Title: Pedagogical approaches to

supporting Visually Impaired

(SEND) in the Scientific classroom.

Student ID:1006305962

Learning Objectives
LO1: Critically analyse and
evaluate pedagogical issues within
the context of a chosen area of
teaching and learning.

LO2: Demonstrate advanced and

evaluative skills in being able to
progress learning and teaching.

Marking: Amy Thornton

 Pedagogical approaches to supporting Visually Impaired (SEND) in the
Scientific classroom.
Literature Rationale
Many models for fostering an inclusive Science classroom Background
promote diversifying the learning experience through In an ever-changing world it is essential that within
various forms of active learning (Haak et al., 2011). “The study of Science fires pupils’ curiosity about phenomena in the world around them and offers opportunities to find explanations and encourage Critical and Creative thoughts”. teaching Science the Scientific classroom needs to be
Active participation is what John Dewey, educational Pupils learn how knowledge and understanding in Science are rooted in evidence. They learn to question and discuss issues that may affect their own lives, the directions of societies and the future inclusive for SEND students and the teaching pedagogy
philosopher, refers to as educational critical of the world. adapted to meet the needs and requirements of those
consciousness (Dewey,1916), which encourages students National Curriculum, 2009 (NC) around. This ensures all students are treated
to engage in reflective, personalized and inclusive respectfully and have access to general educations.
learning.
The educational philosopher Paolo Freire, argued Legislation The benefits of inclusion for children with or without
teachers should build pedagogy around the voices and disabilities are friendship skills, peer models, problem
lives of their students (Freire, 1970) relying on students Current Educational policy legislation makes it cleat that all teaching staff in a school are responsible for the provision for Special Educational Needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. To help overcome solving skills, positive self-image and respect for others.
to build inclusive spaces. This relies on inclusion being barriers to participating and learning in all aspects of school life including a scientific classroom. Hands on research, open experiments, and openness to
built on the quality of social relationships which relies on communication.
having the knowledge of the students. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) has substantial implications for those involved in planning and teaching the curriculum. Including:
The teaching model (Dewsbury, 2019) states inclusive . Increase access for disabled pupils through accessibility. A typical SEND student whatever condition or diagnosis
pedagogy involves being as reflective about our teaching . Building disability equity considerations in from the start at entry level of activity including classroom practice. works best with Visual and Hands on lessons, they will
as we expect students to be about learning. learn and remember by ‘doing’.
The specific activities and methods the teacher chooses The Inclusion statement in the NC set out a framework the curriculum must include to all pupils. Teachers need to: Respond to pupils’ diverse needs and overcome barriers to learning.
in a classroom can help a student's sense of belonging and
self efficacy (Alfasi, 2003). These choices should, Some pupils with SEN and/or disabilities will show they understand in different ways and therefore, we must use a range of Pedagogical approaches and opportunities to allow them to demonstrate
however, be based on the experience and needs of the their understanding and learning.
students.
The 3 Key Stages framework for Teaching Science are: The Green Paper ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’. 2003 introduced new guidelines for inclusive practice throughout.
Exploration Stage - Set the scene
Ideas and Activities for science Learning The five outcomes that matter most to children and young people can be addressed through the ‘Science Curriculum’:
Redescribing Stage – Reinforce - previous learning Be Healthy
* Essential for SEND Stay Safe
Invite the pupils to list the key points from the previous Enjoy and Achieve
lesson, to establish understanding. Make a positive contribution
Application Stage – Ways children can use their Scientific Achieve economic well-being.
learning and creativity in other contexts.
This allows pupils to develop their own strategies. STEM – Science, technology, engineering and mathematics provides many key building blocks of modern society. Everybody benefits from STEM education, and they are diverse and inclusive.
Key statistics are available from Education Endowment Foundation EEF suggesting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds equivalent to three children in a classroom did not reach expected level of
development by the end of 2021. (Covid 19 pandemic). Science being particularly affected.
Pedagogical Approaches-

In the past ten years products have increased for the

Adaptations for Science Lessons for the Blind or Visual Visually Impaired increasing accessibility for pupils who
Impairment. are learning science.

