semester test up to final examination in odd semester. The subject of this research


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was 7 students of the ninth grade of SMP YKAB Surakarta which was identified

in table 3.1.

Table 3.1 Details of Students

Name Age Level of Visual Impairment Cause of Visual Impairment

Wahyu S. 15 Totally blind with a bit light

perception

Accident

Fajar W.N. 16 Totally blind with a bit light

perception

Heredity

Kokok J. 16 Low vision with some residual

vision on right side

Optical nerve damage

Yohanes A. 17 Low vision with some residual

vision

Toxoplasmosis

Rizqi R. 18 Totally blind with some light

perception


Kemisih 19 Low vision with some residual

vision on right side


Elsa C. 20 Totally blind with no light

perception

Premature

B. Type of the Research

This research was a qualitative research used to discover the English

teaching and learning process to students with visual impairment viewed from

teaching and learning documents, teaching and learning activities, supporting

component of English teaching and learning implementation, and students‟

achievement. According to Mack (2005:1) Qualitative research is a type of

scientific research. In general terms, scientific research consists of an

investigation that: seeks answers to a question, systematically uses a predefined

set of procedures to answer the question, collects evidence, produces findings that

were not determined in advance, and produces findings that are applicable beyond

the immediate boundaries of the study.

Qualitative research methods have developed to serve the view that

phenomenon, particularly when humans are involved, involve complex


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interactions and are seldom simply caused. Understanding the event, all aspects of

the situation need to be considered and this inclusiveness tends to mean that each

situation is unique. The result is that qualitative researchers consider many

variables in a case or a few cases. They probe deeply into a situation, describing

the full range of influences associated with the phenomenon. They see benefit in

understanding a particular phenomenon and hope that some of the understanding

developed will transfer to other phenomena.

Merriam (1999: 35) characterizes qualitative research as understanding the

meaning people have constructed in which the researcher is the primary

instrument for data collection and analysis. It usually involves fieldwork as

primarily employing an inductive research strategy focusing on process, meaning

and understanding resulting in a richly descriptive product. Moreover, she

identifies several different types of qualitative research methods. They are as

follow: case study, ethnography, phenomenology, historical, action research,

content analysis, grounded theory, generic qualitative method.

Case study is a recount qualitative research, since it does not test the

hypothesis, but it observes the situation to find understanding phenomenon

(Larsen, 1992: 11). Case study research represents a much broader view. It means

conducting an empirical investigation of a contemporary phenomenon within its

natural context using multiple sources evidence (Yin, 2003). Moreover, topics

often examined in case studies include individuals, events, or groups. Through

case studies, researchers hope to gain in-depth understanding of situations and

meaning for those involved (Hancock and Algozzine, 2006: 9).


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Doing case study research means selecting a design that matches the

disciplinary perspective of the investigation. Ethnographic designs are used to

study targeted interactions of a group; historical designs focus on events or

programs as they change over time; psychological designs are used to study

human behavior in detail; and sociological designs are used for case study

research that addresses broad issue in society, social institutions, and social

relationships. Intrinsic designs focus on a particular individual, event, situation,

program, or activity. An instrumental design is used to better understand a theory

or problem. A collective design is used to understand a theory or problem by

combining information from smaller cases. When the design is identified, the next

step is gathering information using interviews, observations, and documents

(Hancock and Algozzine, 2006: 33).

In addition, data are collected emphasizing time in the field, multiple

sources of information, and collaboration. Extensive information is gathered using

multiple forms of data collection (observations, interviews, documents), including

audiovisual materials and other relevant sources. Then, Creswell (1998: 112)

explains that one can select sites or individuals to study by finding a case or cases,

a typical case, or a maximum variation or extreme variation. After that the

information is recorded by field notes, interview, and observational protocols.

The following stage, Creswell (2002) states that the data are analyzed and

interpreted relative to the design. Data are reviewed to develop an overall

understanding. Case (s) is (are) described in detail and a context for the

description is delimited. Key issues or themes about case (s) are developed. A


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cross-case analysis is conducted if appropriate. Reporting focuses on describing

the case with description, analysis, and interpretation addressed differently or

equally. Decision is made to emphasize objective or subjective reporting,

including biases and generalizations to other cases.

C. Source of Data

Regarding with the research design described, the data in this research

were mainly descriptive data gathered from the documents, informants and the

students. The documents involved curriculum, syllabus, lesson plan, and students‟

worksheet; the informants were the English teacher and school‟s principal of SMP

YKAB Surakarta; and the students were the ninth grade students of SMP YKAB

Surakarta

D. Technique of Collecting Data

In collecting the data, the writer used three data collection techniques,

namely: classroom observation, interview, and document analysis.

1. Observation

Observation is one of the ways needed in qualitative research to obtain the

valid data. According to Hornby (2000: 910), observation is the act of watching

somebody or something carefully for a period of time especially to learn

something. It is clear that by observation, a researcher can observe a process of

some activities done by a subject, and then learn and fill a check list which is

prepared before based on what happens in real condition. In addition, Hancock


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and Algozzine (2006: 46) state that a frequent source of information in case study

research is observations of the research setting by the researcher.

Having an observation in teaching and learning process in the classroom

was the way of fulfilling the information needed. The writer did class observation

in 7 meetings consisted 5 meetings in English learning activity, 1 meeting in Mid-

Semester test, and 1 meeting in final examination of odd semester. Class

observation focused the instructions done by the teachers and what students did in

every step of learning activities, besides the description of behavior as it occurred

naturally. In this study, the writer presented as a non-participant observer by

observing what happened in the real setting. The writer sat in the chair behind the

classroom to take note about English teaching learning activities.

2. Interview

Interview is a conversation with their certain purposes which is done by

the side as the interviewer and interviewer (Moleong, 2002:135). The data

taken was written in the form of transcript as similar as the field notes. It

consisted of the identity of the interviewer and the interviewee, the setting of

the interview consisting of the time, place and activity happened.

In this study, the researcher adopted semi-structured interview. It used

because it gave freedom to the interview while the researcher could also get in-

depth information on the practice of the implementation of English teaching

and learning to students with visual impairment, the problems and solution

given, and students‟ achievement of English learning. The interviewee of this


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study was the English teacher and the students on the ninth grade at SLB-A

YKAB Surakarta and the English teacher from regular school.

3. The Document Analysis

To support and enrich the data acquired during the interview, some media

were used, such as tape recorder and documentation. Others, the writer used the

document analysis to identify local content curriculum and syllabus, English

textbooks, lesson plans, condition of the learners, and students‟ achievement. The

documents used in this research are: the English local content subject (GBPP),

English textbooks, lesson plans, and students‟ worksheet. Yin (2003: 87) states

that documents play an explicit role in any data collection in doing case study.

Systematic searches for relevant documents are important to any data collection.

Documentary evidence is one of the ways in data collection to find the answer of

research questions.

In addition, Gubah & Lincoln (1981) in Alwasilah (2006: 156) states that

there are six reasons for document analysis in qualitative research, such as: (1)

document is a source of informant needed, although it is as old one; (2) document

is an evidence to defend from intellectual mistake; (3) document is a natural

source of information; (4) document is easy and cheap enough to get, (5)

document is a non-reactive source of data; and (6) document can function as a

compliment for obtained data-information.


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E. Validity of the Data

According to Maxwell (1996), validity is a goal rather than a product; it

is never something that can be proven or taken for granted. Validity is also

relative. It has to be assessed in relationship to the purposes and circumstances

of the research, rather than being a context-independent property of methods or

conclusion. The validity of data gathered from the field was proved by doing

several steps.

1. Triangulation

To ensure the validity of data, interview transcript and documentation

were triangulated. Maxwell (1996) states that triangulation reduces the risk

that the conclusion will reflect only the systematic biases or limitations of a

specific method, and it allows the researcher to gain a better assessment of the

validity and generality of the developed explanation. The process of

triangulation was done by checking the answers of the participants with

teaching and learning process viewed from the document and activity were the

same, or not.

2. Member Checking

Member checking is this strategy has been undertaken to ensure the

internal validity as well. The respondents reread of what they have said before

and new information has been added or deleted (Maxwell, 1996). Referring to

Maxwell‟s statement, as data collection progressed, member checking which

took from data and interpretation back to the respondents and asked them


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whether the data transcribed and interpreted were the same as and in line with

what they said.

F. Techniques of Analyzing the Data

The data analysis in qualitative research involved three things namely the

data reduction, the data presentation/display and the conclusion

drawing/verification (Sugiyono, 2012: 91). In this study, the process of analyzing

the data was aimed to describe the quality of the implementation of English

teaching and learning to students with visual impairment.

1. Data reduction

The data obtained in the field is quite a lot, for this reason it should be

noted in detail. Summarizing the data reduction means choose the basic things,

focus on the things that are important, look for themes and patterns. Thus, the data

reduced will give a clearer picture, and facilitate researchers to conduct further

data collection if necessary (Sugiyono, 2012: 92). In this phase, the writer

conducted the process of taking and selecting the right data based on needed

criteria, then, focusing, simplifying and abstracting the data selected to describe

the process of teaching and learning English and its implication to the students

with visual impairments.

2. Data representation

The second step of data analysis was data representation. In this phase, the

writer arranged the relevant data in order to get information to make conclusion.

In qualitative research, the data were presented in the narration form. Miles and


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Huberman in Sugiyono (2012: 95) states that the most frequent form of display

data for qualitative research data in the past has been narrative text, besides, it can

be in the form of table, graphic, chart, matrix, network, and pictogram.

