AN ANALYSIS OF TEACHING ENGLISH TO TUNA

GRAHITA STUDENTS OF SLBN 01 JOMBANG

UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
BY:
ILHAM RIZKY INFANTRI
175110501111014

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE EDUCATION

FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES

UNIVERSITAS BRAWIJAYA

2021
AN ANALYSIS OF TEACHING ENGLISH TO TUNA GRAHITA
STUDENTS

UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented to
Universitas Brawijaya
in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Sarjana Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris

BY
ILHAM RIZKI INFANTRY
NIM 175110501111014

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE EDUCATION
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITAS BRAWIJAYA
2021
 DECLARATION OF AUTHENTIC

Herewith I,

Name : Ilham Rizky Infantri

NIM : 175110501111014

Address : Ds. Pandanwangi Rt. 21 Rw. 05 Kec. Diwek Kab.Jombang

Declare that :

1. This undergraduate thesis is the sole of work of mine and has not been written in

collaboration with any other person, nor does it include, without due

acknowledgment, the work of any other person.

2. If at later it is found that this undergraduate thesis a product of plagiarism, I am

willing to accept any legal consequences that may be imposed upon me.

Jombang, 24 September 2021

Ilham Rizky Infantri

NIM. 175110501111014
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The writer would like to Praise and Gratitude be to God for the mercy and blessing,
so that the writer could finish the undergraduate thesis entitled “An Analysis Of
Teaching English To Tuna Grahita Students Of SLBN 01 Jombang” In this precious
chance, the writer intends to thank and appreciate a lot of people who supported, gave
advice, motivated, and sent prayers to the writer. Firstly, the writer would like to
express a deepest gratitude to the Supervisors Mrs. Alies Poetri Lintangsari for their
suggestion, advices, valuable times and kindness to guide me in writing and finishing
this thesis. This thesis is nothing without their meaningful guidance. Furthermore,
the greatest gratitude is dedicated to my big family, particularly to my beloved
father and mother (Mr.Sam Malkan and Mrs. Nur Chamidah) who always motivate,
pray and love me unconditionally. I realize that, this thesis is still far from the
perfection. Therefore, correction, criticism and suggestion from the reader are needed
to complete this thesis. Hopefully, this thesis can give fabulous insight, benefit and
inspiration to all readers.

Jombang, 24 September 2021

The Writer
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the background of the study, problem of the study, objective of the
study, significant of the study and scope of the study.

1.1 Background of Study

A Education is a conscious and planned effort to create a learning atmosphere and

learning process so that students actively develop their potential to have spiritual strength,
self-control, intelligence, noble character, and skills needed by themselves, society, nation
and state as stated in Law no. 20 of 2003 concerning National Education System. In the
National Constitutions 1945, section 31 states that: “All citizens are entitled to receive
teaching and education. This means that the country without exception, both for normal
and development disorder, such as physical, mental, emotional, and social or behavior”.
Education held for children with disabilities in Indonesia has been regulated in the Decree
of the Minister of Education and Culture. No. 0491/U/1992 on Special Education held for
learners who have physical disorder, mental retardation, behavior and social abnormalities.

Teacher is the key in teaching learning process. Teacher has responsibility to

educate students, including to special need students. It is not an easy task to help the
special need students think differ in what the exactly they learn. (Crombie, 2003 as cited in
Hasanah, 2014). Therefore, teacher needs to help the student to understand their own
language structure before teaching foreign languages to students who has not yet mastered
basic knowledge in their own native language. Moreover, special need students.

Based on BSNP (2006) that English subject has been standardized by BSNP
(Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan) of Indonesia that English is included as subjects that
are taught in SLB-B. Same with the other schools. SLB-N Jombang and SLB Darul Ulum
have include English language as its subject. Althought, SLB students, English is a new
material that takes a special ability to be able to understand it well. Obviously, learning for
special need students require a support, teacher’s encouragement and professional help,
 appropriate curriculum, organization, syllabus, evaluation system, cooperation among
teachers, administrators and parents, positive school atmosphere-these are just some of the
ways to success all children learn to an extent. As far as the foreign language is concerned,
the success may depend on the complexity of the language, grammar, spelling, phonology,
and etcetera. (Hasanah, 2014).

As we know, not all of the students are similar. There are some students who have
special needs. It can be mentioned that there are normal and exceptional students.
Blackhurst and Berdine (1981: 9) defined that exceptional children as children who have
physical, mental, behavioral, or sensory characteristics that are different from the ordinery
children who require special education and related services to develop their maximum
capacity.

In this research, special need child or exceptional chilren is Tuna Grahita. Tuna
Grahita students have difficulties to understand foreign language like English. Because
Tuna Grahita children are include in children with special need who is experiencing
disruption in mental development. The disorder is caused due to low intelligence; Tuna
Grahita child is having the intelligence of 30-50. (Efendi, 2006).

