Running head: EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT ENGLISH INSTRUCTION TO EFL STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AT FERNANDO VOLIO JIMENEZ HIGH SCHOOL AND AEROPUERTO JERUSALÉN HIGH SCHOOL IN PÉREZ ZELEDÓN COUNTY A Case Study By Carolina Solano Hidalgo Elvira Gutiérrez Pineda In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Licentiate’s Degree in Applied Linguistics in English Universidad Nacional, Brunca Extension, Pérez Zeledón Campus February, 2017 EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT ii Defensa de Proyecto de Graduación de la Licenciatura en Lingüística Aplicada con Énfasis en Inglés Presentado por las sustentantes Elvira Gutiérrez Pineda Carolina Solano Hidalgo Febrero del 2017 Tribunal Examinador: M. A. José Luis Díaz Naranjo _____________________________________ Decano de la Universidad Nacional- Sede Región Brunca M. A. Yalile Jiménez Olivares _____________________________________ Vicedecana en Representación de la Dirección Académica M.A. Cinthya Olivares Garita ______________________________________ Tutora del proyecto M.A. Lenna Barrantes Elizondo ______________________________________ Lectora M.A. Jorge Altamirano Alvarado ______________________________________ Lector Sustentantes: Carolina Solano Hidalgo ______________________________________ Elvira Gutiérrez Pineda ______________________________________ EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT iii Acknowledgements To begin with, we would like to thank God for allowing us to complete this research project since without His help, nothing would have been possible. Second, we are very grateful to our tutor M.A. Cinthya Olivares Garita for her patience, experience, knowledge and willingness to guide us in the way to fulfill this study. Then, we would like to give a profound thanks to the educational staff at Fernando Volio High school and Jerusalén High school; more specifically, to the principals and the teachers who treated us very kindly and cooperated with every requirement we had regarding the research. Forth, a great thanks to the students who were subject of this research project and their parents for their willingness to help us gather the data and complete the project. Fifth, we would like to thank our reviewers M.A Lena Barrantes Elizondo and M.A. Jorge Altamirano Alvarado for their willingness to collaborate with us throughout the final stages of this research paper. Sixth, thanks to the Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica, which granted us the scholarship to become professionals. Finally, a huge thanks to our families because they were always tolerant, patient and willing to collaborate with us in order to fulfill this research project. They have been part of the motivation we had to keep on working until the end. Carolina Solano Hidalgo Elvira Gutiérrez Pineda EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT iv Dedication I dedicate this project to my husband Julio César Pérez. Thanks for being right there when I needed you and supporting me in the most challenging moments. Thanks for your willingness, love and patience; you were a great motivation for me. Also, I dedicate this work to God, who has never left me alone and has been there to support me in the most difficult situations. Carolina Solano Hidalgo EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT v Dedication I dedicate this work to my family Pineda and my boyfriend Fabián López that accompanied and supported me emotionally, challenging me to be better every day. They were always willing to give advice and extra support when required. Thanks for your love and motivation. Also, I dedicate this study to all the professors who not only instructed us to be excellent teachers, but human beings. Most importantly, thanks to God that provided me this opportunity to study at UNA and to become a professional. Elvira Gutiérrez Pineda EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT vi Table of Contents Signature Page………………………………………………………………………………ii Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………...iii Dedication…………………………………………………………………………….………iv Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………….…..vi List of Tables…………………………………………………………………..….….…...…x List of Figures…………………………………………………………………...……………xi List of Abbreviations………………………………………………………………… ... …....xii Abstract…………………………………………………………………………...… .... …...xiii Chapter One: Introduction…………………………………...….……………………………..2 Background of the Study…………………………………………………….…………..…….3 Purpose of the Study…………………………………………… ................................. ………7 Central Question …………………………………………………………..…………… ..... …9 Associated Subquestions…………………………………………………………….………...9 Significance of the Study…………………………………………………………… ....……...9 Limitations……………………………………………………………………… ... …… ... ....12 Delimitations……………………………………………………………………… ... ………12 Definitions……………………………………………………………………………..