Understanding the world: visual impairment

The main challenges to understanding the world for early years children with a visual impairment are:

• Understanding spoken words, particularly those describing objects, places, animals and plants.
• Empathy with those they cannot see, and to whom they may present an impassive face.
• Turn taking because it is difficult to pick up visual cues.
• Following complex instructions.

You can:

• Follow the general advice for understanding the world.
• Use clear, consistent descriptions of places, people and animals giving objects of reference to reinforce the learning.
• Use smells, tactile and auditory cues to enhance the experience.