Conference:
ECER 2008
Format:
Paper
Session Information
PRE_C8, Preconference; Paper Session C8
Paper Session
Time:
2008-09-08
13:15-14:45
Room:
BE 014
Chair:
Joana da Silveira Duarte
Contribution
INTERACTION IN A CLASS INCLUDING CHILDREN WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT: An experience from Tanzania.
Salvius.Kumburu@abo.fi
The aim of this study was to analyze the interaction in a class in which children with visual impairment were included. The main focus was on the nature and patterns of the interactions occurred during the teaching and learning process. The study was qualitative in nature employing participatory observation, video taping and field notes. The study involved 3 teachers and 10 children out of whom 5 with visual impairment and 5 sighted. The participants were purposively selected. The children were observed extensively for fourteen days interacting among themselves and with their teachers in the classroom in three different subjects: Math, English and social skills. Frequencies, nature and pattern of interaction were recorded for each subject for fourteen days. In math the number of times the teacher initiated interactions with children with visual impairment (VI) counted 4/35 interactions, while in English they made 19/53 and in social skills there were 7/36. Whereas, the number of times the teacher initiated interactions with the sighted children (NS) were: 9/35 in math, 21/53 in English and 14/36 in social skills. Frequencies of interaction were also recorded between teachers’ and the sighted pupils and children with visual impairment in every subject. The results showed that the number of times teachers interacted with sighted pupils compared to interaction with the visually impaired children were quite different in that teachers tended to interact more with the sighted than with the visually impaired children.On average was 30 for the VI and 43 for the NS .
Regarding patterns if interactions, the results indicated both the sighted and the visually-impaired children exhibited a definite type of interaction patterns as follows: Teacher with sighted pupil (T-PNS); teacher with visually impaired pupil (T-PVI) pupil. Also there patterns observed pupils interacted themselves: Sighted pupils with visually impaired pupils (PNS-PVI); Sighted pupils among themselves (PNS-PNS); Pupils with visual impairment interacting among themselves (PVI-PVI).The nature of these patterns indicated that children with visual impairment interacted mostly in help-seeking situations, whereas sighted children were active in asking and answering questions, making demonstrations in the lessons and acting out scenes during the teaching and learning process. Interestingly enough, children with visual impairment interacted more in English and social studies than in math during teacher initiated interactions. This may due to the fact that they are more active in listening than doing individual computation as the case in math.
From these results it can be concluded as follows children with visual impairment exhibit minimal interactions compared to the sighted pupils. Second, their interactions are mostly characterized by help-seeking, shy, reserved and passive and taking no active role in the teaching and learning process, they resort to remaining quiet most of the time.
Therefore, generally, it can be said that children with visual impairment when placed in regular appear to be less active compared to the sighted in the teaching and learning process.
Descriptors: Interaction regular classroom visual impairment sighted children
Expected Outcomes
Children with visual impairment included in regular classroom appear to be less interactive compared to the sighted children
References
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