…......13 Chapter Two: Review of the Literature………………………………...……….……………16 English Teaching in Costa Rica……………………………………………………..……..17 English Teaching in Costa Rica and Its Pedagogical Basis………………………...………..20 The Law 7600 for Equal Opportunities in Costa Rica………………………… ................. ...23 Educational Supports: Curricular Accommodations in the Costa Rican Academic System……………………………………………………………………………………......25 EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT vii The 7600 Law, Costa Rican Educational System and Students with Special Needs……………………………………………………………………..……………….....28 Teaching English to Learners with Visual Impairment: The Most Frequent Cases in the Brunca Region……………………………………………………………………….………30 The Role of the Teachers to Support Students with Visual Impairment……………………………………………………………...…………………..36 The Role of Assessment in EFL Teaching to Students with Visual Impairment…………………….……………………………………………………………37 Chapter Three: Methodology………..…………………………………...………… .......... .40 Research Design...……………………………………..…………………………… ..... ….41 Site Selection……………………………………………………………………….…..…..42 Participant Selection…………………………………………………… .................... …….43 Role of the Researchers………………………………………...…………………… ... …..47 Data Collection……………………………………………………….……...………...…...48 Interview with Parents. …………………………………….………….……...…....49 Interview with the Students……………………………… ..... ………..……….…..49 Questionnaire for the EFL Teachers…………………… .......................... ………..50 Observation Checklist……………………………….…………………………….50 Researcher’s Log…………………………………………...….…………….……..51 Questionnaire for the Support Committees……..………………… ....... ……..…..51 Questionnaire for the English Regional Advisor……………………………….51 Questionnaire for the Specialist from the Helen Keller Institute……………52 Interview with the MEP Regional Coordinator of Special Education………...……..52 Didactic Materials………………………………………...…...…………………...52 EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT viii Data Analysis …………………………………………………….………………………53 Research Schedule……………………………………………………………………...….54 Chapter four: Data Analysis …………………………………...……………...…..………57 Analysis of Question #1: Needs of Students with Visual Impairment…………………….58 Students’ viewpoints. .……………………………………….……………………58 Parents’ viewpoints……………………………………….…………..…………...58 Teachers’ viewpoints.……………………………………...……………..……..…62 Analysis of Question # 2: Teaching Strategies Implemented to Instruct Students with Visual Impairment…………………………………… .. …………………………………64 Analysis of Question # 3: The Resources Available to Instruct Students with Visual Impairment…………………………………………………………………...……………75 Chapter Five: Conclusions and Recommendations…………………………...…….……..80 Conclusions………………………………………………………………………… ..... ….81 Recommendations………………………………………………...………………………..84 Proposal description………………………………………………………………..88 References …………………………………………………………………………………89 Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………95 Appendix A: teachers’ booklet……………………………………………..………96 Appendix B: students and parents’ booklet…...……………… ......... ….………….97 Appendix C: diagnosis instrument…………………..………….………..…...……98 Appendix D: instrument # 1 interview with parents……………………………….99 Appendix E: instrument # 2 interview with the students …………………………100 Appendix F: instrument # 3 questionnaire for the EFL teachers …………….……101 Appendix G: instrument # 4 observation checklist ………………………………..102 EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT ix Appendix H: instrument # 5 log………… ......................... …………………...….103 Appendix I: instrument # 6 questionnaire for the support committees ..............….104 Appendix J: instrument # 7 questionnaire for the English regional advisor…………………..………………………………………………………...105 Appendix K: instrument # 8 questionnaire for the specialist from the Helen Keller institute……………….………………………………………………………..…106 Appendix L: instrument # 9 interview with the MEP regional coordinator of special education…………………….………………………….……..……………….…107 Appendix M: instrument # 10 didactic materials…………………… ....…….…..108 EFL TEACHING STRATEGIES AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT x List of Tables Tables Table 1. Needs of visually challenged students when studying English according to parents .... …………………………………………………………………………………59 Table 2. Needs of visually challenged students when studying English according to student A and student B…………………………………………………………………………...60 Table 3. Needs of visually challenged students when studying English according to teachers……………………………………...……………………………………………. 63 Table 4. Teachers ’strategies to instruct students with visual impairment …………..……65 Table 5. Committees’ information about resources available and procedures in the educational institutions when treating cases of visually challenged learners………….….76 Table 6. Interview