Pedagogical Challenges Facing Mathematics Teachers Of Learners With Visual Impairment At Thika Primary School For The Blind, Kiambu County

ABSTRACT

The study investigated pedagogical challenges faced by teachers of Mathematics to learners with visual impairment. The objectives of the study were, to determine teacher’s qualification and specialization in teaching Mathematics to learners with visual impairment, establish adequacy of teaching resources that would assist learners with VI in Mathematics, identify methods used by teachers to instruct learners with visual impairment in Mathematics, to cite challenges faced by teachers when inculcating mathematics concepts to learners with VI and to investigate supplementary measures that would improve teachers’ performance in teaching mathematics to learners with VI. The study was carried out in Thika Primary School for the Blind in Thika Municipality, Kiambu County. The significance of the study was intended to sensitize teacher-training institutions to adequately equip teachers with necessary skills, attitudes and proper approach towards instructing mathematical concepts. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection in which questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect respondents’ data. Validity of the instruments was determined by the respondents through a pilot study at St. Lucy’s School for the Blind in Meru while reliability was determined by use of test-retest method. Purposive and stratified random techniques were used to sample the respondents. Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Science while qualitative data were coded manually following a thematic coding frame. In the study, findings revealed that most of the sampled teachers were highly qualified. The findings further point out that the level of training was not a key determinant in the classes the teachers taught. The study established that Abacus and cuberithms were the most commonly used tools by the teachers of mathematics to learners with visual impairment while teaching and learning mathematical resources were identified as not adequate. The study recommended that schools catering for learners with visual impairment be adequately equipped with resources that effectively support the teaching of mathematics. It was further recommended that computer education be incorporated in the teaching of mathematics.