P-ISSN: 2827-9832

E-ISSN: 2828-335x

http://ijsr.internationaljournallabs.com/index.php/ijsr

967

TEACHING ENGLISH METHODS USED IN SEKOLAH LUAR BIASA

(SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS) NEGERI 2

SINGARAJA

Kadek Yati Fitria Dewi, Ni Luh Yaniasti

Universitas Panji Sakti

yatikadek@gmail.com, yaniastiunipas@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The choice of teaching method will be largely determined by several factors, one of which is the

characteristics of the student. Different characteristics of students require educators to always apply

variations in teaching methods. Likewise when teaching students with special needs. Students with special

needs can study in public schools (inclusion classes) and some attend special classes, for example in

Extraordinary Schools (SLB). This study aims to determine 1) the teaching methods used to teach English

for junior and senior high school students at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja; 2) problems encountered by teachers

in teaching English to SP and SMA students at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja. Data collection was carried out by

means of observation, interviews and literature studies (RPP). The data were qualitatively analyzed using

the Miles and Huberman model. The output of this research is not only in the form of articles and research

reports but also in the form of donations of ideas or ideas related to teaching methods that can be used in

teaching English to students with special needs at the junior and senior high school levels. The results

showed that 1) the teaching method most often used by English teachers at both the junior and senior high

school levels at Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri 2 Singaraja is a direct method, especially the drilling method;

2) The challenges that teachers often encounter in teaching English are limited focus and memory of

students on the subject matter, limitations in receiving and disclosing information and planned materials

often not in accordance with student needs when implementing learning.

Keywords: teaching method, English teaching and learning, students with special needs

This article is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

INTRODUCTION

The successful and effective process of teaching language English cannot be separated

from the competencies possessed by the teacher and the selection of the right teaching methods

(López, 2010). However, even though the process of learning English has been done well,

many learners of English, especially English as a foreign language, still encounter many

obstacles such as low motivation to learn, low confidence to communicate in English both

orally and written and high student reluctance in using the target language. To be able to

overcome these problems, English teachers are required to adopt and adapt varied and

appropriate methods to assist students in learning English and improve students' ability to

communicate both orally and written. In addition, teachers need to provide classroom activities

to encourage the use of English as much as possible not only inside but also outside the

classroom, so that it will help students in the process of acquiring the target language, namely

English. Jain & Patel (2008) suggest that language is learned through practice and that students

will be better exposed to the use of the target language. In line with that thinking, Hedge (2001)

states that once learners process the available language input, they will need a lot of practice to

create an understandable output. Encouraging students to use English for social interaction in

the classroom is one of the practical efforts that can increase students' confidence in using the

target language. Furthermore, Brown & Abeywickrama (2004) advocate that students get

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ample opportunities to practice the language. This will help students in the process of acquiring

language in a more natural context (Griva et al., 2010).

The things above are closely related to the teacher's ability in classroom management,

namely the ability to manage the classroom which includes the teacher's skills in managing the

classroom, managing the classroom (Gencer & Cakiroglu, 2007). learning activities and

creating a supportive and fun learning process to motivate students to learn languages

enthusiastically and improve their academic achievements. This relates to the opinion of

Norton & Toohey (2001), who state that good educators not only see the characteristics of

learners who learn but also understand what they are doing as an educator, including

understanding the teaching materials to be used, understanding the various methods, strategies,

and techniques used to teach.

It is undeniable that the use of approaches, methods, and strategies for teaching languages

can vary from one teacher to another (Kocyigit & Artar, 2015). This bias is associated with

differences in competencies and experiences possessed by teachers. The differences in

teaching approaches, methods, and strategies are also inseparable from the characteristics of

the students. Furthermore, speaking of the characteristics of learners, the term ‘characteristic’

comes from the word character i.e. psychiatric, ahlak, or ethical traits that distinguish a person

from others, character, disposition, turn into characteristics. Meanwhile, according to the

Indonesian dictionary, characteristics are characteristics in accordance with certain

representations. Student characteristics reflect patterns of behavior and ability resulting from

the carrying and social environment so as to determine the pattern of activity activities

(Meriyati, 2015). The desired goal of understanding the initial characteristics of the student is

to condition what should be taught, and how to condition the student to learn according to his

individual characteristics (Zimmerman, 2023). Student characteristics are one of the variables

of teaching conditions (Murnane & Phillips, 1981). These variables are defined as the

individual aspects or qualities of the student. Related aspects can be talents, interests, attitudes,

learning motivations, learning styles, thinking abilities, and initial abilities that he already has.

