Teacher’s Perspective

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 The difference between visual impairment and sighted students was

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 relied more on the auditory function. It could give more opportunity for the

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

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 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