Control over the social world

If we all use the same strategies to interact with the student with low vision, that student can develop a greater sense of anticipation and predictability. This takes away the guess work and gives a sense of control.

Adult and child walking along a path. The adult is guiding the child. The child is holding onto the adults fingers as she is not tall enough to take the adults wrist — Figure 1 – The adult is guiding the child

Guiding and supporting interaction

Approach: Say your name and offer to assist, taking TIME for the student to respond!

Contact: Offering the hand is a socially acceptable and known method. He then knows where you are, and he can take your arm, without ‘groping’.

Two hands connecting back to back — Figure 2 – The guide’s hand connecting the guided person’s hand

The Yoke Grip or other adapted grips may be useful

Yoke grip

A hand holding an elbow — Figure 3 – Guiding using yolk grip

This adapted grip may be useful if the student needs more support.

Student with their arm linked around adult peer's elbow — Figure 4 – Guiding using an arm linked around guide’s elbow

Shorter people may need to hold lower than the elbow.

Child is holding on to adult's fingers, steps in the background — Figure 5 – Child holding on to guide’s finger

The child is holding on to adult guide around their wrist — Figure 6 – The child being guided is holding on to adult guide around their wrist

Other guiding techniques

Narrow spaces.

Sighted guide walking in front of guided person — Figure 7 – Guiding through narrow spaces

Contacting objects.

Person holding on to sighted guide's arm at the elbow, resting right hand on guide's forearm — Figure 8 – Person holding on to sighted guide’s arm, using the normal guiding grip

Steps

The guide reaches the bottom step and the person with vision impairment is on the previous step — Figure 11 – Guide and traveller moving down the steps

Encouraging connection with the world

Use hand under hand if needed.

Sighted guide right hand under person with vision impairment's right hand — Figure 12 – Hand under hand

Better still, if needed encourage trailing down your arm or the cane. Or if needed use the Three Stage Prompt:

Verbal – wait,
Verbal with tapping or other concrete clue,
Hand under hand.

Guide's hand connecting with the door handle. Guide's other hand and person with vision impairment's hand on the guide's arm — Figure 13 – Guide’s arm connecting with the door handle

Guiding strategies

Even better use guiding to support engagement with the world and learn strategies such as trailing.

Mum with her toddler walking along a fence. Mum is guiding toddler, toddler is trailing hand along the fence — Figure 14 – Mum with her toddler walking along a fence

Guiding can be like being in a learning bubble

In the learning bubble we are just moving in space and not connecting with the world,
What do we learn?

Check with your local Resource Teacher: Vision for more information.

This resource is available for download in both Powerpoint and Word versions.