Researcher got the information from English teacher when observed a SLB-N in
Jombang city that Tuna Grahita children have limitation to concerned foreign language
and incapable of thinking abstract and convoluted. Sometime, teacher has difficulties to
teach English as second language or foreign language which is one of material at
curriculum. It is interesting to study more in the case ofteaching and learning English
language process for Tuna Grahita students with their inadequacy and problems of it.
Curiosity brought the researcher to conduct a descriptive qualitative research for that
matter.

1.2 Research Questions

Based on the background of the study above, the reseaercher formulated research
question in carrying out this study as follows:
1. What difficulties and challenges do teachers face when teaching English to Tuna
Grahita Students of SLB-N in Jombang city?
2. How English teachers overcome the obstacles or the difficulties when teaching
English to Tuna Grahita student of SLB-N in Jombang city?
1.3 Research Objective
There are two objective of study that should be drawing up to ensure the
aims of the thesis. They are :
1. To know the difficulties and challenges of teachers in teaching English for special
need students especially for Tuna Grahita students.
2. To know how the English teachers overcome the obstacle or the difficulties in
teaching English to Tuna Grahita students.

1.4 The Significance of this study

First, this study can be useful reference to provide information for English
teacher who teaches English, especially teaching English to special need students.
Second, for researcher who will make study about Tuna Grahita, this study can be a
reference. Third, for the researcher who will be English teacher, this study can useful to
add knowledge about special need students.
1.5 Scope of the study
The Scopes of study is SLB-N in Jombang city. The reason why the researcher
choose this SLB-N because the writer think that SLB-N has Tuna Grahita students, the
school has easy access because the teachers are friendly, and also economically, the
researcher do not spend much time and money. The researcher observes three English
teachers and also the methods that teacher implemented during teaching learning
English process. Then, the researcher also observes the difficulties and challenges that
teacher faced and their solution.
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter the writer will presents some related theoretical frameworks and some

previous studies that related to this study. There are Tuna Grahita and Teaching Learners

with Tuna Grahita or Mental Retardation.

2.1 The Defenition of Tuna Grahita

According to Somantri (2007, p.103) as cited in Widiastuti (2014, p.15) stated

that “the word “Tuna Grahita” come from the word “Tuna” and “Grahita”. Tuna means

lost, while Grahita means thought or mind. Besides that, there are some other terms

which refer to Tuna Grahita such as mental retardation, mental deficiency or defective”.

Furthermore, children with mental retardation in Indonesia is called as Tuna Grahita.

Tuna Grahita is children that have learning problems which is caused delaying the

developing intelligence, mental, emotional, and social. (Delphi, 2009 cited in

Susilowati & Rahayu, 2016). Basically, there are five bases that can be used as a

foothold conceptual in understanding the Tuna Grahita of Herbart J. Prehm in Rochyadi

(2005) cited in Arifah (2014) are: 1) tunagrahita is a condition, 2) condition is

characterized by mental abilities far below average, 3) have barriers in social

adjustment, 4) related with organic damage to the nervous system, and 5) Tuna Grahita

cannot be cured.

American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) (2002) stated that mental

retardation is a significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adptive

behavior, such as in conceptual, practical adaptive skills, and social. In addition,

 National Information center for Children and Youth with Disability (NICHCY), noticed

that mental retardation is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental

functioning and in skills such as communicating, taking care of him or herself, and

social skills. The other difines from Heber, (1959) as cited in Muhammadian &

Dolatabadi (2016) that according to the American Association on Mental Deficiency,

mental retardation refers to the intellectual function of the average intellectual

originating during the developmental period and it‟s related to the decline in adaptive

behavior. Then, WHO (World Health Organization) (1996) has argued that mental

retardation is an incomplete state of mind development, that is primarily characterized

by a decline in the ability manifested during the developmental period, contributing to

the overall level of intelligence, ie cognitive, language, motor, and social abilities.

Based on the opinions of the experts above, the authors conclude that Tuna

Grahita is a condition where somebody experiences obstacles in intellectual

development, caused delaying the developing intelligence, emotional, mental and

adaptive behavior.

2.2 Classification and Characteristics of Tuna Grahita

The clasification of Tuna Grahita or mental retarded according to Lynch (1978) in

her book the under title ‘Children with Mental retardation; A Guid for Teachers,

Parents, and Others Who Work with Mentally Reatardeed Preschool. There are three

level or clasification of Mental retardation.

1. Mild Retardation

Mildly retarded children called "educable mentally retarded." They may be

good in motoric activities but have some trouble speaking, remembering things,

following directions, and coordinating the use of their eyes and hands. They are slow
 to learn routines and simple games, and may not be able to put all their thought into

words. Midly retarded should be able to learn most of the activities in a classroom,

but will probably need more help and more practice than the other children.

