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VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
Learning in focus
f you have got a sulky, underachieving before setting the club up to make sure we pick the right
I
teenager in class, you might not think it is
Carrie Dunn looks at the challenges for schools
location. We also use local facilities such as climbing
anything too out of the ordinary, and you will walls or water-sports centres when needed.
use the usual teaching techniques to chivvy when it comes to visually impaired children, “Each club has two co-ordinators and they help
them out of it. the external instructors. A lot of people do disability
occasionally you might think it is
and the work of the Actionnaires clubs, which
modules as part of their training, but the co-ordinators
something more serious, maybe a learning are also qualified sports instructors so they can assist.”
problem such as dyslexia or dyspraxia that has not been Local authority assistance is also vital to the
diagnosed previously.
support these students when it comes to PE
successful running of a club, she said.
But it is possible that something as simple as an eye “We work with the local authority’s education team,
test might resolve the issue. vision, including eye health, visual acuity, eye and hand more children involved in sport in school, out of school and most authorities have a dedicated visual impairment
Keith Holland, experienced optometrist and dominance, colour vision, eye movements, focusing and generally more physically active,” he said. section. When we open a club, we work closely
Children’s Eye Care Practitioner of the year, said: skills, eye-teaming ability, visual perception, visual “This can very often be difficult for children with them, and then they send out the information
“Studies have shown that children with uncorrected integration with movement, perception, hearing and and young people with a visual impairment. our to the children who are eligible to attend. The visual
error in their vision, particularly long sight, are the other senses, left-right awareness and directionality, sports clubs across the country are very successful in impairment team assists families on a regular basis, so
identified as having learning difficulties, particularly peripheral awareness, handwriting, tracking, and more. providing the same sporting opportunities to blind and they’re always in contact and can encourage children
with reading,” . The best place to seek a specialist is the website of partially sighted children as their sighted peers. They to come along. We also have our own website, mailing
He suggests that parents and teachers should the British Association of Behavioural optometrists, are accessible, have adapted sports equipment and list, and partner organisations, so people can get in
look out for some obvious warning signs of a visual which carries a list of practitioners with specialist trained and caring staff.” touch through them.”
impairment. interests and qualifications. Lesley Inganni, the charity’s deputy sports manager, The programme is rapidly expanding across the
“A child may display poor concentration, or complain If an underlying visual problem is diagnosed, more added: “A lot of visually impaired children go to country. “Currently we have 29 clubs, with another two
of print looking fuzzy or unstable or wobbling on the often than not it is easily treated. mainstream schools and are integrated there, rather or three opening over the next three months, and we
page, which is a symptom of poor eye movement,” “Most of these problems can be corrected through than going to specialist colleges like they used to. hope to get another eight online this financial year,” Ms
he said. glasses and through exercises, as vision is a learned They don’t always get access to extra-curricular sports Inganni added.
“other signals of a vision problem include getting skill,” Mr Holland explained. clubs, either. Some schools don’t have the necessary The benefits are tangible. Despite a passion for
tired quickly, headaches in older children, losing their He is disappointed that eye tests are no longer a part knowledge or expertise, or if there’s just one child with sport, 11-year-old Max misses out in his school PE
place when they’re reading, and a particular problem of normal school screening, and suggests a rather radical a visual impairment they might not have the equipment lessons.
with spelling. plan to make sure that children enter the education to accommodate them.” His mother, Anna Gordon, said: “Really a lot of
“This last point is interesting – they might be system with any problems already flagged up. one ex-professional sportsman is delighted with what is done in PE is unsuitable for Max and he spends
able to learn spellings for a spelling test, but when “I’d call for all children to have an eye exam before the success of the scheme. John McGovern won the a lot of time not really knowing what is going on.”
they’re writing freely their attention is poor. As such, they start school, and they should have a certificate as a European Cup with Nottingham forest football Club, Max’s participation in sport has increased greatly
I think it’s possible that a lot of children who have condition for school entry,” he said. and recently returned to the city to attend the launch of since joining an Actionnaires club, and unsurprisingly
been diagnosed with dyslexia actually have underlying for those with more serious visual impairment, an Actionnaires club, around 30 of which are run by his mother is very happy with the changes in her son.
visual problems.” progress in the mainstream school system is often Action for Blind People, and offer sports sessions for “Max is always so excited about going to
Mr Holland thinks that regular eye tests are not tricky. The Royal National Institute for the Blind visually impaired young people. Actionnaires and since he started going we have seen
stringent enough to pick up on many underlying (RNIB) runs three schools specifically for blind and He told SecEd: “I think it’s fantastic to see blind and such great changes to his social life and his physical
disorders, as they test mostly for distance-vision clarity visually impaired children across the country, with partially sighted children being given the same sporting fitness,” she added.
and do not look in any detail at the visual processes more operating independently with local authority opportunities as their sighted friends. “Max is one of the lucky few children who get this
taking place. support. “It is so important to enable these children to second chance.” SecEd
once a standard eye test has determined that no But there is usually no real reason for visually build self-confidence and realise their own potential.
sight problem exists, vision is usually dismissed as a impaired children not to be educated alongside their There should be nothing stopping Actionnaires kids • Carrie Dunn is a freelance tutor who lectures at
contributory factor to any underachievement in class, sighted friends – except for the small issue of drained potentially becoming sports heroes of our future, and various London universities.
and the opportunity to provide vital early help to the school resources. Though many subjects are limited I’m glad to be a part of helping Action for Blind People
child is lost. He recommends specialist attention if a in what they can offer to visually impaired children achieve this.”
Further information
parent or teacher is worried about a particular student. because of a lack of funding, nowhere is this more The clubs are run with lots of input from the • There is statutory funding for equipment available
He continued: “Routine eye tests pick up on basic evident than in PE. participants. for those people with sight problems in compulsory
problems, such as long and short sight, the eyes’ health, Action for Blind People, a charity dedicated to Ms Inganni continued: “We take into account what education. for more information on funding contact
which is generally not a problem in children, and how supporting those with visual impairments, reports that less the children want to do, and they help us put the the Education and Employment Information
the eyes work together. than 30 per cent of visually impaired children meet the programme together. our clubs are multi-sport. There’s Service on 020 7388 1266.
“But these standard exams don’t look at how the government’s requirement of two hours of PE per week. a programme in place for each club, so there might be a • More information about Action for Blind People
eyes work together in detail. Any child with a suspected As such, the charity has set up the largest national sport-specific session on one particular day.” and Actionnaires Clubs can be found at
difficulty should have a more detailed exam. A routine sports project for blind and partially sighted children and Any sports club has limited facilities, but Action for www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk
high street check would say there’s no problem with the young people, with brand-new sports clubs established Blind People does its best to accommodate any activity • Keith Holland Associates are contactable on 01242
child’s vision, so you need a specialist to look into these all over the uK. the children want to do. 233500 or via www.myeyecare.co.uk
complex and major issues.” Colin Vince, the charity’s national sports development “Generally all clubs have a set location – maybe • RNIB: www.rnib.org.uk
Behavioural optometrists like Mr Holland examine manager, explained the rationale behind the project: a school or a leisure centre, depending on the local • British Association of Behavioural optometrists:
the entire visual process, and tests cover all areas of “We are aware of the government’s targets in getting authority,” Ms Inganni explained. “We do some research www.babo.co.uk
14 SecEd • December 11 2008
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