The Implementation of English Teaching and Learning Process to Students with Visual Impairment.

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
The Implementation of English Teaching and Learning Process to Students with
Visual Impairment

1
1

Afifah Linda Sari, 2Sri Samiati Tarjana, 3Dewi Rochsantiningsih

(Student of Magister Program of English Education of Pascasarjana UNS)
alindapersada@gmail.com
2

(Magister of English Education Program of PASCASARJANA UNS)

3

(Magister of English Education Program of PASCASARJANA UNS)

ABSTRACT –This research aims at (1) describing the implementation of English teaching and
learning process to students with visual impairment including: (a) teaching and learning
documents; (b) implementation of teaching and learning process, and (c) the supporting
components on the English teaching and learning implementation; (2) finding the problems
encountered by the English teacher during teaching and learning process; (3) finding
proposed solution given by the English teacher to overcome the problems; (4) investigating
students’ achievement in the implementation of teaching and learning process.The research
was conducted at SMP YKAB Surakarta, Central Java. It was a qualitative research in the form
of case study. The subjects of the research were 7 students in the ninth grade of Junior High
School. The data analyzed through the researcher conducted three things namely: data
reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusion/verification. The curriculum, syllabus,
and lesson plan applied in English teaching and learning process to students with visual
impairment were equal with regular school. 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.
Keywords: English teaching and learning, visual impairments

INTRODUCTION

However, as quoted from kompas.

According to constitutions, Pasal 31

com

ayat 1 UUD 1945, everyone has the

assessed remiss in providing Braille

same

This

script for blind students who take

obligation means that all children have

national examination this year.” this is

the same right to learn at all stages of

due to the absorption and thinking skills

their development that are appropriate

of

and easily accessible to them. In this

inclusive

case, all the subjects should be taught

normal students. For that reason, the

whether the students are physically

government

normal or handicapped.

eliminating Braille script for inclusion

right

to

get

education.

1 

 

(04/24/12),

students

with

schools

“The

special
same

adopted

a

government

needs
with

in

other

policy

of

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
school. Even so, the government should

ability

pay attention to their rights of blind

students can express their knowledge in

students that provide Braille script in

source language into the target language

national examination. Therefore, they

(PeraturanMendiknas No. 22 dan 23

can be more independent in doing the

Tahun 2006).

exam.

and

in

epistemic

level,

the

Accessing the program of studies is

Basically,
impairment
mean

student
does

that

a

with

not

student

visual

often challenging for students with

automatically

visual impairment or blindness. It is

lower

because the students who are visually

intelligence, but it does mean that

impaired or blind have major problems

modified

in

ways

of

has

accessing

the

gaining

educational

or

learning

curriculum will be needed. In teaching

opportunities. In order to participate

learning process, it is essential for

fully

teachers not to hold low expectations of

environment,

students with impaired vision, but to

instruction from a trained professional

provide

in

many

new

challenges

and

within

such

the

these

educational

students

disability-specific

require

skills

as

encourage them to do as much as

Braille literacy and numeracy, assistive

possible.

technology

English as a subject should be
directed

to

provide

learners

skills,

use

of

low-vision

devices, career and life management

with

skills,

social

interaction

skills,

communicative competence both oral

independent

and written at a certain level of literacy

management skills, and orientation and

based on the rules of the use of English

mobility skills.

living

and

personal

by speakers. The aim of learning English

Nowadays, there are two kinds of

subject is developing skills in order that

educational system for the students

the graduates can communicate in the

with special needs, special school and

level

regular

of

literation

that

consists

of

school

with

inclusive

performative, functional, informational,

educational system. Exceptional school

and epistemic. In performative level, the

is a special school for students who

students have capability in mastering

have

four language skills, they are listening,

exceptional school-A is for children who

speaking,

reading,

In

have disorders in sight. In this way the

functional

level,

have

system called by regression. It means

capability in using language to fulfill the

that they learn separately from children

daily

who

necessity

and

the

such

writing.

students

as

reading

newspaper. In informational level, the

attend

disorders,

public

school

such

as

(regular).