3. Drawing conclusion and verification

After describing and interpreting the data, the data drew continuously as

the result of interpretation. Then, the researcher summarized the result of the

study as conclusions after interpreting the data taken. The conclusion from

qualitative research may answer the problem statements of discussed in the

beginning of the study or may not answer the problems appeared, because

problems of the study is tentative and will be developed after doing field research

(Sugiyono, 2012: 99).

G. The Procedure of the Research

According to Yin (2003: 19-20), case study procedures has five

components: the study‟s questions, its propositions which reflect on a

theoretical issue, its unit(s) of analysis (the event, entity, or individuals noted

in the research questions), the logic linking the data to the propositions, and

the criteria for interpreting the findings. Yin provided an extremely

comprehensive and systematic outline for undertaking the design and conduct

of a case study. The conduct of the study included preparing for data

collection, collection of evidence, analysis of the evidence, and composition of

the case study report.


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In other way, Creswell (2002) explains the procedures that are commonly

used when conducting a case study which is presented in Tables 3.1.

Tables 3.2 Procedures Commonly Used in Case Studies

Procedure Case Study

Intent, appropriate design, and

how intent relates to research

problem are defined.

The problem focuses on developing an in-depth

understanding of a “case” or bounded system. It is

related to understand that an event, activity, process, or

one or more individuals and the type of “case,” such as

intrinsic, instrumental, or collective, is delimited.

The plan to receive approval

and gain access to study sites

and participants is defined.

Approval from institutional review board is obtained. A

research site is located using purposeful sampling

procedures. Number of cases is determined and

gatekeeper to provide access is identified. Provisions for

respecting the site are defined.

Data are collected

emphasizing time in the field,

multiple sources of

information, and collaboration.

Extensive information is gathered using multiple forms

of data collection (observations, interviews, documents),

including audiovisual materials and other relevant

sources.

Data are analyzed and

interpreted relative to the

design.

Data are reviewed to develop an overall understanding.

Case (s) is (are) described in detail and a context for the

description is delimited. Key issues or themes about the

case(s) are developed. A cross-case analysis is

conducted if appropriate.

Research report suitable for

dissemination is prepared.

Reporting focuses on describing the case with

description, analysis, and interpretation addressed

differently or equally. Decision is made to emphasize

objective or subjective reporting, including biases and

generalizations to other cases.

Adapted from J. W. Creswell. (2002). Educational Research: Planning, conducting, and

evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentince Hall.

Based on the theory, the procedure of the research conducted in SMP

YKAB Surakarta used by the researcher can be described as follows: (1)

determining the study‟s questions dealing with the implementation of English

teaching and learning process to students with visual impairment; (2) finding

literature review which reflect on a theoretical issue; (3) collecting the data

through classroom observation, interview, and document analysis; (4) validating

the data using triangulation and member checking; and (5) analyzing the data

by reducing, presenting, and verifying the data.


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CHAPTER IV

FINDING AND DISCUSSION

This chapter explores the finding of the study and the discussion which

deals with the implementation of English teaching and learning to students with

visual impairment on the ninth grade of SMP YKAB Surakarta. This finding is

divided into 4 main parts. (1) The description of the implementation of English

teaching and learning to students with visual impairment which involve teaching

and learning documents, the implementation of teaching and learning process,

and the supporting components on the English teaching and learning

implementation; (2) The description of the difficulties found by the English

teacher during teaching and learning process viewed from students‟ and teacher‟s

perspective; (3) The description of proposed solution by teacher to overcome the

problem; (4) The description of students‟ achievement in the implementation of

the strategy used by the English teacher in teaching and learning process.

Table 4.1 is the summary of issues arising from research questions

mentioned on the problem statement in the chapter 1 of this study.

Table 4.1 Issues Arising from the Research Questions

Research Question Arising Issues

1. How is the

implementation of

teaching and learning

English to students with

visual impairment on the

ninth grade of junior

high school at SLB-A

YKAB Surakarta

1. Teaching and Learning Documents:

a. Curriculum

KTSP as well as regular junior high school

The goal of study

Lesson time

b. Syllabus

Component of syllabus

Competence standard and basic competence of the

fourth language skills

Characteristic education included in English learning

c. Lesson plan


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Component of lesson plan

2. Implementation of teaching and learning process

a. Teaching English to students with visual impairment

The objective of teaching English

Teaching and learning process

b. Component of teaching and learning process

Teacher, students, curriculum, method of teaching

and learning, and teaching material

c. The impact of visual impairment on language skills

Listening skills

Speaking skills

Reading skills

Writing skills

3. Supporting components on English teaching and learning

implementation

a. The media used by the teacher

Non-optical aids

b. The teaching aids used by the students

Tactual and auditory aids

2. What are the

difficulties found

during the teaching

and learning process

1. Students‟ perspective

a. Learning process: Lack of textbooks in Braille

b. Examination test: Time limitation for students to do

examination test and the long sentence of question text

2. Teacher‟s perspective

a. Teaching process: Lack of teaching media and

Classroom management

3. What are proposed

solutions by the

teacher to overcome

the problem in

teaching and learning

process

1. Students‟ perspective

a. Learning process: Printing the material in Braille, b. Examination test: providing additional English class to

prepare students in national examination in Braille

2. Teacher‟s perspective

a. Providing alternative teaching media and arranging

classroom management

3. How is students‟

achievement in the

implementation of

English teaching and

learning process

a. KKM

b. Students‟ assessment

c. Remedial program

A. The Implementation of English Teaching and Learning for the Students

with Visual Impairment.

The description of the implementation of English teaching and learning to

students with visual impairment included: (1) Teaching and learning documents;

(2) The implementation of teaching and learning process; and (3) The other things

supported the English teaching and learning implementation.


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1. Teaching and Learning Documents

In this study, teaching and learning documents covered curriculum,

syllabus, and lesson plan that used in English teaching and learning process to

students with visual impairment.

a. Curriculum

In the case of students with visual impairment, the curriculum used in

teaching and learning process of junior high school at SLB-A YKAB Surakarta

was divided into two: curriculum for SMP and SMPLB. Standard curriculum for

SMP was equal as those applied in regular school. Besides, the curriculum of

SMPLB used by the students with multiple disabilities, for example, the students

with visual impairment and mental retardation. The students with visual

impairment did not mean that all of the students have lower intelligence but it

meant that modified ways of accessing curriculum is needed. They had the same

ability with sighted student. The difference between them was located in their

physical condition. Although, physically their condition were different but it did

not mean that their condition impair students‟ ability to learn the subject.

The curriculum of SMP YKAB Surakarta followed the curriculum of

educational unit level (KTSP) which the goal of learning English in this level was

targeted that learners could achieve functional levels in which students are able to

communicate in oral and written form to solve daily problems. In its application

on the teaching and learning process, teacher SW provided more exercises than

additional material. Through giving more exercises, he expects that the students

will be easier in doing national examination. Thus, the goal of learning English in


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this context was more focused to fulfill the minimum score (KKM) of English

subject and prepared the students to pass national examination.

English class was conducted 3 times a week which consists of 5 sessions.

Each session occurred in 40 minutes. The first meeting was on Monday at 11.35 –

12.55 (2 sessions); the second meeting was on Tuesday at 08.35 - 10.05 (2

sessions); and the third meeting was on Friday at 10.20 – 11.00 (1 session). The

students was also given additional time outside the class to learn English focused

on discussing exercises relates with national examination. In this occasion, not

only teacher SW who teach the lesson, but also another teacher from inside and

outside SLB-A YKAB Surakarta. Therefore, the students were doing well

preparation to face national examination.

According to Mulyasa (2009: 178) the implementation of KTSP focus on

how to deliver the content of curriculum to the students in order to create their

competence based on their own characteristic and capability. 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. Table 4.2 shows the relation between the theory and its

implication in SMP YKAB Surakarta.

Table 4.2. The Implementation of Curriculum

Mulyasa’s Theory SMP YKAB Surakarta

The characteristics of curriculum KTSP curriculum referred to the goal of studying

English for junior high school students

The strategy of implementation The teacher joins MGMP and English workshop

The characteristics of curriculum‟s user Teacher‟s ability of language competence

Table 4.2 indicated that the characteristics of curriculum referred to the

goal of studying English in junior high school students that was targeted that


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learners could achieve functional levels in which students are able to

communicate in oral and written form to solve daily problems. After that,

according to the strategy of implementation, the teacher joint with MGMP and

English workshop as the activity to increase the competence and the

professionalism of the teacher in order to achieve the goal of the implementation

of KTSP. Then, the characteristics of curriculum‟s user included of teacher‟s

ability in term of the wide of knowledge and language competence to realize

curriculum plan in English teaching.

Curriculum as one of the education substance need to be decentralized,

especially in the development and the implementation of syllabus which

appropriated with students need, school condition, and school location. The school

or each district has enough authority to design and specify teaching materials,

learning activities, and assessment of learning outcomes. Therefore, the school

should arrange KTSP curriculum or the syllabus by doing elaboration and

adjustment the content and graduate competence standard as stated in

Permendiknas No. 23, 2006.

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.