Students have different characteristics, one of which is children who have physical, intellectual,

emotional, and social limitations and are usually referred to as children with special needs

(ABK). These children in their development experience obstacles, so they are not the same as

the development of their peers. This causes children with special needs to need special

treatment. Children who have physical limitations do not necessarily have intellectual,

emotional, or social limitations (Theis et al., 2021). However, if a child has intellectual,

emotional, and social limitations, it usually has physical limitations. Abk usually receives an

education in special schools but there are also those who are able to attend education in public

classes or inclusion according to the conditions of students after going through a series of tests.

The subjects offered in schools for abk such as Extraordinary Schools (SLB) are not much

different from the material taught in public schools, namely, there are Mathematics subjects,

Indonesian, English, and others. It's just that there are differences in the approach and teaching

methods used.

One of the extraordinary schools for ABK is SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja where the students

at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja are those who experience tuna grahita (students/children with

abilities intellectual and cognitive who are below average compared to children in general),

deaf (students who have hearing loss), autism (students who have disorders neurodevelopment

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that results in impaired behavior and social interaction) as well as students who need other

special needs. The students of SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja are also divided into several levels like

public schools, namely elementary, junior high, and high schools. As already mentioned

above, the subjects received are not much different from public schools, only the approach and

teaching methods are different.

Talking about the approaches and teaching methods applied by educators in SLB,

especially SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja, this research was conducted to find out the method of

teaching English at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja, especially at the junior high and high school

levels. This research will directly observe the teaching methods used by teachers who teach

English at the junior and senior high school levels of SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja through direct

observation and interviews with teaching teachers.

METHOD

This research is descriptive qualitative using the Miles & Huberman (1994) model. As a

descriptive study, this study only exposes situations or discourses, does not look for

relationships, and does not test hypotheses or make predictions. The data in the study is in the

form of qualitative data (without numbers or numbers). This study used the Miles and

Huberman model to explain the English learning methods used by teachers at the junior and

senior high school levels at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja.

This research was conducted at the Buleleng State Extraordinary School 2 located on

Jalan Samudera No. 6, Singaraja, Banyuasri, Kec. Buleleng. In general, the school has + 148

students from all levels.

For the needs of this research, the selected research subjects were students of SLB Negeri

2 Buleleng at the junior high school level grades 7 – 9 and high school level grades 10 – 12.

The number of students in junior high school class VII is 17 people; Junior high school class

VIII with 9 students; Junior high school class IX with 9 students; Class X high school with 12

students; High school class XI has 6 students and class XII has 13 students.

The object of this study is the use of English teaching methods by junior and senior high

school teaching teachers at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja, the problems encountered and the

solutions used to overcome problems in teaching English at the junior and senior high school

levels at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja.

In this study, the qualitative method used in data collection focused on the method used

by teachers in English classes, especially at the junior and senior high school levels. This study

was conducted from July to September 2022 at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja. The participants of

this study were English teachers who taught at the junior and senior high school levels.

Data collection techniques use two primary data collection techniques, namely

observation, and interviews.

Observations

At this stage, direct observation was made on the English learning process at the junior

and senior high school levels at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja. The results of these observations are

documented in the form of photos and videos.

Interviews

The results obtained from the observation stage were verified to the resource persons,

namely English teaching teachers at the junior and senior high school levels at SLB Negeri 2

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Singaraja, and further to find out the obstacles and solutions that met the teacher concerned in

the implementation of English teaching methods.

Literature Study

At this stage, the results of observations and interviews are combined with the information

contained in the Learning Implementation Plan (RPP) document made by the teacher so that

the research results can be valid and reliable.

