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Lessons in Reading & Math for Third Grade Students Who are Visually Impaired

Teaching mathematics and/or reading to a visually impaired student is a challenge because you must be sensitive to the student's needs without constantly pointing out how he is different. Having several techniques and lessons that are appropriate for the elementary school population will make you better prepared to deal with these types of situations.
  1. Reading: Group Work

    • Divide students into groups and make sure that everyone has a copy of the book you are studying. The visually impaired student's book should be in Braille or large print. Have the students read the story to one another. Give them a topic for discussion. Through these discussions, both the visually impaired student(s) and the other students will learn about the different ways in which they perceive the information presented in the book.

    Reading: Visual Material in Lectures

    • When presenting visual material in lectures, be sure to describe the information so that the visually impaired student can picture it in her head. Another option is to create Braille or large print copies of the material you plan to describe so the student has the words right in front of him. You might also prepare a tape or CD of the description the night before so that the student comes into the class with an idea of the images.

    Mathematics: Relating Concepts

    • Math teachers often use outside concepts to allow students to visualize the equations and information they are being taught. Be certain to use concepts that a visually impaired student can relate to. For example, when teaching the "FOIL" method of multiplication, you can tell the students to remember that "FOIL" stands for "first, outside, inside, last." Explain to them that they can sing the quadratic formula to the tune of the song "Pop Goes the Weasel."

    Mathematics: Using Manipulatives

    • Your visually impaired student may not be able to see a three-dimensional shape, depending on her level of impairment. Let the student feel blocks to demonstrate the concept of being three-dimensional. You might let the student feel the edge of a ruler to define a straight line, or a selection of triangles to understand the differences between scalene, isosceles and right triangles.

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