Learning

Advice for a mainstream science teacher

Summary: Advice for a mainstream science teacher with a blind or partially sighted child in the class

• How can I cope?
• What shall I do for the next lesson?
• What should I be thinking about?
• The teacher’s role - how does it change?
• About the contributors to the article

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How can I cope?

General advice:

• Put the child first (not the sight problem)
• Be realistic, practical and pragmatic
• Use the help and support that is available: talk to the pupil, to fellow teachers, to the Head of Science, to the VI specialists in the school/resource base/service, to the SENCO and to the science technician.

What shall I do for the next lesson?

• What are the aims and objectives of the lesson?
• How can the pupil with low vision access the learning experiences?
• How should I modify:

Materials - text and diagrams

Equipment - individual or groupwork, demonstrations

Teaching approach

Risk assessment

In-class support

Pupil’s input

My expectations of what a blind or partially sighted pupil can achieve?

What should I be thinking about?

• Encouraging and planning independent work (looking ahead to practical assessments and coursework)
• Pace of work
• Social aspects (other pupils’ attitudes, use of groupwork)
• Eye condition - implications and prognosis
• What resources are available - does the department or the school keep a catalogue, can the VI specialists help or do I have to develop my own resources?

The teacher’s role - how does it change?

• Stay in control of the lesson
• Work with the support staff - classroom assistant, VI specialists, SEN support
• Plan resources with the blind or partially sighted child in mind
• Learn from VI specialists
• Help support staff who are not science specialists
• Develop additional management skills - manage the class

• (including blind or partially sighted child, adults present, the resources including LVAs), your own time.

About the contributors to the article

This article has been submitted by the RNIB/VIEW Science Curriculum Group for teachers working with blind and partially sighted pupils in mainstream and special school settings.

This article is the result of a meting of the RNIB/VIEW science curriculum group. The mix of professionals involved in compiling this information was very good, with sixteen teachers and professionals from a wide range of schools and services taking part.

The aims of the meeting were to share ideas and to raise awareness and to produce some guidelines that will be of interest to others. The emphasis was on the pupil with low vision rather than the blind pupil and on the use of functional vision to access the science curriculum rather than tactile methods, although many of the issues raised have wider implications.

National Curriculum subject support

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Content author: curriculum@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/11/2008 11:13