2. Moderate Retardation

Moderately retarded children are sometimes called “trainable mentally

retarded". They are very late in talking, have trouble remembering things, and tend

to behave like children about half the age. In class, a teacher needs to show them

many times how to do something. Teachers should use a simpler language to explain

things, and break the activity into small parts that can be taught and practiced one by

one.

3. Severe and Profound Retardation

Severely and profoundly retarded, like a baby, require help with all of their

daily needs. Because they need so much care and support, therefore, many of special

problems with movement and feeding that requiring help from an occupational

therapist.

Then, it is not too difference with Sobur (2003), he clasificated in four of

clasification of Tuna Grahita:

a. Mild Mental retardation (Inferior) (IQ: 51-70)

They do not appear to be a retarded child by an ordinary person. But they can

learn practical skills, read or count up to grade 6 elementary level, but must be

educated in extraordinary school not in public school and can achieve skills for

social adjustment and work for self-preservation but done slowly. Therefore, They

requires periodic support and guidance when experiencing unusual economic or

social pressures.

b. Moderate mental retardation (moron) (IQ: 36-51).

 Children with Moderet retarded have slow in moving and talking and

communicating simply, but still able trained to do simple tasks to help their selves,

able to trained in simple thing skills, able to walk alone in known place, but unable

to take care his/her self.

c. Server Mental Retardation (imbecile) (IQ: 20-35).

They are slow in motor development, little or no communication skill, still

able to trained for basic skills to help his/her self , can perform daily activities that

are routine and repetitive and requires guidance and supervision in a protected

environment.

d. Profound mental Retardation (idiot) (IQ below 20).

They have a classification in motor function sensory functions but slow in all

aspects of development and difficult to understand conversation. Next, they show

basic emotions, may be they able to trained to use hands, feet and jaws but they do

not able to take care of themselves and require close supervision.

However, many various ways of looking at classifying children mentally disabled

or mental retardation through classification view of education, necessities in learning,

etc. Such as Mumpuniarti (2007), she clssified children with mental retardation in

educational view. She said that, classify children Tuna Grahita based on its ability to

follow education or guidance. Grouping by the classification, is Tuna Grahita able to

learn, able to train, and need care. Classification can be reviewed as follows:

1) Able to learn, tuna grahita included in the classification capable these learners are

mild, borderline, marginally dependent, moron, and debil. Their IQs range from 50 /

55-70 / 75.
 2) Able to train, the ability of tuna grahita in this class is equivalent with moderate,

semi dependent, imbecile, and has a level IQ intelligence ranges from 20 / 25-50 /

55.

3) Need care, which included in the classification need to care is children who are

totally dependent or profoundly mentally retarded, severe, idiot, and the level of

intelligence 0 / 5-20 / 25.

2.3 The Causes of Tuna Grahita

Generally, Tuna grahita is caused by some features which have been built, and

each student has different causes which bring them to disability. Bekelis & J Singer

(2016) stated that persons with mental retardation who have major malformations and

related health problems, which are more common in people with more severe levels of

disability, may have shorter life expectancy based upon these conditions. For example,

individuals with down syndrome may develop early dementia of Alzheimer's dementia

with pathological findings typical for that disease, with related morbidity and mortality.

According to Kemmis and Rosna Wati (2013) in Widiastuti (2014), those factors are:

1. Genetic Factor

Genetic factors occur when there is biochemical or chromosomal abnormalities in

human body.

2. Pre-Natal accidents which happen during the process of birth or the presence of

rhesus factor and ruble infection attack during pregnancy.

3. Post-Natal accidents which are caused by infection such as meningitis and nutrition

problems of which the children are lack of nutrients and proteins during pregnancy

and baby growth process.

4. Socio-Culture Factor
 Thus the way society and culture factors affect students with disabilities in their

self-development, especially in developing their intelligent, society and particular

culture.

5. Metabolism Disorder

Metabolic disorder is caused by unorganized chemical processes in the body.

