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the teacher to make a recording for the child, provide a student reader, or otherwise make the material available.

Teachers of partially seeing children should possess friendly, cooperative feelings in order to participate in and appreciate the teamwork required for a flexible, on-going program which includes the school, the home, and the community. This implies that the teacher should be sensitive to the reactions of others in order to know when to assume the leadership role.

Knowledge and Understanding

Specialized knowledge and understanding occupy a very important place in the group of specific competencies essential for teachers of partially seeing children. In essence they provide the very substance without which particular skills and attitudes basic to the teachers of partially seeing children could not be acquired. Knowledge and understanding are regarded as indispensable.

Teachers of partially seeing children should possess a knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and hygiene of the eye. In addition, teachers should know eye pathology and types of visual impairment commonly found among partially seeing pupils, such as: (1) refractive errors, (2) eye muscle imbalances, (3) nystagmus, (4) optic nerve atrophy, (5) cataracts, and (6) restrictions of the visual field. Combinations of visual disabilities may be present in partially seeing chil

dren.

While it is not the responsibility of the teacher of partially seeing children in most communities to give vision screening tests, she should have a knowledge of screening devices and other case-finding procedures. As a specialized resource person she will be called upon by various professional groups within the school and community to provide accurate, up-to-date information on these topics. This knowledge will also enable her to assist parents in interpreting the findings of screening programs and in applying the needed follow-through procedures.

Partially seeing children have needs to be satisfied, just as other children have. Their visual impairment may make it more difficult to meet these needs. When some of the children's basic needs are unfulfilled, feelings of frustration and inferiority may result. To be able to deal adequately with such personality difficulties, the special class teacher should possess a fund of mental health principles to guide her in helping the child gain the insight necessary to solve his problems. She should have a knowledge of general counseling and guidance materials and techniques as well as a background of special information, including information on personal aptitudes, interests, and vocational resources.

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The typewriter is a special aid to this boy.

In interpreting the child's behavior, the special teacher should be able to use the data from the vision tests and medical records. General information on the visual impairment and knowledge of child study techniques such as case histories, sociograms, anecdotal records, and interviews all contribute to a teacher's understanding of the child. Teachers of partially seeing children need a knowledge of the functions and responsibilities of professional workers, such as ophthalmologists, optometrists, school medical advisers, counselors, principals, school social workers, public health nurses, and psychologists. Teachers should understand the role of each person serving on the team in order to refer cases and interpret and carry out recommendations in the interest of the child, the school, and the home.

Teachers should be familiar with resources provided by many agencies interested in the health, welfare, and education of partially seeing children. If they are to make or recommend intelligent use of the available services, they must know the proper avenues and procedures through which contacts should be made. It is necessary for teachers to be familiar with community, State, and national organizations serving all children as well as the specialized agencies concerned only with partially seeing children.

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Teachers' understanding of agencies within a community should include a knowledge of many services, such as those of child guidance centers, psychological and medical clinics, family service, maternal and child care agencies, and religious and civic organizations. On the State level, there are health and educational services, welfare organizations, and vocational agencies for providing individual guidance, materials, and speakers. Teachers of partially seeing children need to know and use the services available from local, State, and national agencies and associations.

Educational materials and equipment that may be used advantageously with partially seeing children are essential to a program planned to meet the learners' needs and abilities. The teacher should have a thorough knowledge of compensatory equipment and should know where to obtain it. Special equipment 2 used by partially seeing children includes: (1) Books printed in large 24- or 18-point type, (2) pencils with soft lead, (3) large pieces of white chalk, (4) nonglossy maps and globes with few details, (5) movable desks with tops that adjust to an angle that provides the most comfortable eye focus, (6) chairs and tables for art and craft work, (7) art and craft materials, and (8) typewriters with large type. Certain audiovisual devices are excellent for providing learning opportunities in listening and speaking skills. For this reason, it is important for the teacher to have a knowledge of such audiovisual aids. Good organizational ability is involved in caring for and storing this equipment.

Large-type standardized tests are available for use with partially seeing children. When the teacher is familiar with them, she has an additional tool for appraising pupil progress and the basis for adapting teaching and learning activities to individual differences.

Objectivity in appraising and using all special materials and techniques is an attitude required of all teachers of partially seeing children. This means that teachers should know how to test and evaluate, discard or retain, or adjust or augment all special materials in relation to the general program for partially seeing children and its adaptability for use with individual children.

A good visual environment within the classroom is very important for optimum learning and teaching conditions. The teacher is responsible for creating and maintaining a good visual atmosphere that meets the physical needs of the children and promotes their ocular comfort. To do this she needs a knowledge of the correct placement of adjustable furniture and other equipment as well as an understanding of the basic principles of good natural and artificial lighting. The

2 Further information may be secured from the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness or from State departments of education.

colors and surfaces of ceilings, walls, floors, chalkboards, and bulletin boards are also of fundamental importance.

The teacher of partially seeing children should be able to organize and administer a suitable program for the education of the partially seeing, which requires a knowledge of various organizational patterns. Sometimes not one approach but a combination of plans is needed to make the teaching-learning experiences of partially seeing children effective.

The teacher should have the ability to bring about a definite articulation between the elementary and secondary school levels in organizing and administering programs for partially seeing children. To do this the teacher, as consultant, must apply principles and practices to a wide range of pupil abilities. Her knowledge must be extensive enough to cover the following areas, as they may be affected by partial vision: (1) Social maturity, (2) emotional stability, (3) independence and self-confidence, (4) vocational guidance, and (5) civic responsibility.

Finally, the teacher must be aware of the time factor involved in the total personality development and the adjustment process of partially seeing children. She should realize that retrogressions may manifest themselves, but that over a long period of time the child should make

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strides toward the development of optimum physical, social, and mental growth. The individual adjustment process is continuous. It involves the child's recognizing, evaluating, and accepting his handicap.

Keeping abreast of the advances, changing trends, recent materials, and different techniques encourages a fresh approach to the many challenges that the teacher meets in providing a modern program for the education of partially seeing children.

Abilities and Skills

The teacher of partially seeing children should have varied skill in assisting with the organization and administration of educational programs for partially seeing children and should know which of the many types of programs will function best in the city or community. In utilizing such special knowledge, she must have skill in adapting and modifying school programs and schedules to meet the individual needs of partially seeing children.

The teacher of partially seeing children should be able to teach the standard curricular subject matter and some of the cocurricular activities in which partially seeing children participate. She should have a wide educational background so that she can help the children with their varied instructional problems. In addition, she needs skill in helping them establish study habits that make the most efficient use of vision and learning by listening.

The teacher should be able to adapt standard materials and techniques to the needs of partially seeing children. She will prepare much material on the large-type typewriter and by hand. She may teach certain children to use magnifying devices as an aid to learning, and she may select student readers to read certain material to partially seeing pupils.

The teacher needs skill in using and teaching those forms of manuscript and cursive writing that best meet the needs of the children. She should know how to type and how to teach touch typing to children of various ages so that they may reduce the amount of close eye work. She needs skill in lettering by hand in order to prepare flash cards, posters, and other special material. A teacher of partially seeing children should also have the ability to operate and to teach the use of auditory devices, such as tape recorders, Dictaphones, and Talking Book machines.

The teacher should be able to evaluate resource material related to the education and health of partially seeing children in order to interpret information correctly to the other teachers, to parents, and to pupils. It is necessary, also, for the teacher to evaluate personnel who deal with partially seeing children. She should be skillful in apprais

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