TASK 3: ANALYSING AN ARTICLE

NAME : SOUNDRIYA D/O SAMY NATHAN

INDEX NUMBER : 2020302340293
IDENTIFICATION CARD NUMBER : 010328-08-1000
CLASS/GROUP :1 PISMP TESL 1
NAME OF COURSE : CHILD DEVELOPMENT
CODE OF COURCE : EDUP 3023
NAME OF LECTURER : MR RANJIT SINGH A/L MALKIAT SINGH
DATE OF SUBMISSION : 30 TH NOVEMBER 2020

I, SOUNDRIYA D/O SAMY NATHAN, hereby declare that I have understood and accepted the
feedback given by my lecturer.

Student’s signature: Date:

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Table of Contents

Contents
Page

1.0 Introduction 3

2.0 Analysis of Article 4–

7

3.0 Conclusion 8

4.0 References 9–
11

5.0 Appendices 12 -
13

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1.0 Introduction

The article “Basic Social Behavior Skills among Students with Visual Impairment” by
Norshidah Mohamad Salleh, Khalim Zainal and Manisah binti Mohd. Ali identifies acquisition of
basic social behavior skills among students with visual impairments. The three aspects of basic
social behavior skills that were assessed are body language skills, communication skills and
collaborative skills. This article was published on May 2018, under the Education Faculty of
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaya. This article tells about the acquisition of basic social behavior
skills among students with visual impairments. The research was conducted in six schools
offering special education programs for students with visual impairment in two states. The
research shows that the mastery of the students’ social behavior skills increases with the age
for both students with visual impairments and typical students.

According to the Ministry of Education Malaysia (2020), special Needs Students means
students certified by a medical practitioner, or an optician, audiologist or psychologist, whatever
the case may be, whether in government or private services, as students with visual
impairments, hearing impairments, speech disabilities, physical inabilities (disabilities), learning
disabilities or any combination of disabilities. The Ministry of Education Malaysia believes that
there are multiple potential in a special needs child that can be brought out with proper
education and guidance. The article also gives an insight about the implications for training and
intervention requirements to improve students with visual impairments’ social behavior skills.

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2.0 Analysis of the Article

Education for all as contained in the “The World’s Declaration on Education for All”
provides recommendations for imparting education to all children regardless of their different
backgrounds and disabilities. Countries in the world were urged to provide free education to all
children without any restrictions and discrimination (UNESCO 1990). The education provided
should also meet the needs of each group of children who are heterogeneous. Recognizing the
need, special education programs are provided for special needs children; children with visual
impairment, children with hearing impairment, children with learning disabilities and other
disabilities.

The main subject of this article is about visual impairment. Special education programs
provided for children with visual impairment in Malaysia is a separator in special schools and
also in a mainstream program of ordinary schools. Children in both placements follow the same
curriculum as the sighted students in the mainstream. Teaching and learning approaches in the
classroom are modified to meet their special needs because visual learning for students with
visual impairment are restricted; the process of receiving information through visual input,
therefore, will be limited even if they still have residual vision (partially sighted or low vision).
According to Friend (2005), the absence or lack of visual input can affect the individual,
especially the aspects of development, learning, social skills and behavior. For children with
visual impairment, their inability to see limits their activities when compared with sighted
children.

According to Mac Cuspie (2001), visually impaired children have problems in interacting
with the environment. Inability to behave as expected will create difficulty in acceptance by
peers and the public. Studies conducted by Guralnick et al. (1996); Sacks & Silberman (2000)
showed that the visually impaired children often have problems that are ignored by peers and
other children. This is because they show no cooperation and no skills in taking turns (turn
taking) during play and inviting friends to play together. Children with visual impairment also
faced problems in maintaining friendships with their classmates because they are not able to
see and learn these skills through observations (Celeste, 2006). Placement of visually impaired

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children in regular classes with his sighted friends does not affect their academic achievement,
but studies show that they have problems in the development of social skills. These affected
their interaction with the environment and peers.

Research related to child development shows that most children achieve the same level
of development with respect to age, while some are at different levels of development (Bee
&Body, 2009; Ferrell, 1996). Theoreticians debate about factors that influence the development
of children: nature versus nurture, nativism versus empiricism, or heredity versus environment.
The natural factors are the individual characteristics of the children and the impairment that they
have suffered. Some educational experts thought that the sequence of development in children
with visual impairment is at the same rate as that of sighted children, but this not the case.
Differences in development occur because visually impaired students learned and behaved in a
manner that is different from sighted children (Ferrell, 1996).