For all future practices, the below adaptions should be Talking Lab Quest:
noted and used to create an inclusive lesson. A data collection device – on/off beep button including a
raised dot on the button.
• For hands on experience, e.g., Cell Zone Kit and
Interactive Study Sets.

• The use of tactile representations and verbal

explanations. Not all talk and chalk from the Science
teacher at the front of the class.
• Visually impaired pupils are missing so much content Adapting graphs:
using the talk and chalk method, Therefore, switch to The Red line becomes solid scribed; The Blue line becomes
talk and touch. dotted scribed or trying the use of Wikki Stix to
differentiate.

Opening eyes to Vision Impairment

• An example of a tactile model of the digestive system
below. This allows the pupil to feel and personally
demonstrate the point, they can then transfer the
idea to a diagram.

Science Alive! Science experiments from

. Using appropriate vocabulary and comparisons, Livepainting.org
(size, texture, behaviour of an object) e.g. A heart
is the same size of a fist. Suitable for Key Stage 2 and 3.
These books allow pupils to explore scientific principles
• Find out from the student what learning medium is with fun experiments. With each experiment there is a
preferred tactile picture and audio guide exploring each scientific
principle in action.
• Be mindful of spatial awareness
Below is a floating and sinking experiment that shows you
• The use of Braille and Scribing. In a recent placement how you can turn material that sinks into one that floats.
at a SEN school during a Science lesson an ‘Learn how an enormous ship floats and how a Submarine
Key Findings
observation took place. The lesson was adapted for a can travel both under and on water’.
Visually Impaired pupil, the use of scribing and braille For a pedagogical approach to be successful for Visually Impaired/Blind pupils it is essential to maintain an inclusive environment. The below points need to be considered:
featured and had been prepared before the lesson.
The topic parts of flower. A flower was scribed, and Sound and Light: Ensure presentations have appropriate volume, minimize background noise and reverberation reduced. With the addition of subtitles, SEN’ pupils with hearing difficulties will also
each part labelled using braille. The pupil was able to benefit.
use texture and touch to effectively label each part. Adjust/reduce the Glare on the screen.

Seating: Seating should be planned for accessibility of science demonstrations, an uncluttered demonstration area with height adjustable tables.
Recommendation
Resources: Tactile ridges on measuring glassware. During this research it has been very hard to find
appropriate material for pedagogical approaches within
Multi-Sensory approaches: Make it a sensory experience by using different media – stories/outside learning/touch tactile/senses to be highlighted i.e.. Smell Science for the inclusion of SEND pupils. It is evident the
Visually Impaired and Blind are still in the minority with
Health and Safety ICT: Talking processors to read out loud to pupils, the use of braille and tactile resources that are available. very little inclusion at all. There are but a few journals to
hand for data analysis and comparisons within the science
Mandatory, and essential within a scientific classroom. Language: Teach new language explicitly. classroom. This is a field that undoubtedly requires more
Safety equipment must always be provided. We must be
time and research to ensure all needs are met and every
mindful here are more elements to consider before a Pupil-Teacher interaction: After an investigation allow pupils time to discuss the answers with peers. pupil has a voice within the mandatory core subject of
Visually impaired or blind pupil begins an experiment.
Science. Although, considered one of the three core
There must always be a teaching assistant with the pupil Cawley (1994) reported that science teachers generally have little training and experience working with pupils with disabilities. subjects by the National Curriculum, it is far behind the
and essential safety requirements maintained when Patton, Palloway, and Cronin (1990) in research within Special Educational teachers it was found a) 42% od SEN teachers received no training in Science and over half devoted less than 60 mins a week other two for inclusion.
working with a live flame or chemicals. to science .
Keep furniture and other objects out of their path.
Ensure all bottles are labelled with Braille or tactile William Skawinski a blind chemist with retinitis pigmentosa, states a visual impairment imposes an extraordinary sense of orderliness and neatness on the individual, a cardinal rule of safety in the
labels. Scientific classroom. A study conducted by Anne Swanson and Norman Steere found pupils with a disability pose no greater safety hazard in the Scientific classroom, than their able-bodied peers.
All written instructions should be prepared in Braille.

