CTEBVI March 12, 2011



CTEBVI March 12, 2011

Workshop # 804

Playing Your Cards Right to Stimulate Thinking Skills

Betty Henry, Ph.D. and Tamara L. Wood, M.S., L.E.P.

Overview: What is a “Winning Hand” in education? How about a combination of cards, distributed to students who are not overwhelmed by a whole pack of IEP goals? This workshop, primarily intended for educators, but equally appropriate for parents, addresses how to maintain a focus on what is important in the education of children with vision impairment even when you feel pulled into a game of 52 Card Pick-up.

Learning Goals: Curiosity and the ability to explore the environment relate to the ability to solve problems and act intelligently; encourage and stimulate exploration in children with visual impairment; implement and prioritize these skills at school or at home.

[pic]What’s in a Winning Hand? [pic]

As you experience this workshop, you will be introduced to the following cards (not all cards have a handout). Consider how you might use these cards to stimulate thinking skills in children who have visual impairment.

Curiosity Cards

Opportunity Cards

Exploration Cards

Concept Cards

Problem Solving Cards

Real Life Skills Cards

Thinking About What I’m Learning Cards

Creativity Cards

Mistake Cards

Fifty-Two Card Pick-Up

We pick up our cards and ask the important question, “How will I use this?

Your Name ________________________

[pic]Curiosity Cards – BINGO [pic]

It’s easier to find a friend in a crowd if you can find someone who shares your interests.

Instructions.

• Think of a child you know (it could be you and your inner child!).

• Look over the card and mark the 5 – 8 squares that seem like the most fun.

• Add an activity of your own choice in the Free Spot

• Interview others in the room and find out what seems like fun to them.

• If they share an interest with you, have them sign or initial that square.

• Even if they don’t share an interest with you, have them sign a square they love.

• See if you can learn about others, make new friends, and have fun!

|B |I |N |G |O |

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|Could I have a new game |Let’s play catch |Trucks, |Puzzles for me, please. |I play a musical instrument.|

|every day? | |“Vroom, Vroom” | | |

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|My bike, going fast, going |I love nothing better than |Cooking is my thing. |Let’s make clothes for |Can I roll in mud? |

|far. |playing Sudoku. | |Barbie. | |

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|Let’s play Monopoly. |Tickle me, please |Free Spot |Finger painting is my idea |I love cuddling with my |

| | |(make one up) |of a good time. |stuffed (or real) animal. |

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|Can we do the hokey pokey? |I’d like to be a cowboy. |I love big parties. |Playing solitaire is my idea|Gymnastics are for me. |

| | | |of fun. | |

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|Please, I’d love a massage |I love my time on the swing.|Let’s jump! |Let’s build a fort |Can we just make up the |

| | | | |rules as we go? |

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[pic]Curiosity is the Mother of Intelligence [pic]

Why is curiosity so important?

It makes the mind active instead of passive. Curious people always ask questions and search for answers in their minds. Their minds are always active. The mind is like a muscle, which becomes stronger through continual exercise; the mental exercise caused by curiosity makes your mind stronger and stronger.

It makes the mind observant of new ideas. When you are curious about something, your mind expects and anticipates new ideas related to it.

It opens up new worlds and possibilities. By being curious you are able to see new worlds and possibilities, which are normally not visible. They are hidden behind the surface. It takes a curious mind to look beneath the surface and discover these new worlds and possibilities.

It brings excitement into life. The life of curious people is far from boring; it’s neither dull nor routine. There are always new things that can attract attention; there are always new ‘toys’ to play with. Instead of being bored, curious people have an adventurous life.

[pic]Tips to Develop Curiosity [pic]

1. Keep an open mind

This is essential if you are to have a curious mind. Be open to learn, unlearn, and relearn. Some things you know and believe might be wrong; you should be prepared to accept this possibility and change your mind.

2. Don’t take things for granted

If you just accept the world as it is without trying to dig deeper, you will certainly lose the ‘holy curiosity’. Never take things for granted. Try to dig deeper beneath the surface of what is around you.

3. Ask questions relentlessly

A sure way to dig deeper beneath the surface is to ask questions: What is that? Why is it made that way? When was it made? Who invented it? Where does it come from? How does it work? What, why, when, who, where, and how are the best friends of curious people.

4. Don’t label something as boring.

Whenever you label something as boring, you close one more door of possibilities. Curious people are unlikely to call something as boring. Instead, they always see it as a door to an exciting new world. Even if they don’t yet have time to explore it, they will leave the door open to be visited another time.

5. See learning as something fun

If you see learning as a burden, there’s no way you will want to dig deeper into anything. That will just make the burden heavier. But if you think of learning as something fun, you will naturally want to dig deeper. So look at life through the glasses of fun and excitement and enjoy the learning process.