Those three sets of learning implied in teaching and learning process at SMP

YKAB Surakarta. The school adapted the curriculum based on the characteristics


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of the students and appropriate with students‟ need.

b. Syllabus

The design of the syllabus in English teaching at SMP YKAB Surakarta as

stated by teacher SW was based on KTSP curriculum. This was used to describe

and organize the material taught, and to describe the aims at the study achieved by

Junior High Schools students. English syllabus was developed based on “Standar

Isi” (Content standard) enclosed some components: (1) the identity of the

subjects; (2) competence standard (SK); (3) basic competence (KD); (4) indicator;

(5) subject material; (6) learning activities; (7) time allocation; (8) learning

source; and (9) assessment. SK and KD became the main component used to guide

the teacher to accomplish the objective of the study as well as listening, speaking,

reading, or writing skills. Additionally, there was some characters‟ education

involved in the syllabus, such as: trustworthiness, respect, diligence,

responsibility, and courage (app. 9).

The syllabus adopted was a kind of text-based syllabus which was an

integrated syllabus or it can be classified as skill-based syllabus because it focused

on four language skills. Its content proved that it was combined several elements,

such as: the text types, the fourth language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and

writing), two language elements (grammar and vocabulary), and also some

expressions. The fourth language skills had different indicator that should be

developed by the teacher to make the students able to achieve SK and KD as

described in table 4.3.


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Table 4.3. The Indicators of English Learning

Skills Indicators

Listening responds of some expressions and identify the meaning and information

included on the text

Speaking pronunciation, delivery, fluency, and comprehension.

Reading main idea, meaning of procedure and report text, purpose of the text, explicit

and implicit information.

Writing Paragraph development, grammar, spelling, and diction.

Regarding with subject material on the syllabus, the researcher did not find

the correlation of syllabus to the material given in teaching and learning activity.

Teacher SW took more the material from compilation of national examination

than any other sources. It meant that he did not focus in a topic but he explained

the material which include in exercises. For example, in discussing a text, Teacher

SW asks the students what tenses used by the author and he reminds the students

if they forget about what he has been explained at the previous meeting (app. 1

and 2). Therefore, for the instrument of the test, Teacher SW took the score from

daily exercises which were more conducted in written test rather than oral test.

Discussing the theory with research finding, a syllabus describes the major

elements that will be used in planning a language course and provides the basis

for its instructional focus and content (Richards, 2001: 152). The model of

syllabus used by the teacher of SMP YKAB Surakarta is based on the model

suggested by Depdiknas (The department of national education). It is a text based

syllabus or on the other hand, it can be called as skill-based syllabus because it

focused on four language skills. Then, it can be classified as functional syllabus,

because some expressions and the two elements involved in the syllabus

(Richards, 2007: 10).


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The syllabus of Junior High School was also completed by character‟s

education. Those characters applied by the teacher in learning process.

Unconsciously, these characters were built from learning activities conducted in

the class, but in diligence character, the students tend to less in study. One of the

causes was no available guiding book which is printed in Braille. Their note book

was contented more new vocabulary than additional material. Therefore, the

teacher was often gives homework as a review from what have been discussed in

class and as additional work to keep them study English.

In other hand, there were four skills that each of them has their own

competencies that should be achieved by the students as mentioned in syllabus.

Achieving the content standard, the teacher should find the material that

appropriate with SK and KD. He should have clear idea of how theories and

beliefs about learning can be implied into appropriate activities. He has to think

about what topics to include, and sure, the activities should belong to achieve the

indicators in every English skill. Therefore, from the general of English syllabus,

the teacher modifies the activity that appropriate with visual impairment students

and determines teaching media and instrument used to assess the students.

c. Lesson Plan

A lesson plan was a teacher detailed description of the course of

instruction taught for a subject in the class. This should make by the teacher in

order to get easier in teaching and learning process. The elements of lesson plan

applied in this school are: school identity, subject lesson, grade/semester,

competence standard, basic competence, type of the text, theme, aspect/skill, time


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allocation, the objective of the study, subject material, method of teaching, steps

of activity, source of study, and assessment.

On the contrary, in teaching and learning process, the teacher did not make

the lesson plan according to what he taught in the class. He used the lesson plan

made by Musyawarah Guru Mata Pelajaran (MGMP) in guidance book of RPP

Mapel Bahasa Inggris untuk SMP kelas IX. Through that source, he elaborated

with what was appropriate for the students with visual impairment. In example,

He did not use the picture media to explain the material to the students, because it

could not be used by the students except the teacher describe about the picture or

picture media created in relief form.

This condition looked a lot of discrepancies between the lesson plans

given with the reality in the classroom. Ideally, the teacher made a lesson plan by

himself, because he knew the students competence well. Especially in the main

activity involved exploration, elaboration, and evaluation, it would be better if it

was more elaborated in accordance with the material. Thus, the instrument for the

assessment should be made by adjusting the material and the level of students‟

competence as stated by Mulyasa (2009: 156) 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.

On the other hand, 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


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need to be in control before the lesson begins. Whatever and however the

curriculum, the most important thing is the teachers describe it into the lesson

plan. In other words, the main task of teachers in relation to curriculum document

is to make a lesson plan and establishment student competencies.

2. The Implementation of Teaching and Learning Process

In this part, the implementation of teaching and learning process consisted

of (1) teaching English to students with visual impairment; (2) the component of

teaching and learning process, and (3) the impact of visual impairment on

language skills.

a. Teaching English to Students with Visual Impairment

There are four skills included in English teaching and learning process to

students with Visual Impairment: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In

teaching process, all of these skills were learned together or integrated in a

subject. The difference of the process between visual impairment and sighted

students was on the way of their study which uses Braille, an alternative written

communication system by fingertip touch to read patterns of raised dots on the

page. They changed their visual function into auditory function and also they

often use sense of touch to recognize the objects around them. Besides, the

students with visual impairment developed their concept about physical object by

their tactual experience, while sighted students developed it by visual object.

Therefore, became a guider of the student with visual impairment, the Teacher

SW had to master in using Braille system to teach the students although he was

not a blind.


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There were no difference objectives in teaching English for the students

with visual impairment and sighted students. It was because the curriculum used

was similar with regular school. The objectives divided into general and specific

objectives of teaching English. It discussed in Patel & Jain (2008: 48) that the

general objectives are to enable the students to speak correctly, to understand

topic correctly, as well as to read, to listen and to write English easily. Although,

the way students read and write was different from sighted students, but the goal

of the study was similar, to make students easy to study English.

Then, to achieve the objectives of the study, the teacher followed the

process of teaching and learning including three main steps activity in lesson plan:

opening, main activity, and closing. In opening the class, the Teacher SW greets

the students and asks about students‟ condition. He never asked the list of

students‟ attendance. It was because the total number of students in the class was

only 7 students. Therefore, he could remember the student who was absence at

that time. Sometimes, he asked students to inform what activity that students did

on the weekend, daily activity, or any special days, but sometimes this activity did

not do by Teacher SW because he taught the previous study with different subject

then continue with English subject. Therefore, he did not open the class with

greeting but definitely continue the material or reminds the students about their

homework in previous meeting. If there was homework, he would ask the students

to do pair correction then check it together (app. 1-5).

Regarding with main activity, Teacher SW delivered the material by

reading the text or some questions for exercise. This was occurred in almost of


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English activity. When explaining the content of the text, he tried to describe it in

detail. It seemed like storytelling that making imagination of the situation

happened on the text. The students listened carefully and asked questions directly

if there was something that had not understood yet. They rarely records the

materials provided by Teacher SW, because for the ninth grade of Junior High

School Teacher SW gave more exercise to prepare the students for the national

examination. The students wrote the note only if there were new words from the

text read by the teacher. On the other hand, in delivering the material, Teacher SW

more frequently used instructions or clarifications using Indonesian language.

In addition, Teacher SW also inserted the light humor and created some

abbreviations when he delivered the material like “don‟t forget to always SMS

(Serius Menggatekne Soal).” This strategy used to attract the students to always

focus on his explanation and to anticipate if they were sleepy in the class. Then,

for the closing activity, he reviewed what the summary that has been discussed at

that time and gives the students homework in order to make them study in their

home. He also motivated the students to study hard to be the best in the future.

Discussing the theory with the implementation of teaching and learning

process in SMP YKAB Surakarta, Westwood (2008: 48) points out that student

with visual impairment do not automatically mean that a student has lower

intelligence; but it means that modified ways of accessing the curriculum are

needed. Concerning with this statement, the English teacher of SMP YKAB

Surakarta taught all the skills included in English Skill. The difference of the


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process was on the way of their study which utilized Braille as a tactual aids to

help them in learning process.

Richard and Rogers (1998: 19) supports the statement that it is very

important to have language skills, both productive skills covering speaking,

writing, and receptive skills covering listening and reading. Listening skill is the

most important skill for the students because to deliver the material or exercise the

teacher usually gives it orally. According to Hallahan & Kaufman (1994: 363)

listening skills becoming more important than ever because of the increasing

accessibility skill is not important. Itdid not mean that another skill wasnot

important. Teacher SW taught all the skills in English subject as stated in

curriculum for IX grade of Junior high school.

In teaching and learning process Teacher SW followed three main steps

activity as stated by Richard and Lockhart (1994: 114), they are opening, main

activity, and closing. Table 4.3 shows the theory and the implication of three

main steps activity in SMP YKAB Surakarta.

Table 4.4 The Implication of Three Main Steps Activity

Three Main

Steps Activity

Richard and Lockhart’s Theory The Implication in SMP YKAB

Surakarta

Opening Focus the students‟ attention in

teaching and learning aims

The teacher was often delivers the

material directly without any

apperception or the description of the

material.

