ANALISIS KEMAMPUAN PENALARAN MATEMATIS PESERTA DIDIK DENGAN HAMBATAN INTELEKTUAL MELALUI PENDEKATAN METAPHORICAL THINKING

Mathematical reasoning skills are important in learning because they involve understanding problems, developing strategies, and drawing logical conclusions. Learners with intellectual disabilities often have difficulty understanding abstract concepts and explaining their thought processes. The metaphorical thinking approach is believed to help them by presenting the material concretely and close to everyday life. This study aims to analyze the mathematical reasoning ability of learners with intellectual disabilities in solving contextual problems using the metaphorical thinking approach. The research was conducted using a descriptive qualitative approach with three students from an inclusive high school in Gresik Regency who had been identified as moderate and mildly mentally retarded. Data were collected through written tests, learning observations, and semi-structured interviews, then analyzed based on four indicators of mathematical reasoning: understanding and structuring information from real situations, using concrete strategies, drawing logical conclusions, and explaining reasons simply. The results showed that students had varied abilities in each indicator. Some were able to understand the context of the problem well and relate it to real-life experiences but still struggled to understand the context of the problem. The results showed that students had varying abilities in each indicator. Some can understand the context of the problem well and relate it to real experiences but still have difficulty in developing a solution strategy and explaining the reasons for thinking coherently. The use of metaphorical thinking is proven to facilitate the understanding of mathematical concepts through visualization that is concrete and close to the daily world of learners. However, the effectiveness of this approach depends on concentration, motivation, and adaptive presentation of the material. This research recommends the importance of designing learning that is contextualized, gradual, and according to the individual characteristics of learners with intellectual disabilities.