Literacy is used in both formal and informal settings all day long. Set up an environment that encourages reading and writing so that kids can see print, braille, and other formats being used, take part in routines and useful tasks, and talk to other kids to improve their reading and writing skills at home, at school, and in the community. You don’t need core teaching strategies for students who are visually impaired or blind, but being aware is very vital.
What does it mean to be blind or visually impaired?
Most likely, when you hear the word “blind,” you think of someone who can’t see anything. But that is only a small part of what we can see. You should also know these words.
- Partially sighted: Individuals who are partially sighted have some degree of vision in either one or both of their eyes. When it comes to educational settings, this term is used quite frequently.
- Low vision: An individual with impaired vision who is unable to achieve a complete correction with glasses or contacts is referred to as having this condition. In some cases, the individual is capable of observing objects from a close distance but not from a distance, or the reverse is true. Throughout the entire spectrum, some individuals have poor visual acuity.
- Legally blind: A person is legally blind if they can’t get their vision better than 20/200 in at least one eye. It also includes people whose field of vision is 20 degrees or less.
- Totally blind: A person who is blind can’t see anything at all.
Students could be anywhere in this range, so it is important to find out more about their exact level of disability. Keep a close eye on their IEP or 504 to find out what you can do to help them do well in your class.
Teaching Strategies for Students Who Are Visually Impaired or Blind
- Give them a range of meaningful, hands-on experiences. Things that kids learn best are things that they can see, touch, and experience for themselves, rather than just hearing about something.
- You should talk to your child about these things before they happen, during the events, and afterward, either alone or with other people. Label things, people, and experiences with words that are right for the child’s age and level of development.
- Give the child lots of chances to play with and explore a variety of materials and real things. The child can compare things like size, shape, texture, and other qualities. It also helps them learn basic ideas and tell the difference between things that are the same and things that are different.
- To improve your fine and gross motor skills, encourage daily movement activities that have a purpose and are fun. These are important skills to have before learning many others, like being able to tell the difference between different textures so you can use objects and tactile symbols or braille.
- Help the child interact with others in places where they feel safe and at ease. Play and interact with others in a way that involves giving and taking help lay the groundwork for learning how to talk to others and get along with them.
- Set up a reading and writing-friendly environment where the child can see other people reading and writing.
- Put labels that are easy to read on the child’s chair, table, cubby, and anywhere else that print labels are common. These should be in the format that the child likes best, such as large print, braille, objects, or tactile symbols. Mark the rooms in your house, light switches, appliance controls, and any other places you find print at home. Check out Making Your Home Braille-Friendly.
- Read out loud to the child stories and books that are interesting and right for them. To help people understand better, use real things and personal experiences.
- Determine what medium is best for an individual child through the Learning Media Assessment. This may be braille, print, dual media, auditory strategies, objects, symbols, or some combination.
- Give the child books and reading materials that are easy for them to use.
What Reading Methods Are Used with Students with Visual Impairments?
There are different ways for students who have trouble seeing to read. A student will often use different strategies in different places or with different materials or information. Adults often use a computer for work, a smartphone for email, a pen or pencil for notes, and a book for fun. People who are blind or have low vision also often use a variety of devices and formats.
An LMA (Learning Media Assessment) is the first step in figuring out which method will work best for each student. The LMA gives you a way to choose the right reading materials for a student who is blind or visually impaired. These are tactile symbols, braille, print, audio strategies, dual media, audio strategies, objects, and audio strategies. The LMA should be updated often as students learn and grow so that it stays in line with their needs and changes in technology and literacy.