Lesson Plan: Visual Sensory Learning

• Name of Activity/Lesson: Improving visual sensation.
• Sensory-Related Skills We Will Be Focusing On: This lesson will focus on improving the visual sensations of children. The exercises in this class target students with visual perception problems as well as hearing and proprioception issues that prevent them from developing proper vision even if their eyesight is within the normal range. Indeed, vision is a vital sense that helps a child explore and interact with the surroundings since 80% of information enters an individual’s brain through the eyes (Kranowitz, 2005). Therefore, it is crucial to sharpen this skill to ensure the adequate development of children.
• Learning Objectives:
  • To use various types of balls to improve visual perception;
  • To develop the ability to utilize additional senses, like hearing and proprioception, to have better vision skills;
  • To be involved in various games;
  • To practice visual memorization of new words using pictures;
  • To help children improve eye-hand coordination;
  • To improve visual discrimination;
  • To strengthen eye-motor control.
• Materials Needed: Since this lesson consists of various exercises, the classroom must be equipped appropriately. Firstly, the box with therapy balls should be installed for visual perception activity (Kranowitz, 2005). Secondly, the cabinet will require a corner with such optometric equipment as prisms, lenses, occluders, and filters (Lazarus, 2020). Third, four personal computers with vision simulation glasses are necessary for visual simulation exercises. Fourthly, four chairs and desks will be needed since no more than four children will be allowed per session. Fifthly, white paper, colorful markers, pencils, chalk, “find-the-differences” pictures, colored books, and board games must always be available in the room.
• Description of the Activity: Children will be required to undergo evaluation by an optometrist, who will identify the existing visual disturbances and give individual recommendations about the duration of this course for each participant. Each two-hour-long lesson incorporates several different activities to help students improve their vision and perform better physically, socially, and academically. The first activity will be relatively simple and is called the “Monster Mash” (Ticktin, 2021). In this exercise, a child will be asked to find differences between several similar pictures of monsters, and the difficulty will vary from three to ten distinctions between two images. Another activity, which will be conducted during the short 10-minute break, is hopscotch and drawing with chalk on asphalt to improve eye-hand coordination. If the weather outside is inappropriate for children to play outside, they will be offered to engage in games like puzzles and LEGO sorting during breaks. If parents have their own suggestions about plays, the instructor may incorporate one if it helps improve visual perception and eye-body coordination. The next in-class exercise for improving vision is playing with colorful balls. The third activity will be memorizing words with the help of images, toys of various shapes, sounds, and tactile interaction. This exercise is essential to improve visual memory and incorporate different senses to strengthen vision.
• Adaptations for Children with Tactile Sensory Concerns: Although many children with abnormal vision do not have anatomic or physiologic abnormalities in their eyes, some have other sensory problems and hence incomplete perception and comprehension of the world. The exercises will involve visual interaction and touch for students with tactile sensory issues. Specifically, the games will be “Loopy Letters” and “Silly Spiders” (Ticktin, 2021). The former will allow a child to take letters and construct words, while the latter is the activity in which a child should find the right path on the provided image with spiders.

References

Kranowitz, C. S. (2005). The out-of-sync child: Recognizing and coping with a sensory processing disorder. Penguin Random House LLC.

Lazarus, R. (2020). What is vision therapy?Optometrists Network.

Ticktin, A. (2021). Play to progress. Lead your child to success using the power of sensory play. Penguin Random House LLC.