Aspects of social skills development occur in all children including those with vision
problems. The writers of this article have carried out a research to show that the social skills of
children are influenced by several factors such as learning experience in the early stages,
support received from family members and ability to adapt to the environment (Bee & Body,
2009). The inability to see in children with visually impairment causes difficulty in adjusting to
the environment and thus limits their experience to interact with the environment. According to
Ferrell (1996), children with visual impairment are relatively backward in social development
when compared with sighted children. His findings show that children and teenagers, who are
blind, are not as good in social competence like sighted children because they lack feedback on
their social skills, playing experiences and reaction towards others.

The lack of visual input is the most critical for children with visual impairment. This
condition will prevent them from having relationships and move freely in their social surrounding
(Warren 1984; Divya 2005). As a result, they are not able to control themselves in the
environment and deal with problems in a child’s development, especially, in the social aspects
(Warren, 1984; Sacks et al., 2006; Sacks & Silberman, 2000; Celeste, 2006). Based on the
opinions and research discussed above, children with vision impairment have a problem in
terms of social development. Assessment should be conducted to determine the necessary
social skills so that these can be taught to the required levels (Sacks & Silberman, 2000). Based
on the assessment, planning and development of appropriate interventions by teachers are
required for students with visual impairment. This can help students with visual impairment to
live more confidently and be well accepted by the community and thus enabling them to be

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independent. The writers of this paper discuss the findings related to the social skills of children
with visual impairment. Three aspects of social skills were surveyed in this paper; basic social
behavior, interpersonal relationships and cognitive social behavior.

The findings of the paper show that the social skills of children with visual impairment were
at lower levels compared to sighted students. Students with visual impairment were at the
lowest level in terms of the basic social behavioral aspect because the competency in body
language such as eye contact is difficult for a blind child. They do not have the concept of gaze
like a sighted child and impairs them in many social interactions that are learned visually
through imitation and modeling (Bandura 1986). Therefore, the skills relating to posture, gaze,
head and gestures should be taught to students before dealing with body language. The inability
to see among children with visual impairment makes it difficult for them to imitate other people’s
behavior. They have to repeat the behavior that is observed and get the feedback from others to
improve their social skills. The children should be instructed directly and systematically taught
on how to develop relationships with peers and people around them with appropriate facial
expressions and eye contact, body posture, use of signals (gestures) and the appropriate tone
of voice. Lack of feedback and positive response resulted in students who have vision problems
to be less interested in friendship and therefore they have a tendency towards social isolation
(Sacks, & Silberman, 2000).

According to the writers, social skills among blind children are as important as learning to
read. The constraints of visual input and deficiencies due to defects encountered by students
with visual impairment limit the level of their social skills (Friend, 2005). Appropriate social
behavior is taken for granted as that is learned incidentally at a very young age and is not
consciously thought of when one engages in social interactions. This adds to the factors that
contribute toward a lack in social competency among students with visual impairments. All
parties, especially the teachers with the cooperation and support from parents and school
administrators need to make plans to increase the level of social skills among students with
visual impairment. According to Sacks & Silberman (2000), failure to master social skills as
expected will affect isolation and segregation from their sighted peers.

Teaching and learning activities in a classroom of visually impaired children is very

different than a regular classroom environment. There are multiple factors that needs to be
taken under consideration when teaching a class full of visually impaired children. In my opinion,
after reading the article, one implication that can be carried out towards a classroom full of
visually impaired children is peer-mediated social-skills training. The training strategies were

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most effective when performed in the resource room. The setting provides visually impaired and
sighted students with a variety of alternatives for play and relaxed interaction. The next
implication will be behavioral contract. The strategy is used to reinforce appropriate social
behavior in students with visual impairment who have some difficulty working independently or
interacting effectively in a group in a variety of educational and community settings.

Taking everything into consideration, I strongly agree with the writers of this article. As far
as I’m concerned, the writers of this research have provided a clear picture about the deficiency
of social competency among visually impaired students compared to sighted students in a
classroom for students with visual impairment in Malaysia without a curriculum embedded with
social competency. This will give some information to the authorized individuals in the education
system to take stern action in establishing the curriculum required by the students with visual
impairment. It will help them to attain different types of social competency through a formal
learning setting in order for them to live normally besides focusing on their academics.

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3.0 Conclusion

To sum up vision impairment has affected the social competency of students with visual
impairment. Therefore, intervention and training should be implemented in order to increase the
social competency of children with visual impairment so that their social development is at the
same level of sighted children. The acquisition of social skills is not a natural occurrence for
visually impaired children but these skills require training and they must be nurtured throughout
the students’ educational years. On the other hand, the opportunities for social-skills instruction
are limited not by the program model or by what is readily available but, rather, by the ability of
the teachers and parents to identify goals based on realistic expectations for individual children
and later by the students themselves. All who are involved in the children’s daily programs must
address the functional needs, particularly the social needs of visually impaired children in every
setting. Those who are involved, particularly teachers supported by parents and the school’s
administrator should plan to in-crease the social competency among visually impaired students.
Social skills development will help students with visual impairment not only to interact effectively
with their sighted peers and adults, but also to make independent decisions, to take
responsibility for their actions, and to feel confident and successful within the sighted
environment. (Sacks et. al 2000).