Table 1 Table 2
Statistics Percentage of Visually impaired and sighted students studying science
A 'Levels from 1992-1994)
The Department for Education (DfE) in 2022, identified 13,596 pupils whose primary SEN was
‘Visually Impaired’ (VI). With 72.7% of pupils on SEN support but only 27.3% had an Education,
Health Care Plan (EHCP).
We would draw from this that 27.3% will be in special support schools with the 45.4% in a mainstream
school.

Beal and Shaw (2008) report achievements in STEM subjects by Visually Impaired learners fall below
their performance in other academic subjects.

Rapp and Rapp (1992) state that Visually Impaired pupils particularly the ones using braille were less
likely to participate in advanced STEM classes. This may be due to Science teachers tending to use a
talk and chalk method of pedagogy which results in the Visually Impaired at a disadvantage.

Looking at Table 1: we can see that between the ages of 0-19 there are a total of 23,379 people who
are deaf/blind who all will be entering into the schooling system at some point.

Table 2 : confirms fewer Visually Impaired pupils stay onto to take Science A’ levels, The survey from
1992-1994 highlights that not one Visually Impaired pupil completed a full education studying science
in a mainstream school.

Conclusion

Data analysis suggest that the science options for Visually Impaired pupils within mainstream schools is not being met and special schools themselves are not providing the full science experience throughout a pupils’ schooling life. It is not clear whether this has to do with the contribution of Visual Impairment and
independence skills or the pedagogical approaches of the science teacher, but this should be addressed within future research within the National Curriculum entitlement for every pupil.

It is proven that by providing an inclusive scientific classroom, there will be less need for redirection, consequences, and oppressive strategies because pupils will have greater ownership of their work. All pupils should bring their authentic selves to school and feel that they belong, while the classroom provides an engaging,
responsive and stimulating learning environment.

There is very little research and acknowledgement for an inclusive scientific classroom, and therefore, the experiences as a SEN pupil that can tell us so much about what can go and is going wrong with science education. Working with diverse learners encourages teachers to think deeply about what they are doing in
classrooms, adaptions, and creating an innovative classroom practice.

Pupils learn in diverse ways, different ways of making sense of the world, as well as the basis of important insights. Teachers need to try to present science as a way of constructing meaning rather than uncovering an absolute truth, accessibility then improves richness and resilience within science. Inclusive teaching is most
effective when the academic experience is based on relationships and dialogue, pedagogy created to sustain dialogue and support and improving a sense of belonging and self efficacy for the SEND student reinforces the classroom climate that is inclusive.
Always include, the inclusion of children who require something a bit different or help to understand and retain knowledge. In a school where there are Visually Impaired pupils different pedagogical techniques are required in lessons across the curriculum but especially the Science curriculum for each child to experience the
phenomena around them.

Inclusive education reflects values and principles to perpetuate social inequalities within excluded groups. Slee and Allan (2001) stated ’We are still citing inclusion as our goal; still waiting to include, yet speaking as if we are inclusive’. In 2011 they still state ‘we need to adapt learners in today's classroom the system needs to
change’. Therefore, over ten years there has been no adherence to inclusion and inclusive pedagogies or change within science education.
Teachers need to work in partnership with the school asking for support to strengthen inclusive pedagogies. Grimberg and Grummer (2013).

In conclusion, although (Haak et al., 2011) promote many models for inclusive Science classrooms through active learning this isn’t widely practiced. As Slee and Allan (2001) highlight. Pupils do actively participate through their critical consciousness by engaging in reflective inclusive learning but only if the school scaffolds this
form of learning. The complexity of how to educate all pupils persists, whether in a mainstream or a SEND school. The degree to which schools are committed to developing opportunities for students varies greatly. This relies on the tools of the scientist (the teacher) and is critical to pupils developing the logic structures in
the discipline of Science. However, pupils with disabilities frequently experience inconsistency, many SEND pupils have an input and processing deficit which affects their ability to understand the obvious, so having the opportunities to engage in practical interactions and experiments will help to secure their knowledge.

Student ID:100630592
Bibliography
Student ID: 1006305962

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