Publication: Adoption of Mainstream Curriculum in Teaching English as a Second Language to Deaf Children in Oman: Analysis of the Challenges, Curriculum Relevance, Effectiveness of the Pedagogy, and Behaviour of School Children
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Date
2023-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
Abstract
This study seeks to examine the challenges faced by the teachers and students in schools adopting mainstream curriculum in teaching English as a second language (L2) to deaf children in Oman. This is in line with the Government of Oman’s effort in introducing an inclusive education program in 2005 in the attempt to integrate children with disabilities, including deaf children in the Omani mainstream schools. Yet adopting the mainstream curriculum for teaching English to the deaf children in Oman and other countries has raised a lot of problems and challenges for the teachers and the deaf children. Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this study embarks in investigating the extent of the relevance of the existing mainstream curriculum structure and the effectiveness of the present pedagogy implemented in English language classes for the deaf children in selected schools in Oman. This includes examining attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control and intention of deaf children involved. To this end, a sample of 41 from the population of 46 deaf children studying English as (L2) from (Dhofar region in Oman) and a total of 6 English teachers for the deaf children were selected to solicit their opinions on the challenges, curriculum relevance and effectiveness of the pedagogy used in teaching English. To ensure in-depth insights on the issues, a questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale was designed as well as a set of interview questions was employed along with teachers’ diaries. The data collection took four months [September – December 2019] for both the survey and interviews. The quantitative data obtained were analysed using SmartPLS (version 3), and the interview and diaries data were thematically analysed. Major findings from the quantitative survey supported two hypotheses: Attitude (H1) and Perceived Behavioural Control (H3), stating that they have significant positive effects on the intention of the deaf children towards mainstream curriculum adopted in teaching English. Findings from the qualitative data show that the inclusive curriculum is largely relevant but vary with levels of classes, while the pedagogy used in teaching English to deaf children is acceptable. Findings from the teacher’s diaries show that deaf children have difficulties comprehending abstract concepts, writing emails, and reading long sentences. Meanwhile teachers are found to lack training and professional development, teaching materials and teaching devices are also found to be inadequate. The study concludes that the attitude of the deaf children needs motivation towards learning, a special curriculum for the deaf children is required, topics in the syllabus needs review, besides the teachers needing training, and teaching devices for the deaf children should be improved.
Description
Matric: 4160040 (FPBU)
Keywords
Deaf--Education--Oman, English language, English language--Study and teaching--Foreign speakers, Disabilities, deaf children
Citation
Ashraf Said Ramadhan Bait Darwish. (2023). Adoption of Mainstream Curriculum in Teaching English as a Second Language to Deaf Children in Oman: Analysis of the Challenges, Curriculum Relevance, Effectiveness of the Pedagogy, and Behaviour of School Children [Doctoral dissertation, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia]. USIM Research Repository.