Main Activity Main activity divided into two:

sequencing and pacing.

The teacher used three techniques:

exploration, elaboration, and

confirmation.

Closing Reinforce what has been presented

with a review of key points

covered the lesson.

The teacher reviewed the material

that has been discussed before

In opening the class, the teacher delivered the material directly without

any apperception or the description of the material. Whereas, research on teaching


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suggests that opening is to focus the students‟ attention in teaching and learning

aims. Next, in the main activity, the teacher used three techniques: exploration,

elaboration, and confirmation. Unfortunately, Teacher SW was more frequently

using instructions or clarifications using Indonesian language. Supposed in

English subject the teacher is more frequently use English in order to make the

students accustomed and trained to use it. Then, in closing activity, Teacher SW

reviewed the material that has been discussed before, especially for new

vocabulary. Unfortunately, the teacher was seldom to invite the students to imitate

how to spell the word in correct pronunciation. The students just write and find

the meaning of the word without practicing how to pronoun it.

Basically, the objective of teaching English for the students with visual

impairment was equal from sighted students that are to make students easy to

study English. The teacher needs to make some modifications and the students can

apply the same general education principles. Lack of sight can severally limit a

person‟s experiences because a primary means of obtaining information from the

environment was not available. Furthermore, according to Hallahan &Kaufman

(1994: 348) the child who is blind still to hear language and may even be more

motivated than the sighted child to use language because it is the main channel

through which he or she communicates with others. In this case, teacher‟s role is

really important to help the students achieve the goal of the study beside the

students themselves.

The students with visual impairment develop their concept about physical

object by their tactual experience, while sighted students develop it by visual


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object. It supports the statement of Hallahan & Kaufman (1994: 349) that the

students with visual impairment develop their physical object by their tactual

experience which decide into synthetic touch and analytic touch. This concept was

really helpful for Teacher SW when they explained about a thing or recognize

new vocabulary to the students. Through synthetic and analytic touch, Teacher

SW could give the meaning of the word in which the students could guess about

the object, include of the name, the shape, and the function of the object.

Moreover, persons who were blind rely much on tactual and auditory information

to learn about the world than do sighted, who obtain a great deal of information

through sight.

b. Component of Teaching and Learning Process

There were five components involved in teaching and learning process: (1)

teacher; (2) students; (3) curriculum; (4) method of teaching and learning, and (5)

teaching material. Each component described in the following part, except

curriculum, because it was explained in the implementation of the document.

1. Teacher

The teacher has a big role in teaching and learning process, or in others

word teacher was categorized as the key factor in the successful implementation

of curriculum changes. In this school, there was only one English teacher who

teaches Junior high school level, Sigit Wahyudi Setyanto, S. Pd. Basically, he was

not from English department. His background was Indonesian Education

Department, but he studied SGPLB (Sekolah Guru Pendidikan Luar Biasa) or it

called by inclusive education after he graduated from his Senior High School. In


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SGPLB, the teacher should have a capability not only in subject but all subject

matters. Because of perceived ability in English more than other teachers, he

assigned to teach English at SLB-A YKAB Surakarta since 1983 in the level of

Junior and Senior High School. Besides English, he also teaches physics because

the lack of teachers in this lesson, as commented by teacher SW “Harus siap

macem-macem.” It meant that becoming a teacher of education‟s need had to be

able in all subject maters.

In line with the statement of teacher SW, becoming English teacher for

visual impairment was not easy. He must study about Braille first to help him

giving material to students and correcting the assignment of the students. He also

had to prepare the material before give it for the students. Since the first session

up to the fifth session observed, the teacher never bring a formal lesson plan. It

did not mean that he did not make any preparation. The preparation could be seen

from another thing, such as English text book and laptop. Besides, he followed

MGMP or the discussion of English teacher in the level of Junior High School in

Solo. This agenda hold on the beginning and the end of semester. It discussed

about the material for a year and the preparation of examination. Moreover,

Teacher SW also follows workshop from KangGuru Australian Aid to improve

his English teaching.

Kita ikut MGMP di SMP umum di Solo. Tiap tahun ada kegiatan di awal

tahun maupun di semester kedua sebelum persiapan ujian itu ada

pertemuan. Seperti awal tahun itu kita membahas materi persiapan

mengajar termasuk kisi-kisi untuk satu tahun, nah nanti di akhir atau

semester kedua kita membahas mengenai persiapan untuk ujian, menyusun

soal bersama-sama, membuat satu paket ujian.

Regardirng with the theory, the role of the teacher was really important as


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mentioned in Harmer (2003: 58) that specified into controller, organizer, assessor,

and observer as described in table 4.4.

Table 4.5. Teacher’s Role

Teacher’s Role

Based on

Harmer’s Theory

English Teacher of SMP YKAB Surakarta

Controller The teacher takes the roll, tell student things, organize drills, read aloud,

and various other ways

Organizer The teacher organizes the classroom condition and the students to do

various activities.

Assessor The teacher is offering feedback and correction and grading the students

in various ways.

Observer Judge the success of the different materials and activities that he takes

into lesson so that he can make change in the future.

As a controller, the teacher takes the roll, tell student things, organize

drills, read aloud, and various other ways. As an organizer, the teacher organizes

the classroom condition and the students to do various activities. This often

involves giving the students information, telling them how they are going to do

the activity, and closing things down when the class is over. As an assessor, the

teacher is offering feedback and correction and grading the students in various

ways and as an observer, he is not only observe students in order to give feedback,

but he also watches in order to judge the success of the different materials and

activities that he takes into lesson so that he can make change in the future.

2. Students

Students or learners is categorized as the key participants in curriculum

development projects. Before the project begins, the teacher has essential to know

the characteristic of the students. In the ninth grade of SMP YKAB Surakarta,

there were only one class consisted of seven students. Four students were

categorized as blind: Wahyu Setiawan, Rizqi Ristanto, Fajar wahyu Nugroho, and


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Elsa Cintya Christi. Then, three others were categorized as low vision: Kemisih,

Yohanes Ari Sudono Aji, and Koko Junianto. They had different background and

personality that could be seen in their biography (app. 8).

After interviewing 7 students, the researcher indicates that most of them are

from lower class. It could be seen from their parents‟ profession. Nevertheless,

their parents were aware with their education. They chose to study in SMP YKAB

because this school used the same curriculum with regular school as quoted from

the interview with student R “Saya tertarik di sini itu karena kata siswa yang dulu

di YKAB itu orangnya pinter-pinter, sekolahnya juga regular nggak disamakan

dengan orang yang lambat belajar.” In terms with students‟ age, some of them

are older than others students who should be sitting on the ninth grade of Junior

High School (app. 8). However, there was no desperation from them to keep

learning though their physical disability.

Dealing with the characteristics of visual impairment students, they

develop themselves in cognitive and affective aspect. In cognitive aspect, students

led to develop the ability to think symbolically, and to understand something

meaningfully without need a concrete object or a visual object. Then, the affective

aspect was the implementation of character education toward English learning that

is written on the syllabus, such as: trustworthiness, respect, diligent,

responsibility, and courage. Besides, the psychomotor aspect was not to be an

aspect that was developed because the students with visual impairment had a

poorer ability than who were partially sighted in their own bodies‟ space.

Moreover, Learners with visual impairment had difficulty projecting positions in


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space, Including recognition of shapes, construction of a projective straight line,

and conceptualization of right and left in absolute and mirror-image orientation.

Thus, a growing aspect here was more focused on cognitive and affective aspect

rather than psychomotor aspect.

The differences between students who are totally blind and low vision did

not make them get difference treatment from the teacher. In teaching and learning

process the materials that given to the students were similar between totally blind

and low vision. Sometimes, the teacher also prepares reading material in Braille

written to make them easier to read but the most frequently happened they were

just being a good listener of what was conveyed by the teacher. Although,

partially sighted students was able to read the written text, but they do the same

thing in learning process with blind students. The difference was on the way they

write the note or assignment from the teacher, students with low vision write with

alphabet while blind students wrote with Braille.

This condition was also occurred in the mid-semester, semester test, and

national examination the students who are blind did not get the script in Braille.

All the questions read by the teacher, while low vision students could read the

examination test by themselves with the standard font (Times New Roman 12),

not in a large print. It looked like the teacher discriminates between blind and low

vision students, but according to Teacher SW it did not impact students‟

achievement. During the test, blind students have a higher score than low vision

students. It was supported with the statement of teacher SW “Itu tergantung dari

IQ anak sendiri.”


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It has been explained in the chapter two that visual impairment divided into

two: totally blind and low vision. According to Hallahan & Kaufman (1994: 344),

the students who are blind have a visual acuity of 20/200 or less in better eye,

even with correction. This cause the four students cannot distinguish light from

the dark and cannot read even in a large print. Therefore, the four students used

Braille as written communication in their study. Whereas, the three others who

were categorized as low vision can partially sighted with visual acuity between

20/70 and 20/200 after the best possible correction have been obtained. Two of

low vision students used Latin letter as written communication but another one

choose to use Braille.

Additionally, 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. It is caused the auditory which is more than visual

perception was the sensory modality through which individual learn language.

This theory was 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.

