instructional strategies for teaching Social studies
In this section, teachers will find practical suggestions for making geography and social studies accessible students who are blind or visually impaired. Included are tips for the classroom, ideas for activities, and techniques to adapt lessons and materials.
Below is a list of topics you'll find in this section. Click on a title to jump to a specific topic.
Family Connect for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
Aimed at parents, this page provides a brief overview of the challenges facing teenagers with visual impairment who are studying geography and history.
International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)
Slovenian teacher Roman Brvar outlines considerations for teaching geography to students with a visual impairment, including educational materials and teaching methods.
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
RNIB's classroom resources pages contain suggestions for specific subject areas, including Geography
Staffordshire Learning Net
Stuart Snowdon offers practical strategies for teaching geography to students with visual impairments, including ideas for instructional methods, materials, and mapwork.
National Geographic Society
Organized by grade level, the topics include the Amazon, Mexico, Gaza, Okavango, Tarantulas, the White House, and Wildlife Refuges.
Opportunities for learning are abundant outside of the classroom, but field trips and fieldwork will be meaningful to students who are blind or visually impaired only if they're accessible. These resources offer suggestions for preparation, accommodation, and making the most of the time in the field.
English Heritage
Using these practical suggestions will make historical site visits meaningful to students who are blind and visually impaired. Tactile representations, audio recordings, and the use of large print are discussed.
Geography Discipline Network
This guide identifies the challenges faced by students doing fieldwork in geography, and suggests strategies for overcoming them. Included is advice on note taking, handouts, and the use of maps and other graphics.
NCGE works to enhance the status and quality of geography teaching and learning. The site includes links to resources, publications, and events.
