The Nature of Pupil Interaction and Challenges Faced by Teachers and Pupils when Implementing Inclusive Teaching/Learning in ESL Classrooms

Abstract

Inclusive education is the type of education that puts all the pupils regardless of their physical or mental disabilities to learn together. For example, the deaf learners put in the same class with the learners who are not deaf. The study aimed at analyzing language practices in selected inclusive education classrooms that have learners with hearing impairments in selected secondary schools of central province. The study was anchored on two objectives as follows: analyze language strategies teachers used when teaching English Language in inclusive classes and to asses the nature of interaction between the pupils with hearing impairments and those without hearing impairments. The method used was mixed methods, mainly qualitative and a bit of quantitative data was collected. The design was descriptive employed through face to face interviews, document analysis, focus group discussions and classroom lesson observations. 16 teachers of English Language and 180 pupils who were purposively sampled participated in the study and the findings were analyzed thematically and statistically.  The study established that there were various Language Practices that teachers and learners used when teaching/ learning in inclusive classes of the hearing impaired learners and the non-hearing impaired. The Language Practices that were mainly used were simultaneous use of verbal and sign language, use of language interpreters among teachers who did not know sign language, interpretation of sign language to verbal language in a class where teachers could not only use sign language as well as use of pictures and videos to deliver lessons. The nature of nature was such that pupils interacted in class when the teacher was around but did not interact outside where teachers were not present. There was discrimination and abuse of with each other which led to groups avoiding each other. The study recommended that government should put in a deliberate policy to train more teachers of special education on how to use the standard sign language to alleviate the shortages.Inclusive education is the type of education that puts all the pupils regardless of their physical or mental disabilities to learn together. For example, the deaf learners put in the same class with the learners who are not deaf. The study aimed at analyzing language practices in selected inclusive education classrooms that have learners with hearing impairments in selected secondary schools of central province. The study was anchored on two objectives as follows: analyze language strategies teachers used when teaching English Language in inclusive classes and to asses the nature of interaction between the pupils with hearing impairments and those without hearing impairments. The method used was mixed methods, mainly qualitative and a bit of quantitative data was collected. The design was descriptive employed through face to face interviews, document analysis, focus group discussions and classroom lesson observations. 16 teachers of English Language and 180 pupils who were purposively sampled participated in the study and the findings were analyzed thematically and statistically.  The study established that there were various Language Practices that teachers and learners used when teaching/ learning in inclusive classes of the hearing impaired learners and the non-hearing impaired. The Language Practices that were mainly used were simultaneous use of verbal and sign language, use of language interpreters among teachers who did not know sign language, interpretation of sign language to verbal language in a class where teachers could not only use sign language as well as use of pictures and videos to deliver lessons. The nature of nature was such that pupils interacted in class when the teacher was around but did not interact outside where teachers were not present. There was discrimination and abuse of with each other which led to groups avoiding each other. The study recommended that government should put in a deliberate policy to train more teachers of special education on how to use the standard sign language to alleviate the shortages.