Conclusions And Implications

Chapter 5

5.1. Implications and conclusions

While writing this diploma project I had a possibility to get to know the environment of visually handicapped students. However, most importantly isthat I learned how to teach blind and visually impaired students. I could see what kind of equipment and materials are used in school. Moreover, how the teacher was conducting lessons and whattechniques she was using. During the observations I made some interesting comments. Below I will present the most important of them.
First and foremost, I learned that if somebody would like to teach sightdisabled people, he or she has to know Braille Language. It is impossible to teach students with no knowledge of the Braille alphabet. The teacher has to have the possibility to check what thestudents are writing in their notebooks and if the spelling is correct. Moreover, we have to remember that tests must be prepared in Braille. Some teachers think that it is enough to replace written testinto spoken form. However, for blind and visually impaired children a written or spoken test make the same differences as for sighted students. Simply, for many students oral exams seem to be muchharder. Especially, a grammar test has to be made in written form. For these reasons, it is crucial for teachers to know the Braille alphabet and be able to check written form of exams and exercises.While writing this Diploma Project I have observed that teachers used mainly the basic equipment such as Braille machine, Braille ruler, and computers. This is connected with the fact that the school hasnot got much additional equipment which would allow students and teachers use it. Exercises are mainly repeated with the teacher or written in the notebooks. In consequence, lessons are lessattractive for students and they have fewer possibilities to learn this language.
A big disadvantage in teaching English language to blind and visually impaired students is the limited amount of...