6. Read diverse kinds of reading

Don’t spend too much time on just one world; take a look at other worlds. It will introduce you to the possibilities and excitement of the other worlds, which may spark your interest to explore them further. One easy way to do this is through reading diverse kinds of reading. Try to pick a book or magazine on a new subject and let it feed your mind with the excitement of a new world.

Source:

Experiencing the World without Vision

Imagine a child who is blind visiting the beach for the first time. He hears the lapping of waves on the shore, but may not identify it as water unless he is within touching distance. He feels the dry and wet sand, but has no way of perceiving the whole beach as it stretches along the shore. The sounds of others playing in the sun come to him, but he may not understand that Frisbees are flying or a volleyball is being hit, since he has never seen them. Perhaps his interest in listening to and imitating the family on the next blanket speaking in a language he does not understand goes unnoticed or is discouraged. He may be startled when someone slathers him with sunscreen, especially if it is cold and is applied suddenly, without warning or explanation. Someone may remove his shoes and set them aside without him being aware of where they are. The shoes will be lost to him until someone produces them at the end of the day. The boy may not initiate digging in the sand, not having seen others engaging in castle building. He may dislike the sensation of sand on his skin, particularly inside his sandals and swim trunks. If he is settled on a beach blanket and handed a sandwich and a cold juice box, it may feel like a magical event; cold food and drink appearing out of the warm air. The cawing of seagulls, the barking of a dog, and the buzzing of insects have no visual cues connected with them, making them mysterious, perhaps meaningless, or maybe anxiety-provoking. He may feel the vastness of the ocean, the expanse of the blue sky, and the openness of the beach through the wind, the sounds drifting in and out of hearing distance, and the warmth of the sun. Without visual images, however, his sense of what it is to be on a beach is very different from that of his sighted peers.

Imagine instead that a girl who is blind goes to the beach for the first time with someone who takes pleasure in introducing her to the joys of summer. She will have an entirely different experience. Her companion, who may be sighted or blind, has described where they are going so that she has some preparation for what awaits her as she first sets foot on the beach. She anticipates eating a picnic lunch on the beach, and she has helped to buy the food and pack it in the ice chest. The two beachgoers have loaded it into the car and carried it from the car to the beach. Together, they have paused to pick up some sand and feel it sift through their fingers before they venture to the shore. Her friend has pointed out how the sand becomes damper the closer they get to the water. She may have picked up some more sand on her own to examine the change in texture. She has helped spread the blanket on the sand, noticing how the wind makes it difficult to spread it flat. When she has listened to an explanation of why it is important to protect her skin from the sun, she is prepared to rub the parts she can reach with sunscreen and to ask for help with the parts she cannot reach. Her attention to the sounds, smells and tactile sensations at the beach is appreciated and forms an important part of the friends’ conversation. With assistance, she has stashed her shoes in a bag on a particular corner of the blanket; her friend hopes she will remember where to retrieve them when it is time to put them on and go home.

The day has been rich in information and less scary than it might have been. Her friend has answered questions and shown her, in small, understandable, and pleasant steps, what is enjoyable and interesting at the beach. She may not comprehend how huge the ocean looks or how beautiful the sky is that day, but she has had a better chance of relaxing in the sun, enjoying a swim, and feeling like one of the magicians who produced the lovely picnic at the beach.

Reprinted from Frances K. Liefert, “Experiencing the World Without Vision,” from “Introduction to Visual Impairment” in S. A. Goodman and S. H. Wittenstein, Editors, Collaborative Assessment: Working with Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, Including Those with Additional Disabilities. pp. 1-3. Copyright ©2003. New York: AFB Press, American Foundation for the Blind.  All rights reserved.

[pic]Opportunity Cards – OUTINGS [pic]

Plot how you might introduce a new outing.

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|Beach |New Doctor’s Office |

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|Concept: The joy of summer |Concept: |

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|Schedule: 2 hrs. lunch/play |Schedule: |

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|Sounds: Surf, birds, volleyball game, ice chest knocking along, motor |Sounds: |

|boats | |

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|Smells: Sea water, sunscreen, sweaty bodies |Smells: |

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|Textures: Wet sand, dry sand, sunscreen, towels, sea shells, sand on |Textures: |

|body | |

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|Prepare: Help prepare and pack food; practice spreading a towel on |Prepare: |

|different surfaces, with/without wind; learn about types of umbrellas | |

|and practice opening/closing them; learn about shells and shellfish, | |

|learn how sand feels different closer to the ocean; anticipate seaweed | |

|and litter on the beach; learn about temperature differences in sun and| |

|shadow and how it will feel on your skin; apply sunscreen so you don’t | |

|burn; learn that the beach slopes towards the water | |

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|To Organize: Where will you keep lunch, clothes, sunscreen, treasures; | |

|where are the bathrooms and litter containers | |

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| |To Organize: |

|Optimism: People go to the beach to relax in the sun. | |

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| |Optimism: |

[pic]Create some of your own Opportunity Cards[pic]

