Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)
- What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvement in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?
For all my students on my caseload, I have a part in literacy learning. Whether it is, adapting books for my students with CVI, teaching the use of low vision devices, finding books and stories for my deafblind student or teaching Braille- all my students receive my time and planning in literacy.
My background is in general education, specifically early elementary and reading. My greatest joy in a general education class was teaching early readers. I feel that this is a huge help for me as I teach students with visual impairments.
I find that it very difficult for many reasons to be a part of each of my studentās literacy learning. The first and most important is teacher buy-in. I have learned over the years that you have to start with educating the teacher/teachers on the studentās visual impairments and how it effects their learning. I also think it is important to start with being firm and letting them know that we are a team, and it is unacceptable (in a nice way!) to be anything other than a team working together for this student.
Teacher buy-in and understanding definitely limit my ability to be involved as much as I would like. Several teachers feel like āthey can see enoughā or they begin to think the student is incapable of a skill when it is literally because they canāt see it.
Time is another factor. School/class schedules are also factors that limit my ability. I have a Braille student and while I go in during ELA time and math time, for direct instruction, I really need to be there all day! I also find that my teachers sometimes switch things up without letting me know, which then sometimes limits authentic reading/writing time.
I really believe like Karen Blankenship says" If teachers of BVI are to become primary literacy instructors, a number of items will need to be addressed." TVIās will need to be dual certified in general education with an emphasis on science-based literacy instruction as well as certification program of TSVI. The itinerant model will have to be examined to see if it is the best fit for the amount of time needed.
I have the same background as you and feel that it is definitely an advantage for me. While I have been a TSVI for 5 years, I have my first Braille student. She has 2 more years of preschool, so I feel confident we have enough time for the early basics and development. Any tips? I have realized that it is so much harder if the teacher doesnāt buy-in. This studentās teacher was very good with the student but wasnāt good at anticipating things she would need. (hands on items)
I couldnāt agree with you more. I, too, felt that Blankenship hit on many key points that TVI programs lack. The program that I took to become a TVI was a one year fast track program, but I feel it may have lacked some components that could have helped prepare me to be a better TVI. I am not trying to criticize the program because I did learn a lot, but there is only so much you can cram into a 1 year program when people work full time. My programās focus was on the extended core curriculum and the braille code. I am sure I had a āreadingā class, but honestly I donāt recall much from that class. My colleagues and I are always using the phrase, āwe are on our own islandā because nobody understands what we do and we only have our team to rely on. Thank goodness for my team because we do help rely on each other for support and ideas all the time.
Hi Kellie,
I agree with you that my thinking has changed since reading the article by Anna Swenson. I am new to the TVI field, but in my college courses I felt that the focus was on the braille code rather than applying best reading strategies within the classroom. Luckily I do not have a braille student at this time, but when I do receive a braille student I will know that it will be important to teach the braille code within the classroom along with the classroom curriculum as opposed to pulling my students out to focus solely on the braille code.
I think it is wonderful that you are working with adults. I guess I have never thought about what I could do after I retireā¦ I love the idea of working with adults to empower them.
Time is definitely limiting. I know of some teachers who travel across multiple counties to provide services to 40+ students.
I think that the dual certification is a great idea. I know that teachers in my state can qualify for scholarships to pay for university programs. Not sure how many people are taking advantage of that program.
Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)
- What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvement in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?
As my background is in Special Populations (ESL, GT and SPED) in Texas, Iāve worked to get fully certified in the state of Maryland for Special Education. Additionally, I currently work as an Assistant Principal. It sometimes feels as if Iām too far out of the ātrenchesā to support literacy.
However, Iāve found that isnāt the case. For example, if I take Blankenshipās definition that āteachers must have both pedagogyā¦ and content knowledgeā¦ within a single content areaā (197), then when I write a grant for Robotics to cover professional development, I can help the teachers within this program to understand STEM reading/literacy.
Furthermore, this program has also āhired specific reading specialists to work as consultants with faculty membersā (Blankenship, 198). I support this rapport by ensuring that the reading specialist participates in IEP discussions so that their highly-valuable data is included to create a global picture of the student being serviced. Additionally, weāve been able to provide times for teachers to meet with the reading specialist.