3. Method of Teaching and Learning

In the process of teaching and learning English for students with visual

impairment, the teacher used traditional learning approach in which the learning

process is teacher-centered rather than student-centered. It meant that the learners

act as the listeners without doing any other activities as the effort to construct their

own knowledge about the materials which delivered by the teacher. This was done


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because adapt to the conditions of the learners which categorized in auditory

learners that learnt by what they heard.

A big role of teacher, then, influenced the strategy in teaching and learning

process. The class becomes in teacher-centered in which the activity in the class is

centered on teacher. The lesson tends to be teacher-centered, as the teacher leads

the activity and provides necessary information. For the students with visual

impairment, this strategy was really helpful. It is caused the students get

difficulties in catching the lessons which most of them were in verbal form.

Besides, they were also difficult to use the book and have a limitation in the

ability of touching, hearing, and memorizing. This strategy showed that the

teacher was an effective model of the target language and an important source of

information on how the learners are doing.

Furthermore, Teacher SW applies the method of teaching that suggested

by Westwood (2008: 49). He allowed much more time for students with impaired

vision to complete their work. If the time is out, that assignment becomes

homework. Then, he read written instructions to students to reduce the amount of

time required to begin a task and to ensure that the work is understood. After that,

he uses very clear descriptions and explanations; verbal explanation has to

compensate for what the student cannot easily see. Besides, he speaks to blind

students frequently by name during lessons to engage them fully in the group

learning processes and valued their contributions. He also has to make sure that

any assistive equipment is always at hand and in good order.


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4. Teaching Materials

Supporting English learning, the teacher used some materials which are

taken from some sources, such as: guidance book, electronic book, KangGuru

radio, and internet. In term with the guidance book, Teacher SW uses English on

Sky (EOS) for Junior High School Students Year IX published by Erlangga. He

just takes some material concerning with the task in order to give the assignment

for the students. However, he took more material from Erlangga Fokus UN

SMP/MTs 2012 which compiled by national examination test from year to year.

Almost of daily exercises is obtained from this source. According to him, this

book was proper to use because the language was easy to understand and

representative the material that should be given to the ninth grade students.

Besides, Teacher SW also took some materials from electronic book

entitled English in Focus for Grade IX Junior High School (SMP/MTS) published

by Pusat Perbukuan Departemen Pendidikan Nasional especially for the text

source used in reading comprehension. Then, for listening skill, the teacher took

the source from KangGuru radio included some materials from the conversation

or interview. He commented that the speaker of KangGuru was a native; the

speech was not to fast; and easy to understand. Therefore, he chose to take

listening material from this source in order to make the students accustom with

English speaker.

Regarding with Richards (2005: 30), the role of instructional materials

includes the following specifications:

1) Material will allow the learner to progress at their own rates of learning.


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2) Materials will allow for different styles of learning.

3) Material will provide opportunities for independent study and use.

4) Material will provide opportunities for self-evaluation and progress in learning.

The finding of teaching materials selected by Teacher SW allows the

learners to progress at their own rates of learning. Through the daily exercises

given by the teacher, the students became accustom in doing the exercise that will

help them more in national examination. Teaching materials selected also allow

the different styles of learning and provide opportunities in learning progress.

However, the material cannot be used to independent study because Teacher SW

was seldom printed the material in the Braille form.

5. The Impact of Visual Impairment on Language Skills

Students with visual impairment had difference language skills with

sighted students. The impact of visual impairment on language skills, involved:

listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

a. Listening Skills

Basically, listening was the main important skill to improve the language

skills for the students with visual impairment. It was because the students change

their visual function to auditory function. They could catch much information and

get the instruction quickly from the teacher or another auditory source through

listening. Unfortunately, related to the listening material in the learning process of

the ninth grade of junior high school at YKAB Surakarta, the students got

difficulties in understanding the content of the conversation because the teacher

take the source from KangGuru radio which the speaker of the conversation is a


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native. They were difficult to find the meaning of the word because in some part

they could not clear enough what actually said by the speaker. Moreover, when

they achieved assignment from the teacher to write a new vocabulary and the verb

based on the conversation, they cannot do it better. Therefore, teacher plays the

conversation more than once, and asks the students to write new vocabularies

from the conversation, then, discuss the content together (app. 5).

b. Speaking Skills

In speaking skills they tend to think in a long time to express something

directly without any preparation before. It could be because they nervous but it

tend more to the lack of vocabulary. For this case, it was not only happened to

students with visual impairment but also sighted students. Furthermore, the lack of

vocabulary of the students with visual impairment was caused because basically

they could not make sense of a visual object. Besides, they tend to be passive

which relied on their sense of hearing without balanced with the pronunciation of

words (app. 3).

c. Reading Skills

In reading skill the students tend to read slower when the text was not

written by them, but it was easier if they read the text which was written by them.

The text sometimes made them curious and they needed rapid movement of their

finger to spell the word. Not only the finger, but reading tactual involved with the

coordination of the movement of the fingers, hands and arms. Therefore, Braille

readers could not do the same thing with sighted students because the sighted


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students use eye movement to read, while Braille readers used the tip of his

fingers pass through all the letters of the text read (app. 4).

d. Writing Skills

In writing skill, students seemed a little bit slower in writing words in

English. Besides, they had already recognized English first at junior high school,

they also rarely use English in communication outside English class. When the

teacher read about new word the students ask the teacher to read more than once

with its spelling. For that reason, the teacher often gives the assignment in the

form of writing summary of the text with the translation of summary discuss as

their homework. It was because the students need more time to do this kind of

activity.

They tend to be slower in writing a vocabulary that already heard. The

teacher has to repeat and spell the word more than once in order to make the

students easy to write and understand the meaning of the word. As well as in

reading skill, if the source of reading was the result of their own writing, they

would be easily to read. However, if the writing was in Braille form and that was

a new source given to them, they would tend to be slower in reading. Supposedly,

in providing new words, teachers taught how to pronoun it, but this was rarely

applied by Teacher SW. Therefore, when the teacher dictated the students to write

in English they tend to be slower and ask many times how to write correctly.

Related to the theory, indirectly, visual impairment affects on four

language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Listening skills are

becoming more important than ever because of the increasing accessibility of


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recorded material (Hallahan & Kaufman, 1994: 363). The students could catch

much information and get the instruction quickly from the teacher or another

auditory source through listening. Though, in learning process they found some

difficulties, it was because they did not familiar with the words or they curious to

determine the words speak by native. Therefore, the teacher had to repeat the

words so that the students could catch the meaning of the words easily.

Listening as the main important skill for visual impairment students

influenced another skills. Through listening the students learnt how to speak.

Students who are blind need effective communication and listening skills so they

can be successful and independent. In learning process, the students tend to think

in a long time to express something directly without any preparation before or

something new that was listened by them. In line with this condition, Polloway,

Patton, & Serna (2001: 209) state that A difficult task for many students with

special needs is learning and retaining the meaning of new vocabulary words

presented in content areas. The lack of vocabulary of the students with visual

impairment was caused because basically they could not make sense of a visual

object.

In learning process, teacher SW was seldom to ask the students to read the

text. He often read the text and the students listened carefully. Thus, it affected to

the students that tend to read slower when the text was not written by them, yet it

was easier if they read the text which was written by them. Polloway, Patton, &

Serna (2001: 287) state that many students with disabilities have difficulty in this

area. They have difficulty understanding teachers and reading subject matter in a


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language they do not fully comprehend. For that reason, the teacher had to give

special method to learn reading easily and accustom the students to read Braille

text.

It was quite different with sighted students, the research from Associate

Professor Saowalak Rattanavich state that the traditional way of teaching Braille

starting with writing before reading, contrast with literacy learning by normal

students, in which reading precedes writing. Polloway, Patton, & Serna (2001:

293) supported this statement due to writing combine fine motor skills,

sequencing, language, memory, attention, thinking, skills, and visual-spatial

abilities; it may be quite difficult especially for those students with learning

disabilities. The students tend to be slower in writing a vocabulary that already

heard. As well as in reading skill, if the source of reading is the result of their own

writing, they will be easily to read.

3. Supporting Components on English Teaching and Learning

Implementation

The other things support the English teaching and learning implementation

are the media used by the teacher and also the teaching aids used by the students

with visual impairment. The school provided non-optical aids, tactual aids, and

auditory aids to facilitate the instruction of learners with visual impairments. The

teaching aid which include in non-optical aid is Braille print. SLB-A YKAB

Surakarta has a Braille printing machine that has been given by the ministry of

education Norwegian. Not only that, the ministry of education Norwegian also

sent Braille paper to ministry of education and culture in Indonesia which

distributed to all the blind foundation in Indonesia.


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This tool was really important to print out the text in the form of Braille-

writing. Before using this kind of print, the computer had been installed by MBC

program. MBC (Mitra Netra Braille Converter) was Braille word processor

software, which was created specifically by Mitra Netra with three young

programmers ITB Bandung Institute of Technology, to facilitate the production

and distribution of Braille books in Indonesia. For SLB-A YKAB itself currently

used MiBee Braille converter MBC 4.

MBC served to process words in Braille format files, as one of the stages

in the production of Braille books. Processing words in Braille format could be

done in two steps. To process the words in Latin letters format, the process could

be done by typing the documents in the Latin text file "word", then, MBC changes

the file format "word" into file format "Braille - letter combinations of six-point"

automatically with one "click or enter". Next, the number of pages instantly turns

into a word file format "Braille". After that, conversion results appear on the

screen and it is ready to be printed like the picture 4. 1.

