Being included in social situations is vitally important to increasing social and communication skills for learners with DeafBlindness. It’s important to differentiate between being present and being involved in social situations and to recognize the level of involvement. Do they have a role that is valued within the social setting? Do other members value them … Read more
We all like to revisit experiences we’ve had and share those memories with others. Experience books provide the chance to revisit and review life events, which in turn creates communication and literacy learning opportunities. The great thing about these books is that you can write them yourself based on the student’s interests and life experiences. … Read more
As teachers and support staff, how do you describe your students with DeafBlindness to other professionals? Do you tend to focus on their abilities or their disabilities? We have all likely heard the idea of using ‘people first’ language but do we also think and speak in ‘ability first’ language? It’s important to take into … Read more
It’s hard for us as hearing and sighted people to imagine what it would be like to have a dual sensory impairment. As I get older and my hearing and vision change, I am amazed at how dependent I am on my glasses! Sometimes when I go to the store I might come home with … Read more
(A Parental Perspective) If you are a parent of a child with disabilities, have you ever felt like no one understands them? In a world that often sees a person’s disability before it sees the person, do you desire for your child to be seen for “all” of who they are? I am a parent … Read more
When it comes to this most wonderful time of the year, there are lots of great smells associated with the season. Just think of the smells of a freshly cut tree, apple cider, pies, cakes, gingerbread, hot cocoa, oranges, and so on. These smells can bring us back to wonderful memories of holidays past. This … Read more
Parents of children with combined vision and hearing loss have to spend a lot of time explaining their children to new caregivers and teachers as well as to those in the medical field. They have to explain what their child’s likes and dislikes are, what they can eat and how they communicate etc. over and … Read more
How do you teach literacy skills to learners with combined hearing and vision loss? It requires the communication involvement of the reader to learn and experience the book topic and its concepts. You certainly cannot just read a book aloud, show the pictures, and expect comprehension of all concepts in the story. They most likely … Read more
What is everyone’s favorite topic of discussion? Ourselves! We learn from talking about our experiences and sharing our perspectives with others. Creating experience books about a student’s likes and dislikes is a perfect example of that! These books provide high-interest topics and opportunities for communication and socialization. Check out the following book idea based on … Read more
Experience books provide very highly motivating and meaningful methods of developing communication and socialization within literacy lessons/events. They provide opportunities for students to use objects, pictures, or words that are familiar to them across different settings and with different people. The topics are endless and can grow with the student. These books are great for … Read more