Basically, being and admin doesnāt mean Iām farther away from the goals of improving reading instruction for students with VIs. Instead, it means, Iām deeply responsible for ensuring schedules are sacrosanct, materials are consistency purchased, professional developments are thoroughly researched.
@kkaczmarski
Time is one of the things I mentioned is my responsibility to ensure as an admin at a campus for students with blindness and visual impairments. While I get classroom teachers sometimes need to be flexible for daily goings on, itās literally my job to preplan and hold your braille time appropriately.
@pamela.joyner
I also spoke of the responsibility as an admin to hold those service times as gospel for our braille and related service providers. These are federally legal requirements on our studentās IEPs. It is absolutely unethical for educators to not be able to provide those services but time is such a finite thing. If no one has said it to you yet, thank you for what you do.
I provide a lot of instruction in the use of magnification devices and programs (such as Bookshare) to help the students access the materials. It depends on student needs as to what instruction is provided.
I have found that classroom teachers and aides see the in-services as beneficial. I think arming them with the right information makes them more active participants in the studentās education!
@serenag
Thank you so much! We are put in such an awkward position due to time constraints. It will only take one parent to seek legal action to make a change. Then we have to look at compensatory services during school breaks. I agree that this fact is unethical, but I can only be in one place at a time.
@MEGAN.PURFEERST
Would you be able to create an accessible (within childās reach) vocabulary board of braille words for this student? Where is the vocabulary board located? Is wall space available? Or would it be better to create a vocabulary book for the student to have on hand? What grade is the student?
Many teachers (in this district) in the lower grades use a composition notebook for vocabulary words. Students create a table of contents page then number each page along with adding a letter to so many pages. For example, the first 5 pages may be TOC, the next 5 pages (numbered) would be dedicated to all words that begin with "Aa, then the next 5 pages (numbered) dedicated to all words that begin with āB,ā etc. The students use this as a reference when writing. I think the idea is a win-win because students get to use math and reading in completing the word/vocabulary book. It is also helpful across subjects when writing.
Let me know how it goes.
Reading Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments: Whose Job is it? (JVIB, 2008, p. 197-209)
- What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvement in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?
I have been a TVI for five years now and I have had the same braille student each year (I started with him when he was in second grade and he just finished sixth grade). Needless to say, Iāve taught him most of the UEB (and Nemeth) codes! Early on (when the student was in second and third grade), he received vision services on a daily basis, consisting of sessions taking place both inside and outside the classroom, as he was learning to read in addition to learning the UEB code. In order to teach the UEB code, I used the Building on Patterns curriculum, which incorporates some literacy skills while teaching braille. I also relied heavily on the studentās classroom teacher since they were the expert in teaching the skill of reading. I looked to her to provide me with the following information: reading passages/books that were on the studentās reading level, grade level reading rates, how the studentās reading ability compares to those of his nondisabled peers, instructional strategies for teaching reading, in addition to numerous curriculum related questions.
I am fortunate to work in a school district that can accommodate me with having a caseload, consisting of less students, in order to support my braille reader when he required a couple hours of direct braille instruction everyday. While service time/caseload size was not a factor that limited my involvement in the studentās literacy instruction, it certainly is an important one that needs to be taken into consideration when teaching a braille reader.
While I do hold a teaching degree that allows me to teach elementary education, with a reading endorsement (as well as service students with visual impairments), the main factor that limited my involvement in the literacy instruction of my braille student is the simple fact that I am not an active āreadingā teacher and therefore I have fallen out of touch with this skill set. As such, I am not familiar with the curriculum in the same manner that the studentās classroom teacher should be. As a result, I needed to rely on the studentās classroom teacher for this information. Again, fortunately for me, my braille studentās classroom teacher collaborated well and her door was always open. This could become a bigger issue if I needed to work with a teacher that didnāt collaborate, or communicate well. With that being said, it is important to include some coursework regarding the science of reading, or how to teach reading/literacy skills at all levels, as part of a collegeās TVI preparation program. In addition, it is also important that school districts give TVIs access to any/all curriculum documents that may be used in a general education reading class as well as including us in trainings and professional development opportunities that review how to use these materials. By preparing our future TVIās in this manner, and providing current TVIs with this information, this will allow us to better participate and provide literacy instruction to our braille students.