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|Hardware Store |Florist |

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|Concept: |Concept: |

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|Schedule: |Schedule: |

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|Sounds: |Sounds: |

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|Smells: |Smells: |

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|Textures: |Textures: |

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|Prepare: |Prepare: |

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|To Organize: |To Organize: |

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|Optimism: |Optimism: |

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|New Car |__________________ |

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|Concept: |Concept: |

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|Schedule: |Schedule: |

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|Sounds: |Sounds: |

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|Smells: |Smells: |

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|Textures: |Textures: |

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|Prepare: |Prepare: |

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|To Organize: |To Organize: |

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|Optimism: |Optimism: |

[pic]Exploration Cards [pic]

There are objects to explore when you enter a room. These might include statues, toys, tools, fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc.

Identify at least 3 objects in this room mark them with a post-it. Draw or write something on the following page that shows how your child would be likely to explore each object. Then identify how you could possibly help expand your child’s ability/willingness to explore each object.

OPTIONS: Write a word or two

Draw a meaningful cartoon picture

Draw a symbol

GOAL: What could help your child explore his/her world?

EXAMPLE: Tomato

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|This is how my child could explore this object: |This is what I might do to help my child explore this object: |

|look | |

|[pic] |Kick Plant Grow |

| |[pic] [pic][pic] |

|smell taste, chew | |

|[pic] [pic] |Throw/Bounce Chop Squeeze |

| |[pic] [pic] [pic] |

|Shake, squeeze, smash Listen | |

|[pic] [pic] |Cook Pizza |

| |[pic] [pic] |

[pic]Create Your Exploration Cards[pic]

• Look around the room and identify three objects that a child could explore.

• For each one, write what you believe the child would observe (child’s exploration).

• Write a few ideas for how you could help expand the exploration of the child.

|Object 1: |Object 2: |Object 3: |

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|Child’s exploration |Child’s exploration |Child’s exploration |

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|Ways to expand exploration |Ways to expand exploration |Ways to expand exploration |

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TEMPERAMENT CATEGORIES

ACCORDING TO DR. CHESS AND DR. THOMAS

Sensitivity

How a child responds to sensations such as touch, taste, temperature, and smells

A sensitive child feels the seams in seamless tube socks

Activity

A child’s general level of motor activity

An active child is always on the go

Intensity

How a child responds – the “loudness” factor

Intense children are loud and dramatic

Regularity of Biological Rhythms

The predictability of a child’s daily functions such as sleep and hunger

How a child organizes his/her behavior

A ‘regular’ child fits easily into a schedule

Approach/Withdraw

A child’s initial response to new people, places, things

Approaching children love novelty

Withdrawing children hesitate with anything new

Adaptability

How easily a child adjusts to changes or transitions

Slow adapters dislike any change or transition

Adaptable children “go with the flow”

Persistence

A child’s ability to “stick with” a task even in the face of obstacles

Persistent children don’t give up

Mood

A child’s basic disposition

Is the glass half full or half empty?

Distractibility

How easily a child becomes distracted by surrounding circumstances, when engaged in an activity

A distractible child becomes sidetracked easily.

A Temperament Perspective

A Quick View of Your Temperament ©1996 Temperament Learning Center (Materials Adapted)

Sensitivity: Sensitivity describes how an individual reacts to sensory stimulation. How sensitive are you to light, textures, tastes, noises, smells? Do your feelings get hurt easily?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Low Sensitivity High sensitivity

Activity: Are you energetic, restless, and always on the go or are you more sedate, moving at a slower pace?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Low Activity (Sedate, slow) High Activity (energetic, restless, on the go)

Intensity: How intense are your reactions to the world? Do you tend to be loud, very expressive, and dramatic? Or are you more calm, subdued, and quiet?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Low Intensity (Calm, subdued, quiet) High Intensity (loud, expressive, dramatic)

Regularity of Biological Rhythms: How predictable are you on a day to day basis with your eating, sleeping, and elimination patterns? Are you generally more predictable or unpredictable with dally behavior?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Low Regularity (unpredictable) High Regularity (predictable)

Approach/Withdrawal: Are you more hesitant with new situations, people, or things? Or do you dive right in, appreciating and seeking out novelty?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Withdrawal (hesitant with new situations, people, or things) Approach (dives right in, seeks novelty)

