Discussion on the Teaching Learning Process of Reading Comprehension, the Problems Occurring and the Solution Applied

B. Discussion on the Teaching Learning Process of Reading Comprehension, the Problems Occurring and the Solution Applied

In this section, the teaching learning process of reading comprehension to student with visual impairment at SMP YKAB Surakarta is discussed, in the relation with expert’s theories and suggestion.

1. Preparation Step

It has been discussed above that the material of English prepared for visual impaired students at SMP YKAB was equal to that for students at regular school. According to Blackhurts &Berdine (1981:249), the curriculums for programs for the visually impaired are usually the same as that for the other school programs in

a particular state or region. Further, they argue that it is important to remember that many techniques and strategies for seeing children are usually effective for the visually impaired. It means that the visually impaired is able to acquire language learning with curriculum designed for seeing children.

It is believed that the lack of vision does not alter significantly the ability to learn a language. However, there are subtle differences in the way the visual impaired students develop language (Hallahan & Kauffman, 1994:348). With several modifications on the teaching learning process, the English teacher at SMP YKAB believed that the English materials used for teaching regular school students could be as appropriate as those for visual impaired students. Besides, students are supposed to be well prepared for continuing to higher education at regular school. The time allocated for English were five hours, equal with that for the regular school, as reduction on the time allocated are worried would cause the students’ lag, in case they were going to continue their study to regular school.

Heilman, Blair and Rupley (1981:242) state “reading comprehension is a process of making sense of written ideas through meaningful interpretation and interaction with language”. Other experts, Harris and Sipay (1980:8), states that reading (comprehending) is a result of the interaction between the perception of graphic symbols that represent the language and reader’s language skills and knowledge of the world.

In the application of teaching learning process of reading comprehension to student with visual impairment at SMP YKAB, the ideas was not written in graphic symbol any more. Instead, it was in Braille, a system of raised dots. Furthermore, the activities were even frequently changed completely from reading into listening, as the teacher dictated the passages for the students.

However, despite the limitation or even the absence of vision which caused some obstacle in reading comprehension activity, the process of acquiring, interacting and constructing ideas were still happen. The students were capable of finding, interpreting and using the ideas on the passage. Given reading comprehension texts about invitation, caution or dialogue, the seventh and eight students could answer the question about the text, which demand skill to find, interpret and use ideas on the text. It was not the whole students who could answer the entire question indeed, but their answer on the question had shown their effort in comprehending text.

One of the problems occurring in the teaching learning process of reading comprehension was related with the blind students’ conceptual ability. According to Aebersold and Field (1997: 17-18), one of the models of reading is top-down reading, where the process of reading begin in the mind of the reader with his or her knowledge, expectation, assumptions and question to the text and give the basic understanding of vocabulary. Since a reader should involve and combine both the information gained from the text (bottom-up) with his or her own knowledge and experiences (top-down) to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the text, problems arise.

much more on tactual and auditory information to learn about the world. It means object which was out of their reach would be more difficult to be observed even though it produces sound. Since the students with visual impairment tend to have more limited access to explore their environment, they would posses less knowledge, experiences and conceptual ability. This condition resulted to the blind students’ lag in comprehending text.

The solution taken to anticipate this problem had been done long time before the students at the school of YKAB get their first English reading comprehension lesson at classroom. Heward&Orlansky (1988:305) state, “A teacher for the visual impaired must plan and carry out activities that will help their students gain as much information as possible through the non-visual senses and by participation in active, practical experiences”. This theory is proper with what the teachers did at the school. From the very early year of learning at the school, which is at the elementary grade, particular objects, such as fruit, animal – either real or artificial – or parts of tree, had been introduced to the blind students. One of the aims of this method was to develop students’ conceptual ability, which finally will help them in comprehending reading text.

Another problem in teaching learning process of reading comprehension at SMP YKAB was the vocabulary mastery. Due to the absence of normal vision, conventional printed dictionary would not fit their need to get the meaning of vocabularies. Lewis & Norwich (2005:30) suggested ICT utilization on teaching students with visual impairment. It was not optimum, though, but the English teacher has made some efforts on this suggestion. Dictionary software which was installed to some of the low vision student has helped them obtaining the word meaning at the reading comprehension activities. Also, the utilization of ICT was applied on the facebook account of the school, where some English materials were published.

