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Home : 2001 : October : 21

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By Michelle

Here are some resources that may help:

www.designtolearn.com

Look at the information on tangible symbols systemsfor developing symbolic communication

www.palaestra.com/featurestory2.html

This link has some motor
activities

www.tsbvi.edu/index.htm
This link has LOTS of informative articles. In addition, they are supposed to be publishing some curriculum material for this population. There is so much information that you really have to dig, but it is well worth the effort. Start with the information on object calendars b/c that is the first step in helping him develop some control of

his world.

Also, try to get a copy of the Oregon curriculum guide for the Visually Impaired. It has a great list of compensatory skills. Is he mobile? Do you have access to a VI or O&M specialists? Mine have really been my life-line with this population. As far as instructional activities, I first concentrate on daily routines/self-help skills. Then, I use art, music, gardening, leisure activities, etc. My little guy loves listening to the radio with it turned up loud. He prefers to lay on it to feel the vibration if it is too low, but at a certain volume, he backs off and starts "dancing". This is a favorite activity. We do lots of tactile exploration. We take at least 3 walks a day b/c he likes going outside and that lets him practice his O&M skills.

It took a lot of work to get him to interact with us. At first, he preferred vibrating toys and being left alone. Just keep trying and gradually increase the time he interacts. Keep art activities, story telling ,etc. as multisensory as possible. For example, when we read a Halloween story, I have a dancing witch that we activate frequently throughout the story. We also did some tactile exploration of a pumpkin -- both inside and out much to the dismay of my para!

One thing that helped me in the beginning was to put on a blindfold, put cotton in my ears, and do the activity I had planned for the kids. I really made me realize what he was/was not experiencing. It also helped me realize what other things I could pull in to a lesson. For example, when we paint, I put unsweetened koolaide in the paint to make it smelly and then add in something to make it tactile such as oatmeal or salt. I also have him paint on textured paper. Just take your regular activities and think about how to emphasize the other senses while you are doing them.

I'm sorry -- I know this is just rambling, b/c I am very tired right now! Anyway, I hope it sparks a few ideas.