Besides, regular school with inclusive

students get knowledge by language

educational system is an educational

2 
 

certain

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
system for the students with special

From

the

description

of

the

needs in regular school with certain

background, the problems formulated in

adaptation. In this study, SLB-A YKAB

this research are:

Surakarta appears as an exceptional

1. How

is

the

implementation

of

school for children with special needs

English teaching and learning to

which help the students to achieve an

students with visual impairment on

optimal development that appropriate

the ninth grade

with the level and type of specificity. In

School at SMP YKAB Surakarta?

this school, the students with visual

This question will be specified in the

impairment

following sub-questions:

get

special

service

to

acquire an education as any other

a. How is the documentation of the

sighted in regular school.
On
visual

the

contrary,

impairment

of Junior High

curriculum, syllabus, and lesson
students

have

with

plans applied?

difference

b. How is the process of English

language skills with sighted students.

teaching and learning to students

Indirectly, the visual impairment has an

with visual impairment?

effect on reading and writing skills. In

c. What

are

the

reading skill, visual function is replaced

components

on

by

teaching

and

fingertips

function.

Besides,

in

writing skill, the students used Braille

supporting
the

English
learning

implementation?

system which is based on rectangle

2. What are the difficulties found by

made up of six dot position. Therefore,

the

the writer of Braille writing is slower

teaching and learning process?

than writer which writes by alphabet

conducted

teacher

during

the

3. What are proposed solutions by the

letters.
Based

English

teacher to overcome the problem in
on
this

that

description,

research

on

I

teaching and learning process?

the

4. How is students’ achievement in the

implementation of English teaching and

implementation of English teaching

learning process at SMP YKAB Surakarta

and learning process?

as the one of exceptional school for

Based on the formulation of the

children with special needs that take

problem above, the objectives of the

English as one of the lesson material.

research are:

Besides, this research only focused on

1. To describe the implementation of

the students of the third grade junior

English

high school to prepare English material

process

for national examination.

impairment included teaching and

teaching
to

and

students

learning

with

visual

learning documents, implementation

3 
 

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
of teaching and learning process,

enabling learners to learn and also

and the supporting components on

setting

the English teaching and learning

(Brown, 1994: 7). Then, the teaching of

implementation

language is basically conditioned by the

2. To

find

out

the

the

conditions

for

learning

problems

nature of the subject. The concept of

encountered by the English teacher

language as a learning task is a complex

during the teaching and learning

of

process

experiences and elements, in which

interrelated

and

interdependent

3. To find proposed solution given by

growth proceeds simultaneously but in

the English teacher to overcome the

varying degrees, dependent on points or

problems during the teaching and

emphasis and interest (Patel & Jain,

learning process

2008: 29).

4. To investigate students achievement

Teaching

and

Learning

Process

in the implementation of English

consist of three main steps; they are

teaching and learning process.

planning, main activity or acting, and
evaluating.

Then,

the

process

of

LITERATURE REVIEW

teaching and learning involves not only

Traditionally, language learning focuses

one component to master the objectives

on language structure and elements

of teaching and learning but also needs

such as pronunciation, sentence and so

the others.

on. Now, some methods in language

According to Lado (1979: 58), for

learning have focus more on general

handicaps’ student, the principles have

communication skill and give bigger

to be modified or suspended. Blind

priority to the ability to express oneself

students, for example, cannot use an

meaningfully

and

oneself

ordinary textbook or visual aids. They

understood

than

grammatical

cannot use the phonemic alphabet. They

pronunciation.

may, on the other hand, have greater

Reaching the main goal of language

acuity in listening and a longer memory

learning, it is very important to have

span for speech than those who depend

language skills, both productive skills

on their sight for much their learning.

accuracy

covering

or

to
to

perfect

speaking,

make

writing,

and

According to Westwood (2008: 48),

receptive skills covering listening and

In the case of students with physical

reading (Richard and Rogers, 1998: 19).

disabilities (in the absence of other

The term of teaching is closely

handicapping conditions), the teaching

related to learning. Teaching could be

methods used are often the same as

defined as a set of activities involving

those applied in regular school. Student

guiding

and

facilitating

learning,

with

4 
 

visual

impairment

does

not

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
automatically mean that a student has

information

lower intelligence; but it does mean that

Sighted

modified

the

information “visual fixation”, in which

curriculum will be needed.It is essential

the field of perception from each visual

for

fixation

ways

teachers

of

not

accessing

to

hold

low

expectations of students with impaired
vision,

but

least

absorbed.

absorb

15

written

letters

(Simon

&Huertas, 1998).

challenges and encourage them to do as

should penetrate the paper when they

much as possible.

are writing. If it is not doing, the dots
visual

cannot arise and cannot be touched.

