This article reviews the literature on teaching English as a second language (ESL) to, and research on the acquisition of first and second languages by, both sighted and visually impaired students. Although braille should be taught to students in their first language, the author offers suggestions for teaching students in a second language when instruction in a first language is not possible. She concludes that closer cooperation between vision teachers and ESL teachers is essential for children with limited proficiency in English and visual impairments to become fully literate and communicatively competent.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CarsonJ.E., CarrellP.L., SilbersteinS., KrollB., & KuehhP.A. (1990). Reading-writing relationships in first and second language.TESOL Quarterly, 24, 245–266.
2.
ChomskyN. (1965). Aspects of a theory of syntax.Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
3.
CornA.L., HatlenP., HuebnerK.M., RyanF., & SillerM.A. (1995). The national agenda for the education of children and youths with visual impairments, including those with multiple disabilities.New York: AFB Press.
4.
CumminsJ. (1981). The role of primary language development in promoting educational success for language minority students. In Schooling and language minority students: A theoretical framework. (pp. 3–49). Los Angeles: Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center, California State University.
5.
CumminsJ. (1984). Bilingualism and special education: Issues in assessment and pedagogy.Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
6.
CumminsJ. (1989). A theoretical framework for bilingual special education.Exceptional Children, 56, 111–119.
7.
FraiburgS. (1977). Insights from the blind.New York: Basic Books.
8.
FrantzR.S., & WexlerJ. (1994). Ulpan: Functional ESOL immersion program for special education students. Paper presented at the 28th annual meeting of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Baltimore. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 371 634)
9.
GarmanM. (1983). The investigation of vision in language development. In MillsA.E., (Ed.), Language acquisition in the blind child: Normal and deficient (pp. 162–166). San Diego, CA: College-Hill Press.
10.
GoldmanS.R., & TruebaH.T., (Eds.). (1987). Becoming literate in English as a second language.Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
11.
HolbrookM.C., & KoenigA.J. (1992). Teaching braille reading to students with low vision.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 86, 44–48.
12.
HuebnerK.M. (1986). Curricular adaptations. In SchollG.T. (Ed.), Foundations of education for blind and visually handicapped children and youth: Theory and practice (pp. 381–384). New York: American Foundation for the Blind.
13.
KrashenS.D. (1982). Principles and practices in second language acquisition.New York: Pergamon Press.
14.
MulfordR. (1983). Referential development in blind children. In MillsA.E. (Ed.), Language acquisition in the blind child: Normal and deficient. (pp. 89–107). San Diego, CA: College-Hill Press.
15.
NikolicT. (1987). Teaching a foreign language in a school for blind and visually impaired children.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 81, 62–66.
16.
OvandoC., & CollierV. (1985). Bilingual and ESL classrooms: Teaching in multicultural contexts.New York: McGraw-Hill.
17.
SnyderT., & KesselmanM. (1972). Teaching English as a second language to blind people.New Outlook for the Blind, 66, 161–166.
18.
TempesF. (1982). A theoretical framework for bilingual instruction: How does it apply to students in special education?Washington, DC: ERIC National Institute of Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 239 452)
19.
WarrenD.H. (1994). Blindness and children. An individual differences approach.New York: Cambridge University Press.
20.
WeissJ. (1980). Braille and limited language skills.Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 84, 81–83.
21.
WerthP. (1983). Meaning in language acquisition. In MillsA.E. (Ed.), Language acquisition in the blind child: Normal and deficient (pp. 77–88). San Diego, CA: College-Hill Press.
22.
WuYu-hsi (1994). Teaching English as a foreign language to blind children: A progress report.The Educator, 7, 6–9.