Tests had been done to evaluate the reading comprehension achievement of the visual impaired students at SMP YKAB. Despite the students’ special condition, the evaluation of English reading comprehension for the blind was equal with that for sighted students, of course with several modifications. What happened, however, converting printed evaluation test into Braille raised some problems, so did dictating it to the students. On one side, the conversion of the printed texts wasted a lot of time and paper. On the other side, dictating it changed reading comprehension test into totally listening, which caused many difficulties, either for the teacher or the students. This situation corresponds to the statement of Hallahan and Kauffman, (1994:382), “Comparing the academic achievement of students with visual impairment to that of the sight is difficult because the two are tested under different conditions”

The research finding above discussed what the researcher had obtained from the research subject, through observation, documentation review and interview. Subsequently, those findings of research were discussed, in relation with theories from the experts. It can be concluded that due to their exceptionality, the teaching learning process of reading comprehension of the visual impaired student were unique, so were the problems appeared and the solutions that were applied.

In school, sighted children are expected to use visual skill for learning and development. They must be able to see clearly and focus on some objects, having

a good eye-hand coordination, to remember what they have seen, or to discriminate colour accurately (Heward&Orlansky, 1988:296). This demands are what caused differences in the teaching learning of reading comprehension to students with visual impairment, compared with their sighted peers. The absence of vision function forced them to maximize the other sensory modalities, in order to comprehend a reading text. For that reason, some adjustments had been applied on the preparation of teaching material, on teaching application, as well as on the evaluation step, as had been discussed above.

for teaching reading to visual impaired students. They are:

a. Since the child gain knowledge primarily through touch and hearing, he or she should be given many concrete objects to feel

and manipulate. Accompanying these tactile experiences, verbal explanation describing shape, size, weight, hardness, texture, pliability and temperature are very helpful.

b. The teacher must provide additional stimulation to expand the child’s horizons, to develop imagery and to orient him or her to

a wide and varied environment.

c. Reading aloud to children is one of the most rewarding experiences that build listening skills. This is especially true with the visually impaired child.

d. Utilize sets of cassette tape for listening skill.

e. Children with impaired vision should be seated close to the chalk board or wherever material to be studied.

f. Encourage the child to use properly fitted glasses when reading.

g. Plan several short period of close work (such as reading book) rather than one extended period of continuous work.

h. Provide active assignment of some kind after close work

i.

Adjust shade so there is no glare on the chalkboard

j.

Minimize the use of machine that utilize a lighted screen

The modifications and adjustments on the teaching learning process of reading comprehension at SMP YKAB match with some of those suggestions given by Burns. The teacher had guided the students to explore some concrete objects to feel and manipulate. Also, reading aloud was frequently performed, as conversion to Braille caused more problems, besides improving the students’ listening skill. Assignments to do at were given after class, in order to ensure that the students studied at home. However, the utilization of cassette tape was not performed. Special magnifying glasses were not used in reading activity, as the teacher encouraged his students to read Braille. Due to the unnecessity, there was no white or black boards provided at any class.

A. Conclusion

Based on the result and discussion on the previous chapter, it can be concluded on the following:

1. Teaching Preparation

a. The material of English reading comprehension for students with visual impairment was the same as that for their peers at regular

schools.

b. It is believed that many techniques and strategies for seeing children are usually as effective as those for the visually impaired.

c. The problem was the lack of time to convert printed reading comprehension text into Braille

d. To solve the problem above, the teacher decided to more frequently dictate the text for the students

2. Teaching Application

a. In reading comprehension activity, due to the students’ vision condition, the reading texts were either converted into Braille or being verbalized.

b. The problem was on the difficulties in writing the words in correct spelling. Therefore, the teacher had to spell the words more clearly.

c. Limited conceptual ability was also indirectly decreased the students’ reading comprehension achievement. In order to anticipate the

problem, the students were encouraged to explore as many objects as possible in their environment from very early age.

d. The problem on the absence of Braille version of dictionary was solved by the establishment of dictionary software installed to cellular phone.

e. As the English teacher was not graduated from English department program, limitations and inaccuracy in delivering English material

happened.

teachers are also provided by government.

3. Evaluation

a. In the evaluation steps, the reading comprehension texts and the questions were dictated, as converting the text into Braille would waste

a lot of time and papers.

b. Many problems occurred due to this verbalizing of the evaluation text. However, it is considered better to dictate the text rather than

converting it into Braille.