A website for teachers who are blind or visually impaired.

Completing Student Teaching

Student teaching gives students enrolled in a teacher education program an opportunity to put the theory they have learned into practice in the classroom under the supervision of an experienced teacher. The student teaching experience is often challenging for everyone, but student teachers who have a visual impairment face some unique challenges and must be prepared to overcome them.

Educating others

It is likely that most university and school staff you encounter with will not have worked with a student teacher with a visual impairment before. They will likely not be familiar with the methods you use to achieve independence, nor how you might work in a classroom without being able to see. It is even possible that you may encounter doubts as to your ability to teach safely and effectively, particularly if you are working with young children. You must be comfortable educating them about your abilities and the techniques and skills you use to run a classroom. Some areas in which you may need to provide some education to faculty and staff include:

  • Techniques you use for daily living, reading, and travel
  • That people who are blind or visually impaired can be capable teachers
  • Techniques for supervising large groups of children or adolescents
  • Techniques you may use for presenting material to a class on an overhead projector
  • Techniques you may use for marking student work and providing feedback
  • Information about how you may handle field trips, playground supervision, and gym activities
  • Information about how you may handle school evacuations and other emergency situations

    • University faculty and cooperating teachers will sometimes want reassurance that you can complete these types of activities before you begin your placement. Use your own judgment in the level of detail you provide, as some teachers may have more experience with visual impairment than others.

    Plan ahead

    You will need to plan ahead more than your fellow student teachers in order to be successful at student teaching. A visual impairment presents a barrier to accessing the classroom environment. In addition to planning ahead for lesson plans and student activities, you will espeically have to plan ahead to ensure that you have access to the materials and resources you need to access. As you plan a lesson or activity, you will need to acquire the resources you need, such a sbraille materials or overhead equipment compatible with your laptop computer, and ensure that it is working before running the lesson.