The purpose of the this study was to examine the characteristics of classes given by teachers at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities through analyzing them based on Flanders interaction analysis ...
The purpose of the this study was to examine the characteristics of classes given by teachers at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities through analyzing them based on Flanders interaction analysis system, and to make suggestions for improving the classes. For this purpose, this study carried out tasks as follows.
First, examine the characteristics of verbal interaction in classes at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities according to the Flanders analysis system.
Second, examine the characteristics of classes at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities according to the Flanders analysis system.
Third, explain the characteristics of classes at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities according to the indexes of Flanders instructional analysis.
In order to attain the objective of this study, we collected and analyzed data on 10 classes given by teachers at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities. For objective exploration in the verbal interaction analysis, we performed Flanders verbal interaction analysis using program ‘eInstructional Analysis 3.0’ and analyzed verbal interactions using data produced by the program.
The conclusions of this study were as follows;
First, according to the Flanders analysis system, in classes given by teachers at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities, the percentage of teachers’ language was much higher than that of students’ language in verbal interaction. Of teachers’ language, lecture occupied the largest part, and this means that teachers’ language mainly for lecturing plays an important role in leading the classes. In addition, the percentage of teachers’ indirective language was higher than that of their directive language. This means that the classes are teacher centered and limited verbal interactions occur frequently in the classes. Thus, it is necessary for teachers to use more indirective language in order to accommodate students’ feelings, praise students, and admit their ideas.
Second, according to the Flanders analysis system, classes at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities started mainly with the teacher’s question or lecture, which was followed by the students’ simple words and again by the teacher’s lecture or language accommodating students’ ideas. This may implies that the teacher’s and students’ activities continue without interruption and organic verbal interactions take place, but it seems that students’ voluntary language is very rare. Sometimes the classes showed the pattern of lecture, question, lecture, silence and confusion or the pattern of lecture, silence, confusion and lecture.
Third, according to the Flanders class index analysis, classes at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities were indirective and democratic, and the balance between the teacher’s questions and students’ language was appropriate, but voluntary language that demands students’ highly advanced mental process was absolutely insufficient. In addition, the teachers showed the tendency of being benevolent and permissive and opened their heart to students’ questions, and there were few verbal interactions of scolding or directing.
Based on the conclusions of this study as presented above, in order to improve classes at the elementary part of special schools for students with physical and multiple disabilities, teacher centered verbal interactions should be reduced, and the percentages of students’ language and teachers’ indirective language should be raised and teachers need to make efforts to induce students’ voluntary language.