Instructional Methods Challenges And Their Influence On Performance Of Chemistry Among Students With Blindness: A Case Of Rwamagana School, Rwanda

ABSTRACT

This study sought to identify challenges in school situations and their influences on poor performance in Chemistry by students with blindness at Rwamagana School for the Blind in Eastern province of Rwanda. The study addressed the following objectives: The extent to which the state of laboratories in the school contribute to poor performance of students with blindness in Chemistry, to establish whether available teaching and learning resources assist the performance of learners with blindness in Chemistry, how far methods used by teachers influence the performance of learners with blindness in Chemistry, and to establish whether there were challenges faced by teachers when teaching concepts in Chemistry to learners with blindness. This was a case study which was based on the theory of information processing approach which is concerned with how children recognize code, store and retrieve information in order to carry out cognitive tasks. The target population was 135 students which include students with blindness studying from senior one up to senior three, teachers and the school administrator. The sample size was constituted of 40 respondents where 34 were students with blindness and 5 teachers from 5 classes and 1 administrator. 34 students with blindness were obtained through the use simple random sampling technique while teachers and administrator were purposively selected. Data collection instruments were questionnaires for students with blindness, observation checklist and interview for teachers and administrator. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data was analyzed in narrative form. The findings revealed that lack of adapted laboratory for learners with blindness is a great impediment to learning of Chemistry as a subject by learners with blindness besides the nature of impairments. Also, ambition of learners with blindness of venturing into field of sciences supersedes the imagination of all the stakeholders that their condition can bar them from venturing into field of science. This is if facilities, apparatus and equipment are all availed to make the playing ground leveled for all players. Adapted computers, tactile teaching aids, reagents and brail leveled apparatus are not being used during Chemistry practical lessons. Traditional method of instruction is not appropriate with science subjects which require a lot of practical, observation, manipulation as in the case of learners with blindness in Rwamagana. The study recommended that government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Education should ensure that laboratory is built, has adapted computers, braille labeled apparatus, reagents plus any other components and has qualified teachers which would facilitate learning of Chemistry by learners with blindness.