Top tips to include children and young people with a visual impairment in the classroom
Teaching position:
Avoid standing in front of windows – this can reduce you to a silhouette and make it difficult for all learners to see you properly
Learners who have VI need to sit in the best position to see the whiteboard but not separately from the other learners
Learners with vision impairment need to sit close to a power source if they are using specialist ICT
Ensure that when doing a practical demonstration this is visually accessible to learners with a vision impairment – you may not be in your usual teaching position.
Whiteboard:
Provide individual copies of anything presented on the whiteboard
Use a clearly contrasting pen – e.g. black on white
Change the pen nib width to wide – this encourages you to write larger, and is more accessible than a thin nibbed pen.
Teaching and learning resources:
Print resources should be in an appropriate format. (print size, font and contrast)
Ensure that you have a good supply of black or dark blue dry marker pens for white boards, and keep the white board clean to maximise contrast
Use real objects and artefacts to support your teaching
Learners to have their own whiteboard and pen and also their own copy of resources e.g. phonics flashcards
Ensure support staff have time to modify materials before the lesson
Give extra time, if needed, for VI learners to process information and complete tasks
Keep worksheets clear and uncluttered; keep drawings, tables and graphs as simple as possible
PE equipment should be clean and create a good contrast with the surface e.g. no green bean bags on grass
School trips: Plan and risk assess. Ensure CYP can access resources/activity e.g. Can CYP handle objects etc.
Classroom accessibility:
Lighting:
Classroom to have good ambient lighting
Windows to have blinds to reduce glare
Physical accessibility:
Walkways to be clear
Ensure classroom storage does not create obstacles
Layout of the classroom to be kept consistent
Plan and practise 1:1 procedure for fire alarms
Storage and labelling of resources:
Resources kept in the same place and clearly labelled