Picture 4.1 Braille print


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Besides non-optical aids, tactual aids were used in the teaching and

learning process which contained Slate and Stylus, Braille alphabet, and

computer. The function and description of each tool described as follows:

Besides non-optical aids, tactual aids were used in the teaching and

learning process which contained Slate and Stylus, Braille alphabet, and

computer. The function and description of each tool described as follows:

a. Slate and Stylus

Picture 4.2 Slate and Stylus

Slate and stylus were the tools used by blind persons to write text that they

can read without assistance. Like the pen or pencil, slate and stylus are

inexpensive, portable, and simple to use. Slate and stylus allowed for a quick,

easy, convenient and constant method of making embossed printing for Braille

character encoding. The picture from the description of slate and stylus could be

seen in the picture 4. 2.

Almost of the students of the ninth grade Junior High School of YKAB

Surakarta used slate and stylus to write the text or to note the material given by

the teacher. From the 7 students, 5 students used slate and stylus and 2 other

student used pen like sighted person. The students who are totally blind could not

use pen or pencil to write because they did not write in the form of Latin letter but


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in the form of Braille. That was why they use this kind of tool to help them write

the words.

Basically, slate consisted of two pieces of metal, plastic or wood fastened

together with a hinge at one side. The back of the slate was solid with slight

depressions spaced in Braille cells of six raised dots arranged in a grid of two dots

horizontally by three dots vertically. In the shape of an inverted Braille dot of

approximately 1.5 mm (0.059 in) diameter; .75 mm (0.030 in) depth or height; the

horizontal and vertical spacing between dot centers within a Braille cell was

approximately 2.5 mm (0.098 in) cell to cell (dot 1 center to dot 1 center

horizontally) 6.5 mm (0.26 in). Besides, the front of the slate has been

corresponding rectangular cells with indentations in the side of the cell, over the

depressions in the back so the blind user can properly position the stylus and press

to form a dot.

There were pins or posts in the back of the slate positioned in non-cell

areas to hold the paper in place and keep the top properly positioned over the

back. The pins aligned with matching depressions on the opposite side of the slate.

A slate as designed for a normal 8.5 inch piece of paper has 28 cells. It could have

any number of rows, usually at least four.


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b. Braille Alphabet

Picture 4.3 Braille Alphabet

The Braille alphabet was based on a rectangle made up of six dot

positions. It was presented by Louis Braille that created twenty-six letters, ten

numerals, and all need punctuation marks. Within the rectangle, each dot position

has a number. Different combinations of these positions represent different letters,

numerals, and punctuation marks and even indicate when a letter should be

capitalized. For example, a dot position 1 represented letter “a”. A combination of

dots in position 2, 5, and 6 stands a period. A dot in position 6 before a letter

indicates that the letter should be capitalized.

The Braille alphabet really helps the students who are totally blind to write

and read. 5 students in the class used Braille alphabet in learning process but 2

others who were low vision used Latin letter. At the beginning of learning about

Braille alphabet the students felt difficult. However, because of the demands,

eventually it became a habit. They enjoyed to write and to read using Braille

alphabet letters rather than Latin.


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c. JAWS Computer

Picture 4.4 JAWS Computer

SLB-A YKAB Surakarta had 2 computer laboratories contained of 16 unit

computers. Each computer was completed with Jaws Program. JAWS (Job Access

with Speech), a computer screen reader program for Microsoft Windows that

allow blind and visually impaired users to read the screen either with a text-to-

speech output or by a Refreshable Braille display. This program was very useful

to the students because it helped them to access the computer.

Sometimes the teacher asked the students to search the source of material

on internet. For example in listening session, the teacher asked the students to

search the song from the internet, then sang together and discussed about the

vocabulary as stated by teacher SW:

Kita ajak murid ke internet, kita cari lagu, kemudian kita cari syairnya

terutama lagu-lagu tempo dulu, temponya yang riang dan tidak terlalu

cepat. Dengan syairnnya kita bisa menambah vocabulary sekaligus

refreshing. Disamping itu juga menambah bacaan-bacaan yang sudah di

brailekan.

After non-optical and tactual aids, the students also used auditory aids

consisted cellular phone and tape recorder. There was no obligation that


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prohibited the students to bring and use cellular phone during English class,

except examination. This kind of auditory aids helped the students to find the

meaning of the word by the dictionary installed on their cell phone. Besides, their

cell phone complete with TALKS program which make all the commands could

read by the speaker. Therefore, the students could operate their cell phone like a

sighted person. Again, they changed their visual into auditory function. The

description of TALKS program could be seen in picture 4.5.

Picture 4.5 TALKS Program

Another auditory aids used by the students in learning English was tape

recorder. From this tool, they could listen the sound recorded from his teacher or

listen the conversation from native speaker. Outside of the class, this aid was often

used by the students to get some information especially from radio program.

Therefore, the auditory aids became really important in teaching and learning

process.

The use of media was also influence in achieving the goal of the study.

According to Westwood (2008: 48) to facilitate the instruction of learners with


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visual impairment, the school provided non-optical aids, tactual aids, and auditory

aids. SLB-A YKAB provided some facilities from non-optical aids, tactual aids,

until auditory aids. However, the usage of this tool had not been fully maximized.

In example, Braille printing machine which had been given by the ministry of

Norwegian education. This machine seemed rarely used whereas it could work

properly. If it usage maximally, it could support the process of learning, especially

in producing the book or printing the material in the Braille form. Through it, the

students could be more independent in learning.

In addition, the use of computer technology should also be maximized

because the students have enough capability in auditory system. The computer

which completed with JAWS program makes students easier to be able to access

the computer. Furthermore, the computer could replace the function of language

laboratory. The learner could practice listening of a song or a conversation by

accessing computer the computer. When they were usually hearing English sound,

it would affect the other aspect which enhanced the quality of learning English.

B. The Difficulties Found by the English Teacher during the Teaching and

Learning Process

In English teaching and learning process, the teacher found the difficulties

viewed from the students and teacher‟s perspective. From students‟ perspective,

the difficulties found on learning process were lack of Braille textbook and in

examination test, the difficulties found on time limitation for students to do

examination test and the long sentence of question text. Whereas, the problems


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occurred from the teacher were the lack of teaching media and classroom

management. The following was detail description of the problems both the

students‟ and teacher‟s perspective.

a. Students’ Perspective

The problem in English learning actually laid on the lack of textbooks

printed in Braille form. It caused the students only learn by what they note in their

book, which its content consisting of new vocabularies, not additional material. In

other words, the students could not learn independently. The material obtained

only from what they received in the classroom without being able to read from

course books as reported in interview record.

L: Kalau dari pemerintah sendiri ada bantuan buku materi pelajaran

dalam bentuk braile atau tidak pak?

S: Belum ada

L: Jadi selama ini anak-anak itu belajar hanya dari guru menyampaikan

kemudian mereka mencatat gitu ya pak?

S: Iya dari catatan mereka, dan kita bantu kalau ada waktu materinya

juga kita brailekan. Selama ini ya baru bacaan–bacaan ini yang kita

brailekan, itupun belum cukup satu buku.

This condition influenced English competence of the students. Blind

students did not have any course book as well as LKS to improve their English,

meanwhile, low vision students had it but they never bring it to the class. It, then,

affected in reading skill, they tend to read the text slowly because they did not

accustom to read English text by themselves. Even in writing process, the students

seemed little bit slower than sighted because there were some unfamiliar words to

write. It made the teacher had to spell the word over and over.

In term of examination test, the students regretted of eliminating Braille

script. It looked like discrimination between low and blind students, because low


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vision gave the examination text, while, blind students could not receive Braille

script for examination. They had to listen the reader for answering the questions.

The difference version of reader in examination made the student confuse as said

Student W “Kalau menurut saya antara tulisan dan pembacaan kan beda. Nah

nanti kalau dibacakan sama orang lain dan kebetulan orang lain itu beda versi

kan kita jadinya bingung.” In line with this statement, another student said that

“Kalau kita membaca sendiri itu lebih jelas, oh kalau ini itu artinya ini. Braile

sebenernya lebih baik. Kalau dibacakan juga bisa asal pelan-pelan.”

During my observation in mid-semester and final semester test, they had

difficulties in remembering the length sentence on the text. For example in

arranging jumble sentences into a good paragraph as follows:

Arrange these sentences into a good paragraph.

1. Then just before we went to the airport we stopped at the Bugis Street.

2. On the last day, we had lunch on the Orchard road.

3. On the second day, we went to the Merlion statue.

4. Last year, my friend and I went to Singapore.

5. On the first day, we went to the Universal studio.

6. There, we bought some gifts for friends.

7. We took a lot of pictures around the famous statue.

8. We enjoyed a lot of rides from famous movie.

a. 4 – 5 – 3 – 7 – 8 – 2 – 1 – 6

b. 4 – 5 – 7 – 3 – 8 – 2 – 1 – 6

c. 4 – 5 – 8 – 3 – 7 – 2 – 1 – 6

d. 4 – 5 – 2 – 3 – 7 – 8 – 1 – 6

In this kind of question, the students had to listen and remind about the

sentence of each number to find the correct answer. Besides, the teacher only read

the question once followed by the choices. It made the students confuse because

the teacher did not read the choices answer by exploring the sentence in each

number. On the other hand, long text in paragraph also influenced the students in


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answering the question (app. 13 and 14). The lack of vocabulary made the

students hard to understand the context. It needed a long time, particularly if it

happened in essay test. The teacher had to wait the students wrote the answer.

