Sensorimotor Spotlight
Supporting Learners with Visual & Multiple Impairments
Social Skills Development for our Learners with MVI
Like a little breeze swirling all throughout these acts of daily care and highly designed lesson plans, is the gift of social connection. This connection can bring a sense of shared joy, communication, and meaning that we all so deeply need.
Jan Van Dijk championed the value of harmonious and responsive interactions. Lilli Nielsen honed strategies for promoting social-emotional development through active learning techniques. Millie Smith succinctly teaches us to incorporate these interactions and strategies within highly structured sensorimotor routines.
Our learners need it all. Let's dig in.
Building Routines to Promote Meaningful Social Interaction
Here are the steps:
1. Find a good topic for the routine. We need to find something our learner goes bananas about. We love to use the Sensory Response Record from the SLK. Here is our Sensory Response Record in a google form.
2. Script the Routine. We use this lesson plan template and work with our whole collaborative team to build in appropriate accommodations and embed goals. If we are working to build social skills and opportunities for communication, we may consider a Start, Stop, Start Routine or a turn-taking routine.
3. Trial the routine and collaborate some more. We find that video, observation, and several trials help us iron out any kinks.
Inclusion and Peer Relationships
Wendy Pray, Classroom Active Learning Teacher
One of my favorite things about being a teacher in a self contained classroom is the use of reverse inclusion to foster and incorporate peer interaction. It is such a rewarding experience and a win for the learners and you as the teacher.
There are several steps we follow to ensure the time is used effectively and to make sure the interactions are successful and authentic. Some of the most amazing general education students our learners have built lasting relationships with were the very ones that were apprehensive at the beginning or those who are struggling in the general education classroom.
The most important first step is to partner with your general education teacher to set up authentic relationship building activities and times. We like to meet with the class beforehand to let them ask questions, share concerns, etc. We let them know there are no questions that are “off limit” and we are here to help them understand. If a learner is not comfortable we do not ever force a relationship. No one likes everyone and that applies to us too. We make sure there is an understanding that all rules of respect and kindness still apply even if we aren’t all best friends.
We take notice of learners in the hallways that look at our learners with questioning expressions or concerns. We talk with them and then reach out to their teachers to offer an inclusion lesson. We have never been told no and the teachers are genuinely excited.
We also love to visit Kindergarten classes to start an early introduction that we are all different and we all have feelings and emotions. We let them ask any questions they have and then proceed with class visits in our room for reading times. They love to read to our learners and we have appropriate books for all ready to use.
We reach out to learners who spontaneously initiate conversations with us and our learners. We talk with them and their teachers to find times that work mutually to visit our classroom. We have activities ready and planned and that have been shared with our peers. We maintain confidentiality at all times, but offer suggestions and model to our general education peers on how to be a friend, but do it for them.
Last, be sure to choose activities that are fun and mutually interesting to both learners. This is so important to make the interactions positive. We have had great results with partners for Art, technology, sensory activities, and reading.
We have had amazing success with using this model within our classroom and we have middle school students who reach out to say hello and check in with their friends. While it is a lot of work and planning at the start, this is such a powerful tool to incorporate social skills, turn taking, waiting, team work, and communication and to be honest it provides joy to everyone involved!
Adam's Turn Taking Routine
Angela Campbell, APE Teacher and Allison Clark, PT
Thank you!!
Stacey Chambers, TSVI
Millie Smith, Consultant for Learners with Visual and Multiple Impairments
Angela Campbell, Adapted PE Teacher
Allison Clark, PT
Wendy Pray, Active Learning Teacher
Tristan Pierce, American Printing House for the Blind
Contact Us: TheECCandMe@gmail.com