The qualitative data analysis technique used in this study is a model according to Miles

& Huberman (1994) which posits three concurrent flows of action; a) data reduction; b)

displaying data; and c) drawing conclusions/verification. In this study, data reduction refers

to the process of summarizing or choosing the teaching method used by teachers in English

teaching activities in the classroom. Data display applies in the form of tables, pictures, or

charts to organize and compile information about English teaching methods at the junior and

senior high school levels at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja so that it is easy to analyze and understand

by readers. Drawing conclusions is carried out when all main and supporting data are

considered valid and reliable and able to answer the formulation of the problems proposed in

this study.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja at the junior high school level, there are 3 classes, namely

class VII, VIII, and IX. In class VII there are as many as 17 students with different types of

specificities, namely 5 people experiencing mild grahita tuna, 7 people experiencing moderate

grahita tuna, and 5 students experiencing autism. At the junior high school level in class VIII,

there are as many as 9 students with various types of specificities including 1 person

experiencing mild grahita tuna, 7 people experiencing moderate grahita tuna and 1 person

experiencing hearing impairment. At the junior high school level in class IX, there are as many

as 9 students with specialties, including 4 students experiencing mild grahita tuna, 3 people

experiencing moderate grahita tuna, 1 person experiencing autism and 1 person was deaf.

For the high school level, there are 3 classes, namely class X, XI and XII. For class X,

there are as many as 10 students with specialties including 3 students with mild mental

impairment, 4 students with moderate deafness, and 3 students with hearing impairment. High

school class XI has as many as 6 students with a type of specificity including 3 students

experiencing mild grahita tunga graphite, and 3 students experiencing moderate grahita tuna.

As for class XII, there are 13 students including 6 students with mild mental impairment, 4

people with moderate mental impairment, 2 deaf, and 1 autistic student.

At the time of English language learning, the students, who used to be divided into several

study groups according to their type of specificity, were made into one study group when

attending lessons English. In other words, in one class consists of students with different types

of specificities. The learning process that students follow with various types of specificities in

one class makes the direct learning method, especially the drilling method, more often used

by teaching teachers. English.

The drilling method is a method of teaching by training students on the material that has

been taught/given to have the dexterity or skills of what has been learned (Sudjana, 2006).

Through the use of the drill method, students are expected to be able to possess motoris /

motion skills, for example, memorizing words, writing, using tools, making a shape, or

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carrying out movements in sports; develop intellectual skills, such as multiplying, sharing,

summing, punctuation, etc.; m have the ability to connect between a situation, for example,

the causal relationship of a lot of rain, there will be a flood, between letters and sounds, etc.;

use his thinking power which is getting better and better because with good teaching the

protégé will become better organized and more thorough in encouraging his memory; and

the knowledge of the protégé will increase in various aspects and the protégé will gain a better

and deeper understanding (Armai, 2002).

When using the drill method, the teacher can apply several steps, including preparing

questions or commands and their answers, asking questions orally, in writing, or give

commands to do something, listening to oral answers or checking written answers or seeing

movements done, re-asking a question or command that has been asked and hearing the

answer repeatedly. On the other hand, the student is asked to listen carefully to the question

or command that the teacher asks him, answer orally or in writing or perform the movement

as instructed, repeat the answer or gesture as much as the teacher request, and listen to the

next question or command. These steps are also seen in the implementation of learning in

junior and senior high school classes at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja.

The implementation of observations in class VII was carried out three times, namely on

September 22, 2022, September 29, 2022, and October 6, 2022; The implementation of

observations in class VIII was carried out three times, namely on September 21, 2022,

September 28, 2022, and October 5, 2022; The implementation of observations in class IX

was carried out three times, namely on September 20, 2022, September 27, 2022, and October

4, 2022. Based on observations during three meetings at each level, it can be seen that the

use of direct methods is used in each meeting. To support the observation results, an interview

with an SMPLB teacher at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja was conducted on September 20, 2022.

From the interview results, the teacher stated that the most widely used teaching method is the

direct method, especially lectures. This is done because in one class there are several types of

specificity so the lecture method is considered an effective method to use because the teacher

feels free to provide emphasis and variety of voices when delivering material, as well as the

speed at which explains can also be adjusted to the abilities of students who vary widely. This

method is also felt to help teachers freely identify student learning difficulties and then help

students directly when students encounter constraints in understanding the material.

In September and October 2022, observations were also made on the implementation of

English language learning at the SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja High School level.

