Effective Instruction

Effectiveinstruction of students with disabilities draws upon effective methodsor instructional techniques that educators use to facilitatelearning.The difference lies in how, when, and why the strategies areimplemented. Strategies such as visual schedules, highly structuredmaterials and directions, teaching sequence for simple facts, andsensory-specific activities are some examples of strategies that assistin effective educational design. The document Ten Effective Teaching Principles provides some basic effective instruction guidelines.

Theteam needs to strive for the student to be a productive and independentlearner. The team, including the student and parents, needs to have thesame curriculum achievement expectations as the student's same agepeers. Providing immediate feedback and letting the student takeresponsibility for his learning is essential. Having specializedmaterials available in the appropriate format when they are needed, andknowing when to intervene with those materials are all key elements toeffective instruction.

As noted above, instruction of studentswith visual impairments usually means teaching both the general corecurriculum and expanded core curriculum. The latter will includevarious technology devices (such as Braille, large print,abacus,optical devices, tactile symbols, calendar systems, signlanguage, andr ecorded materials) and compensatory skills (such asconcept development, listening, social interaction, orientation andmobility,independent living, career education, recreation and leisure,spatial understanding, and study and organization).

Achieving effective instruction for students with visual impairments means being aware of the following:

• Readingto the student is essential. It is particularly important to activelyengage the student in the story, as the images and experiences of thestudent may not be the same as the student with visual access. Youngerstudents may find it harder to relate what they hear or see on the pageto physical reality. Acting out the story with the student, askingquestions, having the actual object described in the book, having thestudent locate and identify pictures on the page, or allowing the childto feel the Braille bumps are all ways to engage the student.
• Studentswith visual impairment may understand facts and concepts, but may havedifficulty applying them correctly in some situations. Teachers need tounderstand that this difficulty stems from their inability to properlysee and interpret the situation, and not from lack of knowledge.
• Certain social skills training may be particularly important, such as learning:

• the voice of the teacher in various situations

• about the concepts of personal space and appropriate distance

• to face the speaker when interacting as a sign they are listening

• to raise a hand in class and not to speak out self-advocacy while being polite yet firm

• Tothe extent possible, teachers need to place the same classroomexpectations on students with visual impairments, such as independentlyretrieving materials, turning the book to the appropriate pagequickly,and answering the same number of questions. Be aware of thepotential for the fairy godmother syndrome, whereby the teacher makesmaterials appear and disappear and the student loses situationalawareness and classroom perspective.
• Orientation and mobilityinstructors will instruct students in walking around the block, mappingout the school, reversing routes, crossing intersections, andnegotiating a familiar environment and then apply the same concepts toan unfamiliar environment. The goal is to teach students to negotiatetheir environment in a safe, independent, and efficient manner.
• Manystudents with visual impairment need to be taught daily living skillsutilizing scaffolded instruction in everyday situations. Examplesinclude: opening a box of milk, cutting meat into bite sizepieces,safely slicing an apple, eating an apple without eating thecore,getting a snack and pouring a drink, tying shoes, putting theshirt on with the tag in the back and right side out, engaging thezipper on the jacket, appropriate bathroom cleanliness, using the stoveand microwave, when to wear the jacket versus the sweater, setting thetable, cleaning a room, and running a household.