PE: visual impairment at P level 5

Challenges include awareness of space and understanding concepts such as big and small without tactile cues.

You can:

• Ensure that the pupil is able to thoroughly explore equipment prior to the activity to create their own mental map. For contrasting equipment let the pupil feel both together to gain an understanding of comparison, such as a small ball/large ball, small hoop/large hoop, low apparatus/higher apparatus.
• Use speech to describe size (‘when this ball is on the floor it reaches up to your knee – it’s a large ball’).
• Help ball control by getting the pupil to bounce a ball, while keeping their hand on it for as long as they can. This will help them feel more in control than if they let go of the ball and wonder where it has gone.
• Move on to throwing upwards and catching. A ball which is audible will help them locate it. Encourage the pupil to look for clues about what’s happening – can they sense the movement of the ball as the air is pushed out of the way? What can they hear as the ball bounces?