Editorās Note: FamilyConnect is dedicated to empowering parents and caregivers of children with visual impairments—we know you are your childās first and most significant teachers. We want you to know what’s different about the way visually impaired children learn and how to support learning and development from an early age. For this reason, we are thrilled to announce Perkins School for the Blindās free, live webinar which will provide information on facilitating sensory exploration.
Giving Blind and Visually Impaired Children the Power to Explore
By Leah Barrett Demers, Guest Blogger
A child who is blind may not be able to see a rose bush but may be able to smell its aroma, touch its silky petals, or hear the wind rustling its leaves.
For students who are visually impaired or deafblind, exploring their surroundings with all of their senses is crucial to understanding and engaging with the world around them.
On Wednesday, November 15, at 12 p.m. (EST), Perkins School for the Blind will present "Using All the Senses to Explore," a free, live webinar that will give parents and caregivers insight into building strong sensory efficiency skills—and setting up safe opportunities for kids to explore.
In this session, Donna Duggan Edwards, Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Orientation & Mobility Specialist at Perkins, will discuss:
- Understanding your childās visual impairment, including any usable vision
- Encouraging and facilitating exploration that is safe and exciting
- Building sensory exploration into everyday activities—from running errands to taking a walk around the block
- Monitoring progress and adapting to the constant evolution of building sensory efficiency skills
Donna has worked at Perkins in various capacities for more than 30 years and is currently the Low Vision Clinic Liaison for both the Early Learning Center and the Lower School. She has taught courses at Boston College and the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
This is the 10th session in Learning with Blindness, the Perkins series on the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC).
For more information—and to register for this webinar—visit Perkins’ website.
Additional Resources
Parent’s Perspective: Early Intervention Starts at Home
Living Life While Helping Your Blind Child Develop
Teaching Visual Efficiency Skills Using Raisins and Cheerios