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Learn how to meet the needs of blind students, adapt materials, use technology, and overcome misconceptions. Discover the role of a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and gain practical strategies.
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Nature and Needs of the Blind child in your class Thank you all for coming!!
Misconceptions Of Blindness • At times in history they have been: • Looked down on • Thought to be superior beings
They are neither. • Overcoming every day • Doing what is possible • They are showing us what is possible • Courageous? Just living in their reality
A colleague I worked with said“ I am afraid I will fail you!”We made a plan: we promised to fail each otherWe are human. Stuff happens
What We Will Do Today • What to expect the first day, the first weeks • How to best meet the needs of a blind child in your classroom • Explanation of the role of a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, and the aide
What ELSE we will do today • How your material is adapted • Overview of the equipment, and technology that the student will use • Demonstration and practice using sighted guide and cane travel • Hands on activities, some under blind folds • What to do in evacuation emergencies • Your questions
Why not residential?How do I teach a blind student if I don’t know braille?How will she get the worksheets?Why is this TVI always at my door?Why is the TVI NOT at my door???Why me?
Why not residential? • In 50’s large population of preemies • residential life is institutional life • never really part of family • socially isolating • multi-handicaps
the reality today • Blind was the pioneer handicap! • NYSSchool for special needs Tuition • $353.96 per day, in 2011 • $63,712.8 per year!!!
How do I teach a blind student if I don’t know braille? • Simple answer: • or • digital, • digital, • Digital • Hold that thought
Why is this TVI always at my door? Someone should tell her I have other students. Once we get into a groove, you will see less of me
Why is the TVI NOT at my door??? TVIs are in several buildings(I am in four) just email me. I promise to get back to you!
The first few weeks are the hardest—this comes with a guarantee
You will tell me • “This child is the least of my problems.’
Blind Students enjoy • Downhill skiingPiano playing • SwimmingSinging • ReadingTechnology • Science Math • TravelingSoccer • Track Computer games • Friends and Family
Blindness affects everything! Things we take for granted Social Concepts Spatial awareness Motor planning Verbalization The way we learn Body language that lets you know the conversation is over
Concept Development • For students who are blind, direct teaching of concepts is essential – not one on one, necessarily, but intentional • Verbal descriptions alone are inadequate to convey underlying visual concepts, especially those of advanced mathematics, and geometry From Foundations of Education, Second Edition, Volume II: Instructional Strategies for Teaching Children and Youths with Visual Impairments. AFB. 2000.
Concept Development • Blind students develop concepts and skills • Through experiences!!! • Experience with real objects • Amulti-sensory approach.
Describing color to a blind person • http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=59YN8_lg6-U&feature=endscreen Why Nature Scares Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDvlBB7JXu4 Would I want to see if I could? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd5r8j8Y7uo
The most important toy for a baby is his parent’s face Joy Fear Worry Confusion Pride Approval Disapproval Sarcasm The fading smile Eye rolling
Did you ever watch a smile fade? • Don’t mistake an expressionless face as attitude, etc. • You will not see confusion, sadness, even joy on a blind person’s face • Especially if they were born blind
Concept Development A visual impairment can result in: • Limited “incidental learning” • Limited experience with the environment • Limited ability to view the "whole" • Limited visual learning from peers
Jessica My first student. I was on fire! She loved horses. I took her to a horse barn to meet my friends horse.
She had SO much more ‘head knowledge’ about horses, than I did, but she still did not have any idea about its size, and smell, and his coat, and that he breathed!
Vision enables a person to simultaneously perceive all parts of an object in its totality and in its relationship to other objects, such as when you entered the room. • The level of cognition needed for integration of sequential information is higher than that needed through for visual perception. • They are working harder than we are.
Refer to experiences to which a blind student can relate You might THINK that they are familiar with it, but they may only have a verbal understanding of an object • TRUCKS: A very, very bright student of mine, with lots and lots of enriching experiences has no idea what a truck looks like!
Thoughts on Visual vs. Tactual Visual impairment is not an isolated condition; it affects the whole process of information-gathering. • For the blind learner • the entire image has to be "built-up" out of the components.
What they miss- • Glares and curious onlookers • The teacher ‘Look’ • Body language that says the conversation is over
What they don’t miss!!- • Side conversations can distract. • Similar to how these things distract us • lights flickering • TV in background • Un-tuned radio
“At first I was really intimidated by talking to the blind kid so I didn’t: but then I had a time where I HAD to talk to her, and found out what a funny, smart kid she is.”If you feel like this you are in good company. This is a quote from a teacher
DO • Do -Use our names when addressing us. This lets us know you are speaking to us and not someone else in the room. • Do -Be specific: “The book is five feet to your right” as opposed to saying “The book is over there.” • Do -Direct your questions directly to us. We do not need to have someone else tell you what we want to eat, etc. • Do -Treat us as individuals: strong points and weaknesses.
Don’t • Don’t -Shout our hearing is fine. • Don’t -Pet or distract our Guide Dogs. • Don’t -Be afraid to use words like “blind” or “see” • Don’t -Grab us to lead us. • Don’t offer to let them feel your face. http://www.helpinghands4theblind.org/dos-and-donts/
Provide materials to the TVI that need adaptation 5 school days in advance IF you can not give it to student on a thumb drive
This, That & There: Describing Clearly • By Laurel J. Hudson, Ph.D. • Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments • Orientation & Mobility Specialist • Adapted from “Classroom Collaboration,” page 59 • Published by Perkins School for the Blind
What Listeners Need • Listeners with visual impairments will miss key visual information • or • Know who the speaker is talking to
Describe in ways that don’t rely solely on visual information. • This seems to take longer at first, but • It becomes natural • Other auditory learners benefit • Others who are taking notes also benefit, as their glance is from the paper to the desk , hence can miss what you pointed to.
“This, That, & There” • “I’ll read today’s homework as I write it on the board.” • “This is today’s homework,” (writing on board.)
“This, That, & There” • It’s about as big as I can spread my arms apart.” • “It’s about thisbig,” (spreading arms.)
“This, That, & There” • “New Zealand is in the South Pacific Ocean, East of Australia.” • Ultimately, isn’t this a better way for us to communicate to each other where a country is? It helps us ALL build a map in our minds. • “New Zealand is there,” (pointing on a map.)
“It’s this student’s turn,” (gazing.)“Do that,” (gesturing.)“It’s over there,” (pointing.)
“This, That, & There” • “I want everyone to go to the back of the room.” • “I want everyone to go over there,” (pointing.)
“This, That, & There” • “Your reading folders are in the corner where the window wall meets the board wall.” • “Your reading folders are in that corner of the room,” (pointing.)
“This, That, & There” • Divisor, dividend, quotient! • “The number is divided by that number.”