120)

That is why writing with Braille system

divides this type into two, partially

is slower than writing alphabet which is

sighted and legally blind. People who are

done by sighted person. The Journal

partially sighted usually have a visual

from

acuity between 20/70 and 20/200 after

Rattanavich (Ph.D) proved it that blind

the best possible correction has been

students usually learn how to read and

obtained. This means that they see at a

write more slowly than sighted students

distance of twenty feet what a person

since

with

development,

impairment.

degrees

many

at

can

be

Reading Braille writing, the students

are

provide

reader

can

new

There

to

that

Amstrong

unimpaired

vision

of
(1996:

sees

at

a

Associate

Professor

much

Saowalak

learning,

concept

and

detailed

distance of seventy to two hundred feet.

discrimination is a function of sight. The

While, people who are legally blind have

traditional

less than 20/200 acuity after correction;

starting with writing before reading,

however, they can see. They are readily

contrast

able to distinguish light from dark and

students, in which reading precedes

may also be able to read large print.

writing.

way

with

of

teaching

literacy

Braille,

learning

by

People who are totally blind often can
METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH

distinguish light from dark and see large

The subject of the research was the

from.

ninth grade students of SMP YKAB

Indirectly, visual impairment affects

Surakarta in the odd semester of the

on two language skills, reading and

academic

writing skills.The average of reading

identified

speed of visual impairment readers is

year
in

the

table

which

of

details

students.

about 90-115 words per minute, while,

Table 1.1 Details of Students

visual readers can reach 250-300 words

Name

Age

Level of Visual
Impairment
Totally blind with a
bit light perception
Totally blind with a

per minute (Simon &Huertas, 1998). This
result can be assumed that the main

Wahyu

15

cause of the difference is on the total of

Fajar

16

5 
 

2012/2013

Cause of
Visual
Impairment
Accident
Heredity

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
Kokok

16

Yohanes

17

Rizqi

18

Kemisih

19

Elsa

20

bit light perception
Low vision with
some
residual
vision on right side
Low vision with
some
residual
vision
Totally blind with
some
light
perception
Low vision with
some
residual
vision on right side
Totally blind with
no light perception

Optical
damage

to identify local content curriculum and

nerve

syllabus, English textbooks, lesson plans

Toxoplasmosis

and the condition of students.
The data analysis in qualitative

Optical nerve
damage

research involves three things namely

Optical nerve
damage

the

Premature

data

presentation/
conclusion

reduction,

the

data

and

the

display
drawing/

verification

(Sutopo, 2002: 90). In this study, the
The method used in this research

process of analyzing the data was aimed

was qualitative research in the form of
case

study.

Case

study

to

research

conducting

investigation

of

an
a

learning

empirical

the

to

students

with

visual

FINDING AND DISCUSSION
Standard curriculum

2003).Through case studies, researchers

meaning

for

for SMP

YKAB

Surakarta is equal as those applied in

hope to gain in-depth understanding of

regular school. Besides, the curriculum

those

of SMPLB is used by the students with

involved (Hancock and Algozzine, 2006:

multiple disabilities, for example, the

9).

students with visual impairment and
In collecting the data, the writer

mental retardation. The design of the

used three data collection techniques,
namely:

classroom

interview,

and

syllabus in English teaching is based on

observation,

document

KTSP

analysis.

also

get

prepare,

what he taught in class. He uses the

in-depth

implement,

and

evaluate

their

students.Then,

the

material

not make the lesson plan according to

lesson plan made by Badan Nasional

information on the practice of how
teachers

to

and learning process, the teacher does

freedom to the interview while the
could

the

used

students. On the contrary, in teaching

semi-structured

interview. It used because it gave

researcher

organize

is

study achieved by Junior High Schools

SMP YKAB Surakarta. After that, the
adopted

and

This

taught, and to describe the aims at the

the ninth grade of Junior High School of

researcher

curriculum.

describe

Classroom observation was conducted

Standard Pendidikan (BNSP) in guidance
book of RPP Mapel Bahasa Inggris untuk
SMP kelas IX. Through that source, he

researcher used the document analysis

6 
 

of

contemporary

using multiple sources evidence (Yin,

and

quality

impairment.