Time efficiency was underlying the reason why in national examination,

the compilation of the questions is not printed in Braille but read by the teacher, as

point out by Teacher SW:

Kalau anak diberi waktu beda dengan orang umum itu saya setuju kalau

soal dibrailekan. Tapi kan selama ini soal awas dengan yang braile

waktunya sama. Padahal kalau soal dibrailekan itu jumlahnya bisa

sampai 30 halaman, sedangkan yang awas cuma 5 halaman. Karena

sampai 30 halaman dan membaca sendiri maka anak butuh waktu rata-

rata 3 jam padahal waktu yang diberikan hanya 2 jam. Kalau disamakan

waktunya, nah ini nggak cocok. Akhirnya karena waktunya tidak bisa 3

jam maka dibacakan

Therefore, time efficiency was really considered, because according to teacher

SW there was no influence on the result either it was read by the teacher or read

by the students. It depended on each student‟s IQ (app. 7).

b. Teacher’s Perspective

The teacher had problems especially for the media used in teaching and

learning process. In language teaching, the use of media was really important to

explain language meaning and construction, engage students in a topic, or as the

basis of a whole activity. Unfortunately, in the case of the students with visual

impairment, the teacher could not use some media that was usually applied in

sighted students, such as: pictures and images, the board, and the language

laboratory.

The difference between visual impairment and sighted students was

located on the media used by the teacher to make students easy to understand the


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explanation. In sighted students, the teacher could use picture or graphic, whether

it drawn, taken from books, newspaper and magazines, or photograph as the

media to facilitate learning. Pictures could be in the form of flashcards, cue cards,

photographs, illustration, even the pictures drawn in the board to help the teacher

explained the language. On the contrary, this media could not be applied by the

teacher to the students with visual impairment. To replace it, the teacher tried to

explain in detail if any images or text on the material. For the students who had

previous experience of seeing, they can imagine what kind of object described by

the teacher. However, for students who had no experience of seeing since their

birth, they described the objects instead of a visual experience but tactual

experience.

Other media that could not be used by students with visual impairment

was the board, whereas, board provides a motivating focal point during the

teaching and learning process. Through the board, actually, the teacher could

make note pad or write things up on the board during the lesson. It was used as

explanation aid, for example showing the relationship between an affirmative

sentence and a question by drawing connecting arrows, showing words go in a

diagrammatically, or write up phonemic symbols to show how a word or sound is

pronounced. On the other hand the board was not ideal for such uses or this media

was not appropriate to used by teacher.

Next, the school did not have a language laboratory. For visual impairment

students, the language laboratory was really important, especially for them who

relied more on the auditory function. It could give more opportunity for the


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students to provide their English, not only in listening but also speaking. They

could record their own talks and speeches and then listen back to them and make

adjustment in the same ways as they draft and redraft written text in a process-

writing approach. Because of the lack facilities, the teacher changed the function

of language laboratories to classroom activities by using tape deck, laptop, and

speaker sound.

In the case of classroom management, the teacher has never changed the

position of students‟ seat. The students may find it difficult to judge distance and

unable to react quickly to fast-moving groups. If there was a group discussion or

peer correction, the teacher asked them to do in pair with their seatmate.

Moreover, if the teacher gave them a game, he only decided a group into 2 sides,

left and right side. The teacher was seldom to move around the class during

teaching process. He sat and controlled their students from their seat.

Discussing the finding of the difficulties during the teaching and learning

process, some students may have difficulty with language skills; for example, they

might engage in echolalia (inappropriately repeating words or phrases they hear)

or they might ask many questions (Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm, 2000: 250). It was

caused by the difference students‟ mastery of the materials and gave an effect in

the level of understanding the subject. The students could not learn independently

because they did not have any material which printed in Braille. The material

obtained only from what they had in the classroom without being able to read

from course books. It is the duty of the teacher to provide material in the form of


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Braille in order to students can learn independently and acquire more information.

Besides, it will make the students accustomed with reading and writing English.

In addition, the limit of time influenced the students when they carried out

the task or final examination. Long sentences in a task, made them difficult to

remind because of different language competence from one to another student.

They were seldom use and practice English outside the class, as a result they lack

of vocabulary and grammar mastery. In this case, the teacher should give a

treatment and strategy to answer the question with long sentence. More exercises

really help to practice and understand the type of question that was usually

appeared in examination.

In term of students with visual impairment, the teacher could not use some

media that usually applied in sighted students, such as: pictures and images, the

board, and the language laboratory. That was why in teaching process, the teacher

replaced the appropriateness of instructional media to students with visual

impairment. Murcia (2001: 461) state that media help us to motivate students and

bringing a slice of real life into the classroom and by presenting language in its

more complete communication context. Media can also provide a density of

information and richness of cultural input not otherwise possible in the classroom.

Referring to classroom management, the finding showed that the teacher

has never changed the position of students‟ seat. It was viewed from the mobility

of visual impairment students in which students difficult to judge distance and

unable to react quickly to fast-moving groups. Brown (1994: 411) states that by


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understanding what some of variables are in classroom management, you can take

some important steps to sharpening your skills as a language teacher.

C. Proposed Solutions by the Teacher to Overcome the Problem in English

Teaching and Learning Process

The teacher had the strategy to overcome the problem in English teaching

and learning process. The proposed solutions related with the difficulties of

students‟ perspective, such as: printing the material in Braille, providing English

course to prepare students in national examination. Then, the solution given to

overcome the difficulties of teacher‟s perspective, such as: providing alternative

teaching media, and arranging classroom management.

To overcome the problem related with the lack of textbooks printed in

Braille form, the teacher gave the treatment as quoted from Teacher SW:

Untuk reading kita berikan bacaan-bacaan yang kita brailekan terus nanti

membaca bersama-sama. Anak kita bacakan dulu kemudian anak

menirukan setelah itu kita terjemahkan bersama-sama. Anak mencatat

kata-kata yang sulit, setelah itu nanti biasanya ketika pulang anak disuruh

untuk menterjemahkan isi bacaan tersebut setelah kita bacakan ulang.

In reading skill, the teacher printed a text in Braille form. He read it, then,

the students followed the teacher and translate the text together to acquire the

meaning of the word and to understand the content of the text. After that, the

students were given the assignment from the teacher to make summary based on

the text. This homework used to measure the level of students understanding of

reading activity before. Then, for the next day, the students report their

assignment by reading the summary of the text and speak up based on their


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capability as stated by Teacher SW “Terus nanti ketika hari berikutnya kita coba

anak untuk maju ke depan untuk menceritakan kembali isi bacaan tadi dalam

bahasa inggris semampunya.”

In term of national examination preparation, the teacher provided

additional time for learning English in order to prepare students in national

examination. The teacher gave additional lesson to discuss the questions from the

last examination or from the compilation of national examination book.

Additional time for English was given by teacher SW on Tuesday at 06.30-07.15

am. Then, the students also had additional time given by another teacher from

inside or outside YKAB Surakarta, teacher W from YKAB Surakarta and teacher

MH from SMA 8 Surakarta. Teacher W was a new teacher in YKAB Surakarta.

His background was English but he already active to teach English on second

semester. He gave additional time for English on Tuesday at 02.00-03.00 pm.

Besides, teacher MH was a teacher from SMA 8 Surakarta that asked by the

students to give an English course for preparing national examination. He teaches

the students every Thursday at 07.00-10.00 pm.

Discussing the proposed solution given by the teacher, the teacher should

practice more scaffolding techniques in helping blind students in the interactive

process of learning in order to help them to be more courageous and successful in

communicating with friends and teachers especially the practice of listening and

reading. The teacher could make collaborative strategies as written by Vaughn,

Bos, and Schumm (2000: 384) to solve the difficulties of students. The teacher

helps the students to divide the class into two groups consisting blind and visual


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impairment students. Then, the teacher gives the text both Braille for blind and

Latin text for low vision. After that, the students preview a context-area reading

assignment.

Dealing with story retelling, Vaughn, Bos, and Schumm (2000: 388) state

that this strategy involves the students in the reconstruction of stories they have

read or heard. Retelling stories not only enhances comprehension but also has the

following benefits: (1) students acquire a sense of story structure; (2) recall of

details is enhanced; (3) oral language is improved; (4) vocabulary is improved; (5)

peer interaction and student involvement are promoted.

D. Students’ Achievement in the Implementation of English Teaching and

Learning Process.

KKM (Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimal) is the lowest criteria or standard to

declare the learners achieving the goal of study. KKM should be set at the

beginning of the academic year by the educational unit based on the result of the

discussion of English teacher in MGMP. Others, the things that should be

considered in determining the KKM was complexity, capacity, and intake.

Complexity referred to the difficulty level of basic competency in question.

Capacity included of teaching facilities, such as: books, classrooms, laboratories

(if needed), and others. Besides, intake was reasoning and thinking skills of

learners. From the results of the discussion of English teacher in MGMP

Surakarta, KKM for English subjects at the ninth grade of junior high school was

5.5.


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The functions of KKM itself were a reference for a teacher to assess the

competence of the learners based on basic competence or competence standard in

a subject, as a reference of the learners to prepare themselves to follow the

learning process, as a target of achieving material based on SK/KD, and as an

instrument in doing learning evaluation. In the case of the students with visual

impairment, KKM standard set for a regular school was applied to them because

they use the same curriculum as well as the curriculum for SMP regular not

SMPLB.