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4.0 REFERENCES

Bandura, A. (1986). Social

foundations of thought and
action: A social cognitive.
Englewood Cliffs,
NJ: Prentice Hall.
Bee, H., & Body, D. (2009). The
Developing Child. 12th ed. New
York: Pearson.
Celeste, M. (2006). Play behaviors
and social interactions of a child
who is blind: In theory and
practice.
Journal of Visual Impairment &
Blindness. 100 (2): 75 – 90.

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Divya, J. S. (2005). Self-evaluation
and recruitment of feedback for
enhanced social interaction by a
student with visual impairment.
Journal of Visual Impairment &
Blindness. 99 (8): 486-98.
Ferrell, K. A. (1996). Your child’s
development. In Holbrook, M. C.
(Ed). Children with visual
impairment: A parents’ guide,
pp.73 – 96. USA: Woodbine
House, Inc.
Farrell, E. (1990). Voices of at-risk
high school. New York: Teachers
College Pr.
Friend, M. (2005). Special
Education: Contemporary
Perspectives for school
professionals. New
York: Pearson Education, Inc.
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Guralnick, M., Connor, R.,
Hammond, M., Gottman, J., &
Kinnish, K. (1996). The peer
relations of
preschool children with
communication disorders. Child
Development. 67: 471-489.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive. Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bee, H., & Body, D. (2009). The Developing Child. 12th ed. New York: Pearson.

Celeste, M. (2006). Play behaviors and social interactions of a child who is blind: In theory and
practice. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. 100 (2): 75 – 90.

Divya, J. S. (2005). Self-evaluation and recruitment of feedback for enhanced social interaction
by a student with visual impairment. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. 99 (8):
486-98.

Dutton, G., & Bax, M. (2010). Visual impairment in children due to damage to the brain: Clinics
in developmental medicine. John Wiley & Sons.

Ferrell, K. A. (1996). Your child’s development. In Holbrook, M. C. (Ed). Children with visual
impairment: A parents’ guide, pp.73 – 96. USA: Woodbine House, Inc.

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Farrell, E. (1990). Voices of at-risk high school. New York: Teachers College Pr.

Friend, M. (2005). Special Education: Contemporary Perspectives for school professionals. New
York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Guralnick, M., Connor, R., Hammond, M., Gottman, J., & Kinnish, K. (1996). The peer relations
of preschool children with communication disorders. Child Development. 67: 471-489.

Hatlen, P. H. (2004). Is social isolation a predictable outcome of inclusive education? Journal of

Visual Impairment and Blindness, 98 (11): 289-292

Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia. (2006). Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan (PIPP). Kuala
Lumpur: Bahagian Perancangan dan Penyelidikan Dasar Pendidikan (BPPDP).

Mac Cuspie, P. A. (2001). The social acceptance and interaction of visually impaired children
integrating setting. In Sacks, S. Z., Kekelis, L. S. & Gaylord-Ross, R. (Eds.). The
development of social skills by blind and visually impaired student: Exploratory studies
and strategies, pp. 83-102New York: AFB Press, American Foundation for the Blind.

McCallum, B. J. & Sacks, S. Z. (1993). The Santa Clara County social skills curriculum for
children with visual impairment. Santa Clara, CC: Santa Clara Country Schools.

Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2013). Malaysia education blueprint, 2013-2025: Preschool to

post-secondary education. [Link]
cetak/penerbitan/dasar/1207-malaysia-education-blueprint-2013-2025/file

Roe, J., & Webster, A. (2002). Children with visual impairments: Social interaction, language
and learning. Routledge.

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Sacks, S. Z. & Wolffe, K. E. (2006). Teaching social skills to students with visual impairment:
From theory to practice. New York: AFB Press, American Foundation for the Blind.

Sacks, S. Z & Silberman, R. K. (2000). Social skills. In Keoeing, A. J & Holbrook, M. C. (Eds)
Foundation of education: Instructional strategies for teaching children and youth with
visual impairment, pp. 616 – 652. New York: AFB Press, American Foundation for the
Blind.

UNESCO (1990). The World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien, Thailand). Paris:
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Warren, D. H. (1984). Blindness and early childhood development. 2nd ed. New York: American
Foundation for the Blind.

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5.0 Appendices

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

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Appendix 3

Appendix 4

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