Teaching Strategies Employed by English Teachers for Deaf Students at SD IT Baitussalam Prambanan

Inclusive schools are schools that accept students with certain special needs and implement a learning system by uniting students with special needs and normal students in one class. At SDIT Baitussalam, one of the inclusive schools in Prambanan, four totally deaf students have different learning abilities than normal students. This study aims to identify challenges, teaching strategies, and supporting factors for the success of English teaching strategies for deaf students in inclusive classes. This study used a qualitative descriptive method by interviewing three English subject teachers who had taught deaf students in inclusive classes. The results of the study found four main challenges in teaching, namely limited speaking ability, limited use of sign language, differences in cognitive development, and student learning motivation. In addition, there are six strategies applied in teaching English in inclusive classes, namely choral response, peer tutoring, visual representation and concrete objects, technology optimization, implementation of social interaction, and utilization of practice exercises. The success of implementing these strategies is supported by four main factors, namely support from educators and education personnel, parental support, availability of adequate facilities and infrastructure, and support from friends and the surrounding environment. This research can help teachers find the right strategy for teaching English in inclusive classes, especially for deaf students, so that learning can take place more effectively and inclusively.