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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Science gcse audio support for visually impaired pupil?

7 replies

Cathpot · 10/09/2019 08:06

Pupil in my year 11 class is suffering rapid onset deterioration of eyesight which has got significantly worse over summer. We discussed where they are this week and what they would need and there are no easy answers. Enlarging work is not going to do it as the worksheets would need to be the size of a bedsheet for them to be able to read. Condition is made worse by attempting to read . Very bright very motivated pupil finds it extremely difficult to do what they have been told to do - which is rest eyes. All I can think of at the moment is some sort of audio support to listen to while others are filling in worksheets etc. Pupil sits with a friend who currently fills in work. I can find videos for them to listen to but wondered if there was anywhere to go for anything specifically aimed at gcse science pupils who can’t see well enough to access other support?

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noblegiraffe · 10/09/2019 11:16

Has there been a meeting of all his teachers to get ideas?

How about a reading pen? Then they could access textbooks etc.

ChateauMyself · 10/09/2019 11:30

www.rnib.org.uk/sites/default/files/2013_05_Teaching_STEM.docx

www.rnib.org.uk/services-we-offer-advice-professionals-education-professionals/access-exams-and-tests

  • Is the school SENCO aware?
  • Has the SENCO arranged access for exams yet?
  • Has the SENCO/doctor given a written report to the school re effects of the impairments and the adjustments the child should be receiving?

There are IT packages where the child can speak into a mic and the programme will type it up but also has an audio (read back) function. Is this something school/parents can supply?

Record the lessons for the pupil?

I also found this. Even if they are not in your area, would the parents consider something like this? Perhaps they could help with ideas/resources for you?
www.ncw.co.uk/gcse-easter-revision-course

BrigitsBigKnickers · 10/09/2019 13:41

Agree with much of the above. You need to be in touch with your local VI teacher ASAP who should be able to suggest strategies and provide resources.

SayOohLaLa · 10/09/2019 13:59

"Pupil sits with a friend who currently fills in work." Really??!

The poor friend, they have their own work to do and are stuck supporting another pupil because the school don't have the support in place. Why doesn't he have a 1:1 TA to do note taking for him?

Cathpot · 10/09/2019 15:23

Thank you for all the responses - I’ll go through them tonight. The pupil has only just disclosed in the past two days, the significant and serious nature of the deterioration since last term and hadn’t at that point told their parents how bad things have got. All the usual school processes have kick started and there will be lots of communication behind the scenes with home and SENCO etc. The situation of the pupil being in the classroom unsupported is not sustainable and obviously can’t continue. I really just wanted some ideas to get through the next week or so while something is put in place. I know that they will resist very strongly being taken out of the classroom , or being helped by an adult in the classroom. It’s a horrible situation and I’m just trying to make lessons more productive while things get sorted out.

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Moominmammaatsea · 10/09/2019 15:32

I'm not a teacher but I'm the parent of a Y7 new starter who is now registered blind, following a very rapid and unexpected deterioration in her sight.

Your SEND department needs to put in an urgent referral to your local specialist inclusion unit, so your young person can be put on the active caseload of a Qualified Teacher for the Vision Impaired. The QTVI will come into school, assess your student's individual needs, and recommend the necessary adjustments school has to make in order for the child to be able to access their learning, and the full curriculum. It may be that an Habilitation specialist (they help people with disabilities/impairments with everyday functional/living skills) will also be brought into school in order to assess how your student can safely navigate the campus (it goes without saying that crowded corridors are an accident waiting to happen for children and young people with vision impairments) or help them to learn to touch type, for example. These specialists will help with a referral to your nearest Low Vision clinic which provides equipment such as reading magnifiers to partially sighted and severely sight impaired people.

As mentioned above, the RNIB is a magnificent support to families and schools supporting VI children and there is a wealth of information for teachers on its website.

It's interesting to note that in many cases, just enlarging normal scripts actually disables VI students even more as they're cumbersome, unwieldy (and, in my daughter's case, shaming as they draw extra attention to her difference.

I would also like to recommend that your student accesses a current offer, funded by an organisation called VICTA and administered by the RNIB, for a FREE iPad Air (or Braille reader). You can download a grant application form on the VICTA website, send off proof off registration as either partially sighted or legally blind, and, assuming the grant request is approved, the RNIB will courier the equipment to the student's home, using the Royal Mail Articles for the Blind scheme. The QTVI can then adjust the settings to your student's specific print size/font/anti-glare/colour background preferences and Bob's your uncle!

My daughter's teachers email her lessons in advance of each class, they have very specific instructions on how/where she should be seated in class, release her 5 minutes before each bell so she can navigate the corridors safely and (best of all, obviously) she gets to jump the lunch queue every day!

I will come back on if I can think of anything else useful but I'm off now to collect her from the school bus.

But one final thing, your student, once registered, will automatically qualify for 100 per cent extra time in all exams.

Cathpot · 10/09/2019 17:19

Thank you moominmama that’s a really clear outline of what should happen next. The pupils all have an iPad already so that should help. I’m planning to go and chase around tomorrow to see where we are .

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