When people are learning a second language, they have to make use of all their senses. However, for people with any disability, the situation is different. For this investigation, the issue of creating awareness of blind students in the B.A in English of the language school of the University of Veracruz was searched. We used a mixed monograph, namely, research monograph and monograph of experience analysis. The method that was applied in this paper was the qualitative paradigm and we used the interview and the observation to know what was happening with a blind student in relation to her learning process.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter I
1. Teaching English around the world
1.1 Teaching English to Blind People
1.2 What the Mexican Goverment is doing to incorporate handicap students to the National Educational System
1.3 What is blindness?
1.4 Differences between a person who was born blind and a person who became blind in any phase of their life
1.5 Associations that help blind people
1.6 Materials and equipment used by the blind
1.7 The Braille system: The most used by the blind
Chapter II
2. Methodology
2.1 Method
2.2 Participants
2.2 Data collection methods
2.3 Procedure
Chapter III
3. Findings
3.1 Origin of Marj´s blindness
3.2 Difficulties that Marj has had to face up as a result of her blindness
3.3 Tools that Marj uses to work inside and outside the classroom
3.4 Marj´s family support
3.5 Marj´s teachers´ support
3.6 Marj´s partners support
3.7 Marj´s achievements
3.8 Associations that had helped Marj
3.9 Strategies that Marj uses to improve her learning
3.10 Important aspects about the Braille system mentioned by Marj
3.11 Experiences from Marj´s partners who have helped her
3.12 Marj´s life Project
3.13 More aspects about Marj
Chapter IV
4. Personal Reflection
Objectives and Research Themes
This research aims to raise awareness regarding the integration and academic experience of a blind student within the B.A. in English program at the Language School of the University of Veracruz. It seeks to identify the specific challenges faced by the student, the strategies employed by teachers and peers to facilitate her learning, and the impact of these interactions on her educational path.
- Educational inclusion of students with visual impairments in higher education.
- Pedagogical strategies for teaching blind students in an English language program.
- The role of family, teachers, and peers in supporting academic success.
- Use of Braille and assistive technologies in the classroom.
- Personal and academic history (life history) of a blind university student.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3 Tools that Marj uses to work inside and outside the classroom
Marj uses several tools which help her to write in Braille. Each one has different functions and shapes. Firstly, we describe the tools she uses to write in Braille, namely, the slate and the stylus. With the slate she places a sheet of paper over the lower strip and closes the upper strip and presses it into place to mark the dots which represent letters, numbers and punctuation marks. On the other hand, with the stylus she presses down through the small rectangular hole of the slate to make braille dots or cells. When the blind write in Braille, they have to punch the braille dots in reverse order (right to left), so that it can be read from left to right. This is what Marj (28.09.2016: 019-025) says in this respect: “Bueno para poder escribir en Braille utilizo mi regleta. La regleta tiene cuatro renglones, 28 cuadratines que tiene cada renglón, cada cuadratín tiene 6 puntos que se marcan del 1 al 6, del lado izquierdo esta el 1,2 y 3 y del lado derecho están el 4, 5 y 6 y escribo con el punzón que sería como si fuera mi lápiz. Escribo de derecha a izquierda y leo cuando volteo la hoja, de izquierda a derecha normal ya como ustedes.”
Another tool to write in Braille is the “tabla de trazos”, which is a table with a wood framework and with a net like a mosquito net. On this table, Marj puts a sheet and with a crayon, pen or pencil she can write script letters (M.28.09.16: 028-033). She almost does not use it now as when she was studying the primary, secondary and high school because she used it to make equations, geometrics figures, sums, etc. Nowadays, she only uses the tabla de trazos when she wants to draw (M.22.09.16: 003-012).
Summary of Chapters
Chapter I: This chapter provides a literature review on teaching English globally and specifically to blind learners, including definitions of blindness, its causes, and the Braille system.
Chapter II: This chapter details the qualitative methodology and life history approach used to investigate the participant's academic experiences at the University of Veracruz.
Chapter III: This chapter presents the research findings, documenting the student's journey, the tools she uses, and the support received from family, teachers, and partners.
Chapter IV: This chapter contains personal reflections on the findings, discussing recommendations for better institutional support and teacher training for blind students.
Keywords
Blindness, Braille system, Inclusive education, English language teaching, Life history, Academic support, Qualitative research, Visual impairment, Pedagogical strategies, University of Veracruz, Assistive technology, Student integration, Special education, Learning strategies, Educational inclusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the academic life and inclusion of a blind student enrolled in the B.A. in English program at the University of Veracruz, exploring her specific needs and experiences.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the pedagogical challenges of teaching blind students, the importance of inclusive education, the use of assistive tools like Braille, and the impact of social and academic support networks.
What is the main research objective?
The main objective is to identify strategies used by professors to teach a blind student and to understand how a blind student successfully acquires a new language within a mainstream educational setting.
Which scientific method was applied?
The study utilizes a qualitative research paradigm, incorporating a monograph format and a life history approach to gather detailed insights from the participant and her support network.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the origin of the student's blindness, her learning strategies, the specific tools she uses in and out of the classroom, and the support she receives from teachers and peers.
How is the research characterized?
The research is characterized by an empathetic, qualitative approach aimed at raising institutional awareness regarding the necessity of training and appropriate material for students with visual disabilities.
Why did the researchers decide to change the topic during the study?
Initially, they wanted to focus on teaching strategies, but realized upon observation that teachers lacked specific training and appropriate Braille materials; they shifted to "creating awareness" to highlight these gaps.
How does the participant, Marj, handle classroom assignments that are not in Braille?
She relies on the support of her classmates, who read the material aloud and write down her answers, or uses specific classroom adaptations where available.
What technical difficulties did the researchers encounter?
The researchers faced data loss during recordings and issues with equipment memory, leading them to ultimately use cellphones to ensure all interview data was successfully captured.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Copérnico Fernando Pereyra Centella (Autor:in), Fanny Nallely Hernández Sánchez (Autor:in), 2017, Creating Awareness of Blind Students, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/417885
