Demonstrating the Early Vision Trainer to families and schools

The Early Vision Trainer is designed to promote visual curiosity and improve

basic figure/ground visual perception in visually impaired babies and young

children and those who may have additional difficulties (MDVI).

It is a practical approach based on recent research.

The three target groups of children presently using it are:

Group 1:  pre-school children, at home, up to about 2 years of age with normal patterns of

development but a visual impairment. They may be premature and recovering from surgery for

ROP or other early vision difficulty.

Follow the guidelines on Pages 1-3 in the Green Book for position, frequency, ethos, safety

and ideas. This is a short and intensive programme of 5-10 minute play sessions about 5 times

a day for an agreed block of a few weeks. The children tend to show positive responses quite

quickly as the frequent repetitions establish patterns of visual curiosity.

What is needed next is to ensure eyes are checked for glasses correction and that play

'therapy', from services such as the Portage Worker scheme, takes over. This will ensure that

visual curiosity is transferred to sensory exploration of the child's world.

Group 2:  pre-school children, at home, with additional physical and learning needs,

and a visual impairment (MDVI). There may be a diagnosis of delayed visual maturation,

cerebral palsy (CP) or cerebral visual impairment (CVI). Children in this group with slower global

development have a longer available period for development of perception.

These children often have lots of appointments  so that frequent, lengthy or intensive

intervention is invasive on home life. The solution is to allow only a couple  of 10 to15 minute

'plays' a day for fixed periods, say half a term. Agree with mum and dad to the block duration.

When you collect the Trainer at the end you can talk about any changes in behaviour, what

both baby and parents liked about it.  You can always introduce it again later after a break.

The reason for this is to keep things fresh and fun for both parents and child, that is why they

must stick to our recommendations.  It is helpful to contact the family once a week and

certainly a visit after the first week.

Group 3:  children in special schools or Early Years groups.  These children and young

people are similar to those in group two but may use wheelchairs as they have limited

movement. They work 2/3 times a week for about 15 - 20 minutes.  Changes in responses are

slight initially but over a year there is a noticeable increase in visual curiosity and attention;

more determination to reach, head held higher and more smiles.

When introducing the Early Vision Trainer and its purpose, experience shows it is best to meet

a group of the class staff together (teacher and support adults). It is also important to get

them all to participate and rotate on the programme timetable rather than leave it to one

person. That way they all learn the child's responses and can exchange ideas. It also helps to

identify one of the adults to take charge of maintaining the kit intact. This regime is more

easily managed once the programme becomes part of the child's education plan.

Help the group to identify a place away from the noisy classroom, a corridor corner or

anywhere free from distraction - which is not often easy in a busy special school. They can

note down simply what they did as it helps to see differences in responses over time and to

have data available for SEN Reviews when talking to parents.