Western Michigan University

BLRH 592

O&M with Children

2 Credit Hours

Spring 2005 – Campus

INSTRUCTOR

Name: Annette C. Skellenger, Ed.D., Associate Professor

Office: 3506D Sangren Hall

Phone: 387-5944 home: 553-6305 (before 9 pm please)

E-mail: skellengera@wmich.edu

Office Hours: By appointment

REQUIRED TEXTS AND READINGS

Fazzi, D & Petersmeyer, B. (2001). Imagining the Possibilities. New York: AFB.

Purchased at the WMU Bookstore in Bernhard Center.

This book has required readings for BLRH 592, BLRH 594, and BLRH 695. You

are required to purchase this book for whichever class you take first and are expected to have it for use in the remainder of the classes.

Additional required readings are included in the classpack for BLRH 592 which is required to be purchased and is available from MyCoursepack at Michigan and Howard.

Outlines for each lecture will be posted on http://homepages.wmich.edu/~skelleng Students are expected to download outlines to assist with taking notes during the lecture.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will provide strategies and methods for teaching Orientation and Mobility to children. Methods for teaching the typical O&M curriculum; indoor travel to business travel, to children will be presented. In addition, strategies for teaching areas specific to children, such as body image, sensory-motor, and concept development will be addressed. The focus will be on practical applications in educational settings.

COMPETENCIES

Students will acquire knowledge of the following topics:

1. The impact of a child’s visual impairment on families.

2. The impact of visual impairment on the development of children with visual

impairments.

3. Components of the “expanded core” curricula for children with visual

impairments.

4. Body image and physical development and methods to facilitate skills in these

areas.

5. Use of senses and concept development and methods to facilitate skills in

these areas.

6. Considerations for teaching O&M to preschool-aged children with visual

impairments.

7. Considerations for teaching O&M to adolescents, particularly as it relates to

the transition between school and work.

8. Methods and materials for assessing O&M skills in young children with visual

impairments.

9. Strategies for lesson planning and sequencing of O&M lessons.

10. Strategies for monitoring and intervening on O&M lessons

11. Materials related to teaching O&M to children

MODES OF INSTRUCTION

1. Didactic/lecture

2. Small and large group discussion and activities

3. Technology enhanced instruction (e.g., computerized presentations, video viewing and recording).

4. Guest speakers/panels

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Focus Topics (20 points) -- Students will submit a list of 5 things they

learned from each assigned reading that will help them in teaching O&M to children. Students will also include a short description of how this info will be useful in their teaching. These items will help the student use the knowledge obtained through the assigned readings to focus on the information covered in class. Focus Topics will be turned in as soon as they are complete or no later than the week after the reading is due.

2. Student Option (30 points) -- Students will choose

one of the following activities:

A) Observations of O&M lessons with children – This option is available only to students who do not have current or past experience with children who are visually impaired. Students will arrange to observe at least three lessons with children by at least 2 different O&M Specialists. Students will write up a 2-3 page report of each observation. The report will include a brief description of what was observed with the remainder of the report focusing on what the student learned that will help them in the future as an O&M Specialist

B) Read a biography about a child or a family of a child with visual

impairments - Students will read a biography and write up a 2-5 page report of what was learned that will help the student in the future as an O&M Specialist.

C) Open book mid-term - Students may choose to take an open book mid-term on the information covered in readings and lectures up to the middle of the term. This will help the student to know what will be expected in the final exam.

D) Parents file - Students will compile a file of materials to be

shared with parents of children with visual impairments. Examples of materials that might be included in the parents file might be simple, clear hand-outs showing sighted guide, etc that are made by the student or copies of pamphlets or booklets produced for parents such as An Orientation and Mobility Primer for Families and Young Children. Eight to ten items should be included. Students in distance ed sites will make a video-tape of their file contents and will submit the video-tape for evaluation.

E) Assessment file - Students will collect and organize at least 10

examples of assessment forms that might be used with children. Forms might be collected from other O&M specialists, from the instructor of the course (I have quite a number to choose from), or might be put together by the student. Students in distance ed sites will make a video-tape of their file contents and will submit the video-tape for evaluation.

F. Games and Activities Sharing Activity -- Each student will

collect at least 8 games or other activities that can be used to teach skills in at least 3 of the following areas; a) body image, b) gross and fine motor, c) concept development, d) vision use, e) auditory skills, f) indoor travel, g) outdoor travel, and h) mapping skills . These games and activities will be shared with the rest of the students in the class by posting on email approximately every other week. Ideas for games or activities might come from an original idea of the student, may be solicited from practicing O&M specialists, might be found in published resources and adapted for children with visual impairments, or might be collected from materials available from the instructor.

