Strategies for teaching history to a child or young person with a visual impairment
General points to consider
Pre teach new vocabulary. Check understanding discreetly.
Give the child or young person time to explore objects to support understanding
Use tactile displays, artefacts, maps, diagrams, models, pictures and audio devices to give information.
Use sound effects and newsreels to evoke the atmosphere of the locations where historical events took place, such as First World War battlefields.
Use relief models of famous places and buildings.
Use real resources that the child or young person can hold and explore
Use artefacts, dress up, go to re-enactments, visit buildings, make and look at models.
Make museum visits on the basis that the child or young person will be allowed and will need to handle artefacts.
Use stories, songs, accounts from real people.
Use virtual museum apps to explore artefacts. Use the following link to explore the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/how-explore-british-museum-home
RAMM (Exeter Museum). Use the following link to explore local museum in Exeter: https://rammuseum.org.uk/visit/access/
Bygones in Torquay has exhibits that children and young people can immerse themselves and experience e.g. walking in trenches. Use the following link for more information: https://www.bygones.co.uk
Clearvision project provide tactile topic boxes e.g. the Egyptians, Tudors etc: Access using the following link: https://www.clearvisionproject.org
RNIB Bookshare has a huge selection of accessible images and textbooks available in large print or braille. The images have all visual clutter removed which helps a child or young person with a VI focus on what is visually relevant. The scheme is free and can be accessed using the following link: https://www.rnibbookshare.org/cms/