TEACHERS’ CONTRIBUTION IN DEAFBLIND STUDENTS’ BRAILLE LITERACY

Authors

  • Konstantina Spyropoulou MA, Med, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom Special Education Teacher, Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v6i4.3487

Keywords:

deafblindness, assistive technology, braille literacy, teaching strategies

Abstract

Deafblindness constitutes a dual sensory impairment that is caused by acquired or congenital factors. Assistive technology has converted learning into an approachable good for them. Based on the literature review, braille turned out the most effective assistive device that promotes deafblind (DB) children’s literacy. However, education without human contribution cannot operate properly. For that reason, teachers play a vital role in children’s learning development and can act as the mediators of the provided knowledge. The educational personnel has to bear in mind that every DB child has unique necessities. Consequently, it is imperative need to teach them the suitable combination of methods and techniques consolidated with their knowledge and experience. This research study will employ the methodology of qualitative research as well as the method of semi-structured interviews with teachers of DB students, in order to discover efficient strategies of teaching braille that could build children’s literacy in the school environment.

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Author Biography

  • Konstantina Spyropoulou, MA, Med, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom Special Education Teacher, Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Greece
    Konstantina Spyropoulou was born in Volos (Greece). She studied at the Faculty of Preschool Education at the University of Thessaly where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in 2015. She did postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom, where she got her Master of Arts Degree in the field of Special Education (2016) and she also got a Master in Education in the field of Intercultural Education (2018). Moreover, Konstantina is an undergraduate student at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in the sector of French Language and Literature. She obtains a qualified teacher status (QTS) in order to teach in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in England. She has worked voluntarily as a teacher/teaching assistant in the United Kingdom both in Special and Mainstream schools. In addition, she has been working in Greek public schools, as a Special Education Teacher, at the Ministry of Education since 2017, by supporting students with Special Educational Needs and behavioral problems with one-to-one teaching or/and group sessions. Moreover, Konstantina has been providing professional teaching support since 2015 to children with or without special needs as well as bilinguals, aged from 4 to 12 years old. She fluently speaks Greek, English and French. She possesses Braille certification and she knows the Greek Sign Language. She has participated in many seminars, conferences and educational programs. She has also gained many certificates of specialization in relevant educational sectors. Her research interests focus on the following: Teaching Methods in Preschool and Primary Education, Interventions in Special Education, Behavioral Management of students with autism, ADHD, psychological and social difficulties as well as Adaptation of bilingual students.

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Published

2020-12-19

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 4 (2020)

Section

Articles

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