3. Practice in Developing Concept Lessons (25 credits) – Each student will be assigned an environmental concept that may need to be taught to a child with a visual impairment. The student will use the information provided in lectures and readings to list the critical components of the concept and answer a series of questions related to teaching the concept. (See attached)

4. Practice in Including Important Components of Lessons (25 credits) – Students will be given a topic that would be included in O&M lessons with children with visual impairments and will create activities to show how each of the components of good lessons should be incorporated. (See attached)

5. Plans to Adapt Adult Blindfold Lessons for Children (50 credits) --

Students will be provided with a series of lessons from a typical blindfold sequence. Students will demonstrate in detail how the process of teaching 3 routes might be changed for children (how games or toys might be used, how many lessons each component might take, what concepts would need to be addressed, etc). Students will submit detailed lesson plans for 5 lessons and will describe any further lessons that might be necessary to teach the 3 routes in an additional 2-5 page paper.

6. Summative Activity (50 points) -- Students will all complete a summative

activity that will require they answer short-answer and essay questions about teaching O&M with children. Students will be allowed to use books and course notes to answer the questions but the activity will be proctored and completed in a 2-hour time period.

LECTURE OUTLINES

Outlines of all class lectures will be available on the instructor’s web-page. The address is http://homepages.wmich.edu/~skelleng. Students are encouraged to download the outlines before each class to assist them with taking notes during the session.

ADMINISTRATIVE COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Distance ed students are expected to be involved in the scheduled phone bridges. Points may be taken off the student’s total if phone bridges are missed without explanation.

COURSE GRADE CRITERIA

Percent of total points

95 - 100% A

90 - 94% BA

85 - 89% B

80 - 84% CB

75 - 79% C

70 - 74% DC

65 - 69% D

64 - under E

NEED FOR ACCOMMODATIONS

Any student with a documents disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the professor and the appropriate Disability Services office at the beginning of the semester. Accommodations will only be made after they have been officially recommended by Disabled Student Resources. The two disability services offices on campus are: Disabled Student Resources and Services 616.387.2116 or Offices of Services for Students with Learning Disabilities 616.387.4411

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

The Department of Educational Studies, Special Education and the Department of Blind Rehabilitation maintain a strong and sustained commitment to the divers and unique nature of all learners and to maintain high expectations for each student.

STUDENT ACADEMIC CONDUCT

Western Michigan University’s academic honesty and conduct in research policies have been created and defined by members of its academic community, recommended by its faculty senate, and adopted by its board of trustees. The Department of Educational Studies with adhere to all Student Academic Conduct policies and procedures as printed in the catalog. The processes necessary to support these policies are managed and facilitated by the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. All questions related to academic honesty will be referred to this office (387.2160).

SCHEDULE

DATE	TOPIC	ASSIGNED READINGS	ASSIGNMENT
Session 1 Jan 4	Intro - Syllabus Heterogeneity of Children with VI Development and Impact of VI
Jan 11	NO CLASS – LEADER DOG PRACTICUM
Session 2 Jan 18	Working with Families - Guest Presenter Susan Crevaston IDEA	Chen, 1993** Barton, 1984* Armenta, 1993* Heart to Heart	Focus Topics are due weekly
Session 3 Jan 25	National Agenda - Core Curriculum Body Image Sensory Stim	Hatlen, 1996* Barraga & Erin, Chapt 6*
Session 4 Feb 1	Self Stim Gross Motor Skills	Barraga & Erin, Chapt 4* Lowery & Hatton, 2002*
Session 5 Feb 8	Guest Lecturers – Judy Holmes and Janet Damon
Session 6 Feb 15	Auditory Skills - Vision Skills	Erin & Paul, 1996* Weiner & Vopata, 1980*
Session 7 Feb 22	Concepts	Baird & Goldie, 1979* Hapeman, 1967 (scan)* Fazzi & Petersmeyer, Chapt 4
March 1	SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS
Session 8 March 8	Materials and Resources Underlying Principles	Fazzi & Petersmeyer, Chapt 3
Session 9 March 15	Assessment Lesson Planning		Concept Assignment
Session 10 March 22	Sequencing	Fazzi & Petersmeyer, Chapt 2
Session 11 March 29	Monitoring and Intervention		Components of Lesson Plan
Session 12 April 5	Elementary Aged Students		Student Option Blindfold Assignment
Session 13 April 12	Teaching Adolescents Preschool	Vancil, 1997* Barton, 1997* Wolfe, 2001 Skellenger & Hill, Chapt 13 in “Big Red	Blindfold Assignment
			Summative Activity