2.4 Teaching Learners with Tuna Grahita or Mental Retardation.

Teaching Tuna Grahita is far different from that normal child, as disabled

students need special treatments from the teachers. Teachers of special need students

have to be able to decide the learning methods which are appropriate with the student’s

needs and learning objectives (Widiastuti, 2014). Next, Prayitno (2007), said that

children with mental retardation experience obstacles in the field of language skills

both orally and in writing. The obstacles vary greatly depending on the level of mental

ability it has. The lower level of mental ability is the lower the language ability. The

obstacles in language skills experienced include: poor vocabulary, poor speech / vocal,

the quality of the language used is not in accordance with chronological age, and

limited ability to understand abstract words. Isikdogan & Kargin (2010) said that

children with mental retardation are individuals who have deficits in basic academic

skills 16 especially reading, writing, in according to the extent of the damage or

impairment.
 CHAPTER III

This chapter discusses the methodology aspect of this study. It started with the
Research design that explains about the way the research was conducted.
3.1 Research Design
Based on the aim of study and research question, the researcher using research
methods with qualitative approach in this study is because the researcher wants to
explore and gain a deep understanding of the difficulties and challenges faced by
English teachers in teaching English to mental retardation. The data obtain from the
qualitative method is descriptive that enables the writer to answer the questions and
achieve research objectives. A research design is a procedural plan that is adopted by
the researcher to answer questions validly, objectively, accurately and economically.
(Kumar, 2011). According to Kothari (2004) cited in Kumar (2011) that qualitative
research is focused on qualitative phenomenon which is related to quality or type and it
is concern with personal assessment of opinions, attitudes, and behaviors.

Additionally, Maleong (2012) explaned qualitative research intends to

understand the phenomenon of what is experienced by research subjects such as
behavior, perception, motivation, actions, by way of description in specific context that
is natural.

In other hand, Sukmadinata (2011) the descriptive research qualitative is

intended to describe phenomena naturally. She also said that do treatment given was the
research itself, which is done through observation, interviews, and documentation.

3.2 Research Location

 This research was conducted at SLB-N in Jombang city in 2020/2021 of
academic year. The location of the research is in Jombang city. The reasons in choosing
these School for research location, because the researcher think that SLB-N has Tuna
Grahita students, the school has easy access because the teachers are friendly, and also
economically, the researcher do not spend much time and money

3.3 Research Participants

The Participants of the research are three English teachers. Moreover, the teacher
participating in this research is one English teacher at SLB-N in Jombang city. In this
study, purposive sampling was used; and the informant were selected for a good reason
tied to the purposes of the topic. In this regard, only special needs teacher were key
informants thus leaving out the regular teachers.
3.4 Techniques of Data Collection
1. Interview
The interviewer brings up information about the meaning of the behaviors,
interactions, artifacts and observed rituals, with questions that arise from time to
time when investigators learn about the setting (Bloom & Crabtree, 2006). In
addition, there are three fundamental types of research interviews: structured, semi-
structured and unstructured. Structured interviews are, essentially, verbally
administered questionnaires, in which a list of predetermined questions are asked.
Semi structured interviews consist of several key questions that help to define the
areas to be explored and Conversely, unstructured interviews do not reflect any
preconceived theories or ideas and are performed with little or no organisation.
(Burnard, Gill, Stewart, Treasure & Chadwick, 2008). The researcher used semi-
structured interview to answer the second research question about the difficulties
and chellanges in teaching English to Tuna Grahita. The researcher provided the
list of questions as a guide also the question was possible to develop in the process
of interview based on the answer of the interviewees. The researcher as interviewer
will be conducted in Bahasa to make the teacher speak freely to answer the writer
question. To avoid losing information, the writer asked the informant to permit use
of tape recorder. Before an interview is conducted, the recorder gives a brief
overview and a clear background on the topic of research. The researcher should
pay attention to the correct ways in conduct interviews.
 REFERENCE

Bloom, B. D. & Crabtree, B. F. (2006). The qualitative researche Interview. Medical

Education. 40:314-321.doi: 10.1111//1365-2929-2006-02418x
Efendi, M. (2006). Pengantar psikopedagogik anak berkelainan. Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.
Hasanah, U.. (2014). Teaching english for special need student. (Masters thesis) Syiah Kuala
University, Banda Aceh
Isikdogan. N. & Kargin. T. (2010). Investigation of the effectiveness of the storymap method
on reading comprehension skills among students with mental retardation. Educational
Sciences. 10(3).doi:1509-1527
Kumar, R. (2011). Research methodology, a step-by-step guide for biginners. (3th Ed). New
Delhi: SAGE Publication.
Moleong, L. J. (2012). Metodologi penelitian kualitatif. Bandung: Rosda Karya.
Prayitno, G. (2007). Strategi memilih media pembelajaran b. Inggris untuk tunagrahita.
Jurnal Pendidikan Khusus. 3(1), 77-88. Retrieved, 1 Nov 2017 from
https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/jpk/issue/view/1002.
Susilowati & Rahayu, S. P. (2016) Teaching techniques applied in senior High school for
students with special needs (SMALB). Jurnal Ilmiah Kependidikan. 5(2), 60-68 /2548-
8376.
Widiastuti, Y. (2014). The implementasi of active learning strategy type index card match to
teach english vocabulary for disabled students type tuna grahita. (Skrispi). Universitas
Muhammadiyah. Purwokerto.