Starting at Special School Marion Blazé Education Officer for Vision.

Starting at Special School

Marion Blazé

Education Officer for Vision

18/04/23 Statewide Vision Resource Centre

2

Diversity

• Diversity & individuality

• Some case studies


3

Any transition

• Period of change

• Need to make connections

• Anticipation

• Eagerness

• Anxiety

• Uncertainty


4

Familiarity with school

• Be familiar with school’s programs including: o therapistso specialistso special programs

– meaning of ‘conductive learning’, ‘intensive interaction’, ‘active learning’


5

Familiarity

• Important for child and parents

• Visits to schools can be confronting

• Go to all transition days

• Volunteer and become a part of the community


6

Research in mainstream

• Successful transition less about preparation and familiarisation of child, more about preschool and first year of school curriculum and environment being similar

• ‘Seamless curriculum’ – how do we achieve this in a special school?


7

Consistency

• Consistency of approach with special child

• Education of intellectually impaired – emphasis on repetition

• Implies need for all personnel to be consistent in approach

• Requires prior knowledge of child


8

Profile

• If possible, prepared by/with parent/s

• Be concise and practical

• Focus on techniques which assist teacher

• In the first instance, focus on what works (not to insist on “rights”)

• Write as an expert in your child– Friendly, one professional to another


9

Profile, cont.

Basic strategies to compensate for vision impairment:

•‘use my name before touching or approaching me’

•‘place objects within my field of view’

•‘place items on tips of my fingers so that I can grasp them’


10

Profile, cont.

• Communication methods– 6/6

– 6/24


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Profile, cont.

– 6/6

– 6/24


12

Profile, cont.


13

Profile, cont.

• Feeding methods• Triggers• Observable responses

• My child likes it best when …• My child likes it least when …


14

Finally…

• 2011 Report by Charles Sturt University

• Time of opportunity & vulnerability

• Moving from known contexts and supports

• to unknown contexts and supports.


15

Effective transition

• Marked by a positive approach to school

• A sense of belonging and engagement

• Programs need to focus on building relationships– between families, children, school

personnel & support personnel


16

Effective transition

• When families feel valued and respected partners in their child’s education they can recognise their role

• Importance of complementary supports for families across the transition – professionals working together.

Starting at Special School Marion Blazé Education Officer for Vision.

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