Hi, Kristie,
I agree about the college courses; when I got my TVI credential we focused some on teaching strategies, but more on the braille code and how to use the slate and stylus. Teaching adults has helped me come up with strategies to connect learning braille to their daily lives in addition to working through the curriculum we use in our department. I work for Wayfinder Family Services in Los Angeles, and our department focuses on teaching independent living kills, technology, O&M and braille so that students can be independent either in college or in the employment environment. Teaching adults is different from teaching children, but I love it.
Thanks for responding to my post. I wasnāt sure if it had gone through correctly; I was having trouble with Safari and VoiceOver with the Hive Discussion board.
Hi Melinda,
I think we have had some similar experiences in teaching literacy skills to students with visual impairments. I have worked to utilize magnification devices (like a MATTConnect), Bookshare, and Chromebook accessibility settings (all of our students are one to one with Chromebooks in my district) as ways to get students to read. I often use these devices as a way to access an assignment or reading passage, provided by the studentās general educator, as a way to incorporate utilizing assistive technology in a meaningful way for my students. I also collaborate with general education teachers on a regular basis and that helps me understand what skills a student needs to exhibit in the classroom setting, and what I need to teach them in order to achieve this. Since you mentioned that you collaborate with teachers a lot, I am assuming that you rely on their input in order to provide meaningful instruction to your students. as well While this may not be a factor that limits you per say, I definitely think that it is one that needs to be addressed as sometimes I try my best to collaborate with teachers, but sometimes it is ignored and incredibly one sided. I also think it would help TVIs if we were provided with similar content/curriculum related trainings that all general education teachers are provided with as much of my collaboration with teachers revolves around the content covered in class.
Hi Brenda,
I want to touch upon the point you made regarding that removing the modifiers that qualify a student for vision services. By removing these measures that state a child needs to have 20/70 vision or worse, with correction, in order to qualify for vision services has opened many doors for students that fit this donāt mold, such as students with Convergence Insufficiency, CVI, and students that donāt seem to have the visual acuity as reported from their eye doctor. In my personal experience, I have students with Convergence Insufficiency and CVI on my caseload. A colleague of mine mentioned that she has a student whose vision in the classroom setting does not match that of the visual acuity their eye doctor reported. By removing these modifiers, we create a space for students to receive the support of a TVI that may not have qualified before.
On the other hand, because these modifiers have been removed, our team has seen in increase in vision referrals, which leads to an increase in IEP meetings, which leads to an increase of students on our caseloads. This has lead to a lot of burnout because some of our staffās caseloads are so large. This impacts the quality of instruction that our service providers can provide. Furthermore, the question āshould I recommend the amount of service time the student actually needs or the amount of time I can provide myself?ā has been brought up. While I air on the side of recommending what the child needs, this influx of students that comes from removing these modifiers is real.
- What has your involvement with literacy instruction looked like in your role? What factors have limited your involvement in literacy instruction? Are those factors things that can and should be changed? Why or why not?
I really identified with the reading this week. Particularly the reflections on the realities of teaching a balancing caseloads as well as the whole team approach to working on the expanded core curriculum. As Carol Farrenkopf indicated, we cannot alone be the sole responsible party for literacy, nor should we expect the ELA teacher to be the sole responsible party. Yes, weāre teaching the braille skills, and yes they should be incorporated in the class, but weāre also teaching reading, as the braille is incorporated and taught in class.
I frequently use the Building on Patterns Series with my early readers, and I love how it incorporates phonics and dolch words within the curriculum. I feel that Iām pairing what Iām seeing they work on in class with my instruction. Likewise, I braille the classroom reading content for my student to be able to properly participate in the guided reading groups and other reading instruction with his/her peers.
I recently attended a structured literacy course required by my school district of ALL personnel. At one point the instructor came to me and expressed that she hoped I was getting benefit from the training. I said of course I am, because I supplement reading instruction. I teach reading. Her response was perfect - ALL teachers are reading teachers, even if youāre exclusively a math teacher, you have to get your struggling readers to interact properly with word problems in order to solve them. Every single staff member and subject teacher is a reading teacher in some way.
You provide a great perspective. When I invite reading specialists to participate in IEPs, Iām often met with surprise and thanks for including them. I think it is a vital aspect of our job to collaborate. Iāve frequently gone to our reading specialists to get their take on reading challenges my students are experiencing and have a more well rounded conversation relating to their instruction.