I will teach Art to visually impared students, any suggestions for lessons?

Question

I teach multihandicapped middle school blind children. Art is part of the curriculum, and I really need some suggestions as to how to approach art with the visually impaired.

Art will be a 9 week unit.

WOW so many great replies! Thank you to all that helped out!

Answer 1

One project I know is usually a hit with visually impaired student artists is doing a "texture painting." Rather than focusing on color to express the painting, use textures. A tree would be rough and flaky, use sand for, well, sand, etc. Have smooth, rough, prickly, soft, etc. textured materials available, along with finger paints of different consistency, glues, etc. Don't forget, when grading, to first talk to them about the images and feelings they were trying to express, then closing your eyes and touching their work to "see" what they did.

Sculpture with visually impaired students is the "old standby," like drawing is with visually normal students.

Draw in all the other four senses. Have the students express themselves through scents (create potpourri satchets, fresh flower arrangements, fruit bowl arrangements, etc. but be careful using artificial scents like scented markers, which can sometimes offend sensitive noses), taste (do flavor candy dipping or another cooking project), and touch (as noted above). Have them link two or more senses together, for instance creating a sculpture inspired by music you've brought in for them to listen to.

Have fun!

Answer 2

My husband is blind, so that is my point of reference. You have to utilize the other senses, such as touch. Have the students use clay and sculpt, or make things with paper mache'. The sense of smell can be utilized by having them make candles with scented oils. Don't forget hearing, have the children record songs or poems they have created. Art is not just a visual medium. One thing I have noticed that my husband sometimes has trouble distinguishing very small details. Children do have smaller fingers, but sometimes very small things are difficult to get a sense of. Good luck, and have fun.

Answer 3

You can put wood shavings in the paint to make it course so the student knows where it is.

You can use smelly (Mr. Scent) markers.

You can use those new paint pens or fabric paint to raise lines so the student can feel what he or she is painting or coloring in.

I have an article on teaching art to the visually impaired and have emailed you.

Answer 4

In order to help students who suffer from visual impairment to comprehend and use media that ordinarily requires vision for appreciation, I suggest that you focus on developing a lesson plan that devotes time to color/shade/hue study as it is used in common auditorally comprehended speech. In other words, the students must learn to associate the spoken word "color" with an emotional consequence to enhance their use of the "medium" that they trust you to give them to represent a "color".

Week 1: Exploring our colorful language. Each lesson is designed to enable a student to explore feelings or emotions associated with words that describe a color. Such as "being caught red-handed" or "I've got the blues". Other written materials whether in braille or standard print may offer some other uses of color in writing and artistic expression. I would begin to develop a resource of 'exerpts' from every piece of literature that has a color in its prose. For example "Little Red Riding Hood" is a well-known children's classic. However, for those who are visually impaired, they may not be able to grasp just how approachable ANYONE is wearing a bright vibrant color.

Week 2: Feeling the mediums. Crayon feels different than charcoals which feel different from oil-based paints which feel different than watercolors. From the previous week, the use of colors should be easier to work with. A small amount of red can quickly bring attention to a piece of artwork where as a large amount of red can be somewhat offensive depending upon the artist's intention.

Week 3: Canvas or paper mediums. Canvas feels different than paper AND different paper contents feel stiff or rough or smooth depending upon fiber content. Learning the differences of the surfaces upon which another artistic medium is applied and or is best suited for is the goal. Also, dimensions of medium may be addressed such as an 8 1/2 x 11 inch standard sheet of copy paper has dimensions of 8 1/2 x 11 inches. Use of a braille ruler may enable further comprehension of this concept.

Week 4: Clay is an excellent medium for blind students to work with. It enables them to know by feel the size of the sculpture by feling the amount of materials for them to work with. [Phyllis A. Whitney, a children's author, wrote a book entitled SECRET OF THE EMERALD STAR which would be of great benefit for you to read prior to the class. It was published in 1964. I did a book report on it in 7th Grade. It is about a blind student who is also a brilliant sculptor of clay.] It is a good immulative medium for them to use because color is NOT of particular matter. Most modeling clay is gray to begin with and unless glazed and fired ... it will be gray afterwards.

WEEK 5: Field trip to museums with busts or sculptures that may be studied by touch. Speak with the currator to arrange such a "viewing" by visually impaired children. Teaching basic descriptives such as sharp, smooth, textures, etc...will be enhanced by your putting into words what emotions the artistic endeavor spur within you. Tell them what you feel when you look at a particular piece so that they may appreciate the strength of the medium.



I hope that this will be enough to get you started. Enjoy them (the children)..they are precious. Contact me if you reach an impasse. It is a very challenging position; and, I perceive that their lives and their views of art will be greatly enhanced by your efforts.

Answer 5

How about Sculpey?

Answer 6

modeling clay sculptures...

Answer 7

BIG LETTERS