In assessing the students, the teacher often give exercises in every meeting

rather than give additional material. If any, it usually inserted in the discussion of

the question. This was because the teacher wants to recognize the type of the test,

so, the students would be easier to answer the questions in national examination

and achieve the score above the minimum standard. Sometimes, the instrument

used did not match with what was written on the lesson plan, but, in assessment

standard, the teacher followed the scoring guide of lesson plan that can be seen on

appendix 10. Then, the result of the exercise included in the score of daily report.

In visual impairments‟ students, the key of teaching and learning process

was centered in listening. They achieved much their learning through listening.

They need help to develop skills to help them to do so more efficiently. Based on

finding, the students were able to repeat back what they hear, but they find

difficulties in writing a new vocabulary. Then, the teacher helped the students to

develop these skills by asking questions to encourage them to digest information

and to think about what they have heard. In assessing listening skill, the teacher


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took the score from daily exercises and the result of listening comprehension. The

achievement of students‟ competence in listening skill could be seen in graphic

4.1.

Graphic 4.1 Listening Score

In addition, the teacher took another score by practice, especially for

speaking test. In speaking test, the teacher gave several minutes for the students to

tell about their experience. The achievement of students‟ competence in speaking

skill could be seen in graphic 4.2.

Rizqi R.Fajar

WN.

Wahyu

S.Kemisih Aji Koko J Elsa C.

Listening Score 75 75 75 70 70 65 65

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

Listening Score


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Graphic 4.2 Speaking Score

According to the lesson plan, there were four aspects included in rubric

score for assessing speaking test: pronunciation, delivery, performance, and

supporting aids. On the contrary the teacher did not use two aspects of them to

assess the students with visual impairment because it was not proper if it is

implemented. The teacher changed the aspects into vocabulary and

comprehension. These two aspects were considered more appropriate than

performance and supporting aids. The teacher could not assess the performance of

the students because when they speak they only stand up in their own position

without any movement. They seldom used any facial expression, eye contact,

body movement, gesture, or supporting aids when delivering the speech.

The difficulty of the students appeared on the limited vocabulary they

have. Actually, when the teacher asked them to telling the story, they enjoyed

doing it, even by mixing Indonesian and English, they still confident to tell their

story. Typically, for prominent students, the teacher asked him to appear earlier as

Rizqi R.Wahyu

S.

Fajar

WN.Kemisih Aji Koko J Elsa

Speaking Test 75 70 65 60 55 55 50

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Speaking Score


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an example to other friends and to help students who were less in language skills.

The teacher as a facilitator was also helping the students when they confused to

share the idea.

In term of reading skill, the teacher assessed the students by giving some

exercises. Most of the exercises were in the form of multiple choices. The teacher

read the question of the text with answer choices, then, the students listened text

carefully while answering the question. The teacher rarely provided Braille text,

so, their reading skills was less of practice particularly for new readings text.

Moreover, students who were passive or unmotivated learners may not become

actively involved in an active search for meaning from their reading. The

achievement of students‟ competence in reading skill could be seen in graphic 4.3.

Graphic 4.3 Reading Score

Next, there were four aspects used by the teacher for assessing writing

skill: Paragraph development, grammar, spelling, and diction. The teacher gave

writing assignment as homework because it needed much time for the students to

complete their task. For example, the teacher asked the students to make a

Rizqi R.Fajar

WN.

Wahyu

S.Kemisih Aji Koko J Elsa C.

Reading Score 70 70 70 65 65 60 60

54

56

58

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

Reading Score


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summary from the text discussed in several sentences, or the teacher asked the

students to make some sentences about their activity using appropriate grammar.

The achievement of students‟ competence in writing skill could be seen in graphic

4.4.

Graphic 4.4 Writing Score

In another case related with examination, there was no difference result in

test which the question read by teacher or read by the student itself, as commented

by teacher SW “tergantung dengan IQ anak sendiri, kalau anaknya cerdas ya

baik tapi klo nggak cerdas ya sama saja.” Therefore, the thing that determined in

students achievement was Intellectual Quotient (IQ) of each student. Besides, it

appeared that the blind students proved to have a higher achievement than low

vision. It was showed that the different visual acuity, either low vision or blind did

not influence students‟ achievement. Otherwise, the level of IQ was more

beneficial in students‟ achievement rather than visual acuity. The following

graphic shows the final score of English subject in the first semester in the

Rizqi R.Wahyu

S.

Fajar

WN.Kemisih Aji Koko J. Elsa C.

Writing Score 70 70 70 70 70 65 65

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

Writing Score


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academic year of 2012/2013.

Graphic 4.5 Final Score of First Semester

Assessing the students, the teacher has often given exercises in every

meeting rather than gave additional material. Shea & Bauer (2000: 253) states that

the accurate assessment of learners with visual impairments is a collaborative

venture including medical and educational professionals. As with all learners,

emphasis must be placed on the learner‟s ability and ways to accommodate the

learners so that he or she has educational opportunities similar to those of his or

her sighted peers.

According to the teacher SW, the level of IQ was more beneficial to

students‟ achievement rather than visual acuity. It appeared that the blind students

proved to have a higher achievement than low vision. It was showed that the

different visual acuity, either low vision or blind did not influenced students‟

achievement. It could be concluded that the thing that determines in students

achievement was Intellectual Quotient (IQ) of each student.

Rizky

R.

Fajar

W.N.

Wahyu

S.

Kokok

J.Kemisih Aji Elsa C.

Nilai Harian 75 67 67 62 67 66 66

Nilai Ujian Semester 1 60 40.8 50.3 30.5 50 50.5 40.1

Nilai Rapot 72 65 65 62 61 61 60

01020304050607080

Final Score of First Semester


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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION, IMPLICATION, AND SUGGESTION

This chapter presents the conclusion of the implementation of teaching and

learning process to students with visual impairment, its implication from the

research question, and suggestion given by the researcher.

A. Conclusion

Based on the study of the implementation of teaching and learning process

to students with visual impairment conducting in SMP YKAB Surakarta, it can be

concluded that:

1. The curriculum, syllabus, and lesson plan applied in English teaching and

learning process to students with visual impairment are equal with regular

school. There are no different objectives in teaching English for the students

with visual impairment and sighted students. The difference of the process

between visual impairment and sighted students is on the way of their study

which uses Braille. Besides, the students with visual impairment develop their

concept about physical object by their tactual experience, while sighted

students develop it by visual object. The school provided non-optical aids,

tactual aids, and auditory aids as the supporting components on the English

teaching and learning implementation in order to facilitate the instruction of

learners with visual impairments.

2. The difficulties found in teaching and learning process viewed 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


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difficulties viewed from teacher‟s perspective: The lack of teaching media and

classroom management.

3. Proposed solutions by the teacher to overcome the problem are: printing the

material in Braille, providing English course to prepare students in national

examination, providing alternative teaching media, and arranging classroom

management.

4. The difference of visual acuity, either low vision or blind does not influence

students‟ achievement. Otherwise, the level of IQ is more influenced in

students‟ achievement rather than visual acuity.

B. Implication

The result of this research confirms that there is no differ between visual

impairments and sighted student in English teaching and learning process. The

difference is pointed in the way teacher deliver the material and the media used in

teaching and learning process. The lesson tends to be teacher-centered, as the

teacher leads the activity and provides necessary information. It is conducted

because of learners‟ condition which categorized in auditory learners that learnt

by what they heard.

The teacher holds the big role as the key factor in the successful

implementation of curriculum changes and learners categorized as the key

participants in curriculum development projects. In developing the aspects to the

student with visual impairment, the teacher is more focus in cognitive and

affective aspect. It does not mean that the teacher ignores psychomotor aspect.


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These three aspects are being controlled by the teacher. This study is very

important to special education in Indonesia which is related to students with visual

impairment. The description of implementing English teaching and learning to

students with visual impairment can be the guiding of the school which has visual

impairments‟ students. Moreover, it is expected that this research can take benefit

to develop educational system.

C. Suggestion

The researcher gives some suggestions from the result of the study

involved the suggestion for the teacher, the students, and the school principals.

Regarding with the teacher, the teaching and learning process should be

appropriated with the students‟ need. The teacher should prepare the lesson plan

before teaching the students according to the activity done in teaching and

learning process. Although, the curriculum and syllabus used is similar with

regular school, the implementation of lesson plan should be different, in term with

the media and teaching technique used. The teacher should be more creative in

designing learning activities to keep students active and enjoy study English. In

conducting teaching and learning activities, it is advisable to prepare and organize

every detail of activities in the classroom based on the students‟ needs and

curriculum requirements. In addition, it should be better if the teacher always uses

English in giving instruction and explaining the material. Therefore, the students

will be motivated to increase their capability in speaking English.


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Then, regarding with the students, they should more practice English in

their daily activity through listening and practicing speaking with their friends. It

will help them very much to recognize the vocabulary and make them ease to

writing and spelling the words. They should not be afraid to make mistakes in

learning English. They should be confidence and aware with their study even

though they have physical disabilities. This condition does not mean that they

have lower intelligence. Therefore, they should be proved it with their best

achievement.

The last, regarding with the school principals, it is suggested to provide the

teachers with attending the training, seminar, or comparative study in others

inclusive school. It will make the teacher have more variety in developing the

material of English subject. Besides, the school principals should 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.