The observation in class X was carried out three times, namely on September 21, 2022,

September 28, 2022, and October 5, 2022; The implementation of observations in class XI

was also carried out three times, namely on September 21, 2022, September 28, 2022, and

October 5, 2022, and English Language Learning at the SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja High

School level. Three meetings were also held, namely September 23 and 30, 2022, and October

7, 2022. In addition to making observations in each class at the SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja High

School level, the research results are also supported by the results of interviews to find out the

teaching methods used and the challenges that are faced in teaching English at the high school

level. Similar to teachers at the junior high school level, English teachers at the high school

level also use more drilling methods, especially lectures. The English teacher at this high

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school also felt that the use of lectures made it easier for teachers to deliver material to students

who had very varied needs. Teachers can also adapt lecture methods to students' abilities.

Furthermore, from the many observations made in several middle and high school

classes, there is one interesting thing in the learning process carried out by English teachers

both in Junior and Senior High Schools of SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja, because in one class

there are various types of student specificities, the teacher delivers the material individually,

namely the teacher goes around from one Student to other students explain the material over

and over again with different approaches. For example, teachers can slow down the speed of

speaking to some students who experience certain problems that cause these students to not

be able to focus on the teacher's explanation in a certain time relatively long. There are also

teachers who often give touches to students to make students' attention Back to the teacher's

explanation. On the other hand, there are also students who quickly understand the teacher's

explanation. There was even one child who had autism as long as the teacher explained, this

student showed no attention at all. The student is busy with his own activities, namely cutting

paper into small pieces from the beginning to the end of learning. However, when the teacher

asks this student to answer the questions given by the teacher, this child is able to give the

correct answer.

In general, the drill method has an excess in terms of a relatively short time, can be

obtained mastery and expected skills, and is embedded in regular study habits and discipline

in each child's personality. However, the drill method also has disadvantages, namely that it

can hinder the development of student initiative, pay less attention to its relevance to the

environment, and form automatic and rigid habits. Of course, this weakness is even more

challenging when the subjects being taught are abk children.

Common disorders experienced by students with mental impairment are lack of attention,

memory, language development, self-regulation, social development, and motivation. Occurs

variably in people with grahita (mild-heavy) tuna. Low ability to pay attention or low focus

can cause various problems in children. One of the problems that arise is the ability of

children to remember information and retain information that has been obtained and at the

same time receive new information. This is also a challenge for English teachers at SLB

Negeri 2 Singaraja where students' memory is very limited so teachers often have to repeat

last week's explanation so that students are able to receive and associate new information with

information they previously learned. By repeating the material, the learning target or goal is

often not achieved optimally. One of the things that teachers do is not too idealistic in placing

hopes on students to be able to master the subject matter optimally. Its main objective in

learning is to teach students to know about the different knowledge or information taught.

The limited focus of students during the lesson is also sought by the teacher by using learning

videos to overcome these challenges. With learning videos, students' focus increases during

the learning process.

In addition, the language development of students with special needs is usually also lower

than that of children in general, making it difficult for them to understand and produce

language, which automatically creates difficulties to understand for their interlocutor. This

obstacle to understanding and producing language is also the next challenge for English

teaching teachers at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja. Especially when students are taught about

English phrases in the form of long or rather complex sentences. This material will be very

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challenging for both teachers and students. One of the efforts teachers make to overcome

this challenge is to simplify the phrases taught to students. After that, students are invited

to do a mini role-play or simple role-playing to make students remember and use the phrases

they just learned.

One other challenge for English teachers at SLB Negeri 2 Singaraja is that the planned

material often does not match the needs of students. This relates to the type of specificity that

varies in one class causing teachers to not be able to use one type of teaching method and

medium. So that teachers overcome it by providing several types of teaching activities and

methods so that all children's needs can be met.

CONCLUSION

The teaching method most often used by English teachers at both the junior and senior high

school levels at Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri 2 Singaraja is the direct method, especially the

drilling method. The challenges that teachers often encounter in teaching English are limited

focus and memory of students on the subject matter, limitations in receiving and disclosing

information, and planned materials often not in accordance with student needs when

implementing learning. There are several efforts made by teachers to overcome the challenges

of teaching English at the junior and senior high school levels at Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri

2 Singaraja, namely repeating teaching materials and using teaching videos to help students

remember previous teaching materials and helping maintain student focus; simplifying

teaching materials to aid the understanding and use of the material students are learning; and

providing several types of activities and teaching methods so that all children's needs can be

met

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