GAMBARAN KEMAMPUAN MEMPERTAHANKAN PERHATIAN PADA ANAK TUNAGRAHITA DI SLB NEGERI PEMBINA MEDAN SUMATERA UTARA

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Students with mild intellectual disabilities do not necessarily maintain the same level of attention throughout learning activities, as their attentional patterns may vary according to individual characteristics and learning conditions. This issue was examined through a descriptive qualitative study conducted at SLB Negeri Pembina Medan, involving one tenth-grade student in a special senior high school program, identified by the initial P, selected through purposive sampling, and the homeroom teacher as a supporting informant. Data were collected through passive participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation. The data were subsequently analyzed through data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification, following the Miles and Huberman model. During classroom activities, P demonstrated relatively stable sustained attention, as reflected in prompt responses to verbal instructions, independent task completion, and continued engagement despite distractions in the classroom environment. However, attention began to decline toward the end of the learning session, at approximately 11:30 a.m., as indicated by reduced work intensity and an increased need for teacher guidance. This change suggests a possible association between lesson duration, physical and mental fatigue, and the maintenance of attention, although its underlying causes cannot be established conclusively. Individualized approaches, praise, token rewards, and verbal prompts formed part of the pedagogical support accompanying the student's engagement. These findings emphasize the need to understand attention in relation to individual profiles and learning contexts without generalizing the characteristics of a single student to all students with mild intellectual disabilities.

ABSTRAK

Perhatian siswa tunagrahita ringan selama pembelajaran tidak selalu bertahan pada tingkat yang sama, melainkan memperlihatkan variasi sesuai dengan karakteristik siswa dan situasi belajar yang dihadapi. Gambaran tersebut ditelaah melalui penelitian kualitatif deskriptif di SLB Negeri Pembina Medan dengan melibatkan seorang siswa kelas X SMA SLB berinisial P yang dipilih menggunakan teknik purposive sampling, serta wali kelas sebagai informan pendukung. Informasi diperoleh melalui observasi dengan partisipasi pasif, wawancara semi-terstruktur, dan dokumentasi. Data selanjutnya dianalisis melalui tahapan kondensasi data, penyajian data, serta penarikan kesimpulan dan verifikasi berdasarkan model Miles dan Huberman. Selama kegiatan belajar, P memperlihatkan kemampuan mempertahankan sustained attention yang relatif stabil, terlihat dari respons cepat terhadap instruksi verbal, kemandirian menyelesaikan tugas, dan keberlanjutan aktivitas meskipun terdapat gangguan di lingkungan kelas. Akan tetapi, menjelang pukul 11.30 WIB, perhatian mulai melemah, ditandai dengan berkurangnya intensitas kerja dan meningkatnya kebutuhan terhadap arahan guru. Perubahan ini mengindikasikan kemungkinan keterkaitan antara durasi pembelajaran, kelelahan fisik dan mental, serta keberlangsungan perhatian, meskipun penyebabnya belum dapat dipastikan. Pendekatan individual, pujian, token reward, dan arahan verbal menjadi bagian dari dukungan pedagogis yang menyertai keterlibatan subjek. Temuan ini menegaskan perlunya memahami atensi melalui profil individual dan konteks pembelajaran, tanpa menggeneralisasikan karakteristik satu siswa kepada seluruh siswa tunagrahita ringan.