COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES OF TEACHERS IN TEACHING PRE-LINGUAL DEAF PUPILS IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS

Abstract

This study was aimed at conducting a situational analysis of the communication challenges of teachers in teaching pre-lingual Deaf pupils in inclusive classrooms. Among others the study tried to establish communication challenges which teachers are facing in teaching pre-lingual Deaf pupils and the levels of sign language training for teachers of the pre-lingual Deaf. The study was also meant to find out how the communication strategies those teachers can employ to effectively address Deaf learners who acquired deafness before they were able to learn a spoken language in inclusive classrooms. The study adopted the case study design. The population comprised one school with two classrooms selected. The two classrooms had a population of 81 pupils. Of the total number of pupils in the classrooms there were 25 pupils with pre-lingual deafness, 24 post lingual Deaf pupils, 5 Hard of Hearing, and 27 hearing pupils. The pupils were not interviewed but only took part in the study through the observations that were conducted by the researcher. Six teachers were purposively selected to take part in the study. Information was gathered through interview guide directed to the teachers and observation checklists which the investigator used for collection of classroom observed data. Teachers were interviewed using face to face interviews. Observations were employed to crosscheck information from the interviews. The data was then analyzed qualitatively by coming up with categories of responses, themes and sub themes. Also where necessary simple quantitative techniques such as percentages and frequency tables were used. The study revealed that the majority of the teachers teaching in the two classrooms investigated never underwent comprehensive training in Sign language. It also revealed that Sign language is mainly a first language for pre-lingual Deaf learners and failure by teachers to use as a mode of communication thwarted the achievement of learning outcomes. It was discovered that teachers use Ethiopian Sign language rarely, signed Amharic\English while they are using spoken language, in which they code switch naturally. The study revealed that the major challenges which teachers and pupils face are lack of skill of Sign language, limited vocabulary of Ethiopian Sign language and limited learning and teaching materials in Sign language. The study also revealed that teachers try to overcome these challenges by learning SIGNS from the learners, consulting from more experienced teachers of the Deaf, using student interpreters, more depending on visual aids like chart and pictures, attaching learners with pre-lingual deafness to study buddies and creating new signs for words which are new to both the teachers and the pupils. Lastly the study revealed that the overwhelming majority of the teachers want in service training in Ethiopian Sign language.