Adaptability: How well do you adapt to transitions and unexpected changes? How flexible are you? Can you shift gears quickly or do you need time to adjust?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Low Adaptability (needs time to adjust) High Adaptability (flexible)

Persistence: How well can you stay with a task? Do you tend to stay with an activity until completed or do you become frustrated and quit if you find it too difficult or boring?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Low Persistence (easily frustrated) High Persistence (stays with a task)

Mood: This describes a person’s tendency to be happy and positive or serious and negative. Is the cup half empty or half full for you?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Low Mood (serious and negative) High Mood (happy and positive)

Distractibility: Are you easily distracted by surrounding stimulation or do you become so engrossed in an activity that you do not hear or see anything nearby?

|1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

Low Distractibility (engrossed) High Distractibility (easily distracted)

A Graphic View of Temperament

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|5 | | |

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|T o t h e |B e t w e e n |I n s i d e |

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|l e f t o f |t h e b o o k s |t h e |

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|t h e d o o r | |g r e e n b o x |

You can use pictures or objects instead of words. Possible instructions:

Look behind the…

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[pic]Problem Solving Cards [pic]

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|Challenge #1: Take these apart and nest them again. |

|Challenge #2: Make a tower. |

|Challenge #3: Make a train from big to small. |

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|Will it sink or will it float? |

|Rubber ducky |

|Penny |

|Wooden block |

|Troll doll |

|Feather |

|Key |

|Rock |

|How can we know what will happen? |

[pic]Real Life Skills Cards [pic]

As you master each of the following (and many more), celebrate the accomplishment with a card noting each skill mastered. The cards can then become part of an album, fill up a jar, or become a collage…

Identify more real life skills that may be overlooked in the core curriculum. Write these into the empty cells on this table.

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|I can take a shower by myself. |I know the route from A to B |I can load paper into my braille writer. |

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|I can brush my teeth by myself. |I can select my own clothes. |I can make a cup of tea and bring it to Mom. |

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|I can tie my shoes. |I can make my own bed. |I can play Uno with my brother. |

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|I can read a story to the younger children. |I can wipe off the table after snack. |I know the names of all my classmates. |

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[pic]Thinking about what I’m Learning Cards [pic]

After teaching the process, pick one or more of these cards from a basket and ask student to answer the question(s). Make your own questions for the empty cells.

Before I start:

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|What am I trying to do? |What materials do I need? |Do I have all my materials? |

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|How will I do it? |What is the first step? |What will be the last step? |

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| |Who knows more about this than I do? | |

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After I finish:

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|What did I learn? |How might I do it different next time? |Did I like doing this? |

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|What was the most difficult part of doing |Who will be interested in this? |What will I remember about this? |

|this? | | |

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|What senses did I use to understand this? | |What was the first thing I did? |

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[pic]Mistake Cards [pic]

Fear of mistakes can take the pleasure out of learning. If everything had to be perfect the first time, no one would become an artist, explore a new world, or invent a new product. Without the chance to make mistakes and learn from them, all learning would be rote memorization. “Drill and kill” would be the school motto.

Thomas Edison did not invent the electric light bulb without many, many failures along the way. No risk—no gain! The willingness to forge ahead, with the possibility of being wrong or making a mistake, can make learning fun.

Warning! This doesn’t mean that mistakes are always welcome. Use of fire and knives, walking in traffic, brain surgery, and sky diving all require careful and precise training, not an attitude of “let’s try it and see how it goes”.

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|Musical Chairs |Mistakes when Writing |

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|Learning Goals: Rhythm, orientation, alertness, balance, number skills|Learning Goals: letter formation, fluency, spelling |

|(X-1) | |

| |Procedure for print errors: Teach the child to draw a box around the |

|Necessary: Chairs and children; one fewer chair than children. |word or letter and draw a bow above the box to make a “present”. |

|Music. | |

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|Procedure: Line the chairs up in two rows with backs against each |Procedure for braille errors: Reverse or backspace; cover all six dots|

|other. As the music plays, children march around the line of chairs. |with a full cell. Make at least two or more full cell braille |

|When the music stops, each child must find a chair and sit. The child|corrections to make it clear that this is intentional. |

|without a chair is out of the game. Remove one chair and repeat until| |

|there is only one child left in the game. | |

| |Role of “mistakes”: A quick way to acknowledge errors and move on will|

|Role of “mistakes”: There will always be someone who cannot find a |keep the focus on meaning rather than detail. A box suggests a gift |

|chair, but the game can still be fun. The person who is newly “out” |rather than a tragedy. |

|person can start and stop the music for the next round. | |

Putting it together

(52 card pick-up?)

Thank you for coming to this session.

What will you walk away with?

How will you use your cards?

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