phenomenon within its natural context

situations

the

implementation of English teaching and

represents a much broader view. It
means

describe

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
elaborates with what is appropriate for

writing, and receptive skills covering

the students with visual impairment.

listening and reading. Listening skill is

Concerning with special education

the

most

important

skill

for

the

for students with visual impairments,

students because to deliver the material

Shea & Bauer (1996: 258) points out

or exercise the teacherusually gives it

that:

orally

Three

sets

of

needs

must

be

Achieving

the

objectives

of

the

addressed if schools are to provide

study, the teacher follows the process of

service

visual

teaching and learning included three

impairments. First, needs that can be

main steps activity in lesson plan:

met by adapting the curriculum;

opening, main activity, and closing. The

second, needs that require changes

teacher

in

not

approach in which the learning process

curriculum or objective; third, needs

is teacher-centered rather than student-

that are the direct result of visual

centered. It means that the learners act

impairments that cause a lack of

as the listeners without doing any other

incidental learning.

activities as the effort to construct their

for

learners

teaching

with

method

but

used

traditional

learning

There are four skills included in

own knowledge about the materials

English teaching and learning process to

which delivered by the teacher. This is

students

done because adapt to the conditions of

with

Visual

Impairment:

listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

the

In teaching process, all of these skills

auditory learners that learnt by what

are learned together or integrated in a

they heard.

learners

which

categorized

in

subject. The difference of the process

Students with visual impairment

between visual impairment and sighted

have difference language skills with

students is on the way of their study

sighted students. The impact of visual

which uses Braille, an alternative written

impairment on language skills, involve:

communication

fingertip

listening, speaking, reading, and writing

touch to read patterns of raised dots on

skills.Listening is the main important

the page. They change their visual

skill to improve the language skills for

function into auditory function and also

the students with visual impairment. It

they

is because the students change their

often

system

use

sense

by

of

touch

to

recognize the objects around them.
Richard

19)

They can catch much information and

supports the statement that it is very

get the instruction quickly from the

important to have language skills, both

teacher

productive

and

skills

Rogers

covering

(1998:

visual function to auditory function.

speaking,

another

through listening.

7 
 

or

auditory

source

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
In speaking skills they tend to think

that they already heard. As well as in

in a long time to express something

reading skill, if the source of reading is

directly without any preparation before.

the result of their own writing, they will

It could be because they nervous but it

be easily to read. However, if the writing

tend more to the lack of vocabulary. For

is in the form of Braille and that is a new

this case, it was not only happened to

source given to them, they will tend to

students with visual impairment but

be slower in reading.

also sighted students. Furthermore, the

According to Hallahan & Kaufman

lack of vocabulary of the students with

(1994: 363) ) the child who is blind still

visual impairment was caused because

to hear language and may even be more

basically they could not make sense of a

motivated than the sighted child to use

visual object. Besides, they tend to be

language because it is the main channel

passive which relied on their sense of

through which he or she communicates

hearing

with others. In this case, teacher’s role is

without

balanced

with

the

pronunciation of words.

really important to help the students

In reading skill the students tend to

achieve the goal of the study beside the

read slowly when the text was not

students themselves.

written by them, but it is easier if they
written

by

themselves.

The

The

text

other

English

things

teaching

support

and

the

learning

sometimes made them curious and they

implementation are the media used by

need rapid movement of their finger to

the teacher and also the teaching aids

spell the word. Not only the finger,

used

reading

the

impairment. The school provided non-

coordination of the movement of the

optical aids, tactual aids, and auditory

fingers, hands and arms. Therefore,

aids to facilitate the instruction of

Braille readers cannot do the same thing

learners with visual impairments.

with

tactual

sighted

involved

students

with

because

by

the

students

with

visual

the

The difficulties found out from

sighted students use eye movement to

students’ perspective are the lack of

read, while Braille readers use the tip of

textbooks in Braille, time limitation for

his fingers pass through all the letters of

students to do examination test and the

the text read.

long sentence of question text. Then, the

In writing skill, students seem a

difficulties

viewed

from

teacher’s

little bit slowly in writing English words.

