RUBBER ANIMAL TOYS WITH BRAILLE ALPHABET

English language instruction for visually impaired students requires learning aids that offer concrete and accessible experiences. Rubber animal toys featuring Braille lettering were developed to help students learn English vocabulary through tactile exploration, Braille reading, listening, and pronunciation. These aids consist of animal toys made from soft, pliable, and safe rubber, featuring distinct three-dimensional shapes and physical characteristics. Each toy is marked with Braille text indicating the animal's name in English—such as cat, dog, cow, goat, horse, elephant, lion, and rabbit. The toys are used in a progressive manner, involving activities such as shape recognition, Braille reading, listening to pronunciation, pronouncing words, matching, categorizing, and using vocabulary in simple sentences. They can be used individually, in pairs, or in small groups, and adapted to the students' abilities. Beyond vocabulary acquisition, these aids help develop skills in Braille reading, vocabulary retention, speaking, tactile discrimination, and object concept understanding. Thus, rubber animal toys with Braille lettering serve as a flexible, concrete, and accessible English learning resource for visually impaired students, fostering a more active and meaningful learning experience.

Keywords: Learning media, rubber animal toys, Braille, English, visually impaired students.