perspective are the lack of teaching

When the teacher read about new word

media

the students ask the teacher to read

Then, proposed solutions by the teacher

more than once with its spelling. They

to overcome the difficulties are printing

tend to be slower in writing a vocabulary

classroom

management.

the material in Braille, providing English

8 
 

and

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
course to prepare students in national

Quotient (IQ) of each student. Besides, it

examination,

alternative

appears that the blind students proved

arranging

to have a higher achievement than low

teaching

providing

media,

and

classroom management.
Regarding

vision. It is showed that the different

with

students’

visual acuity, either low vision or blind

achievement in the implementation of

does

the strategy used by the English teacher

achievement. Otherwise, the level of IQ

in

is

teaching

and

learning

process,

table1.2 shows the score from each

not

more

influence

influenced

students’

in

students’

achievement rather than visual acuity.

skills of 7 students.

Shea & Bauer (1996: 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
Table 1.2. Students’ Achievement

the

learner’s

ability

and

ways

to

Skills

Name

W

accommodate the learners so that he or

70

70

she

70

70

L

S

R

Rizqi R.

75

75

Fajar WN.

75

70

Wahyu S.

75

65

70

70

similar to those of his or her sighted

Kemisih

70

60

65

70

peers.

Yohanes

70

55

65

70

Kokok J

65

55

60

65

Elsa C.

65

50

60

65

has

educational

opportunities

CONCLUSION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND

L: Listening
S: Speaking

SUGGESTION

R: Reading

After conducting the research of the

W: Writing

implementation of teaching and learning

According to Hallahan & Kaufman

process

(1994: 348), listening skills becoming

1. The curriculum, syllabus, and lesson

another skill is not important.

plan applied in English teaching and

In another case which related with
no

learning process to students with

difference

visual impairment are equal with

result in test which the question read by

regular

teacher or read by the student itself.

different

Therefore, the thing that determines in
students

achievement

is

visual

that:

important. It, then, doesn’t mean that

is

with

Surakarta, the result can be concluded

the increasing accessibility skill is not

there

students

impairment conducting in SMP YKAB

more important than ever because of

examination,

to

school.

There

objectives

in

are

no

teaching

English for the students with visual

Intellectual

impairment and sighted students.

9 
 

ENGLISH TEACHING
Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
The school provided

non-optical

the student with visual impairment, the

aids, tactual aids, and auditory aids

teacher is more focus in cognitive and

as the supporting components on

affective aspect. It does not mean that

the English teaching and learning

the teacher ignores psychomotor aspect.

implementation in order to facilitate

These three aspects are being controlled

the

by the teacher. This study is very

instruction

of

learners

with

visual impairments.

important

to

special

education

in

2. The difficulties found in teaching

Indonesia which is related to students

and learning process viewed from

with visual impairment. The description

students’ perspective are: The lack of

of implementing English teaching and

textbooks in Braille, time limitation

learning

for students to do examination test

impairment can be the guiding of the

and the long sentence of question

school which has visual impairments’

text. Then, the difficulties viewed

students. Moreover, it is expected that

from teacher’s perspective: The lack

this research can take benefit to develop

of teaching media and classroom

educational system.

management.

The

to

students

researcher

with

gives

visual

some

3. Proposed solutions by the teacher to

suggestions from the result of the study

overcome the problem are: printing

involved the suggestion for the teacher,

the material in Braille, providing

the students, and the school principals.

additional English class to prepare

(1) In conducting teaching and learning

students in national examination,

activities, it is advisable to the teacher

providing alternative teaching media,

to prepare and organize every detail of

and

activities in the classroom based on the

arranging

classroom

management.

students’

4. The difference visual acuity, either
low

vision

blind

requirements; (2) The students should

achievement.

learning English and aware with their

Otherwise, the level of IQ is more

study even though they have physical

influenced in students’ achievement

disabilities; (3) The school principals

rather than visual acuity.

should provide the material, guidance

The teacher holds the big role as the
key

curriculum

not be afraid to make mistakes in

students’

does

and

not

influence

or

needs

factor

in

the

book, and examination text in Braille’s

successful

print

to

make

the

students

more

implementation of curriculum changes

independent to study without helping

and learners categorized as the key

from private reader.

participants in curriculum development
projects. In developing the aspects to

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Vol. I, Issue 1 (2013), PP 1-11
http://jurnal.pasca.uns.ac.id
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