Subtitles
Associated Teachers’ TV programme
Special Schools: Teaching Visually Impaired Pupils
0001 10:00:03:20 10:00:06:05
(narrator) It is estimated
that sighted people
0002 10:00:06:05 10:00:09:17
acquire 80% of their knowledge
through vision.
0003 10:00:09:17 10:00:12:03
For teachers
of visually impaired children,
0004 10:00:12:03 10:00:15:07
the challenge is to maximise
pupil learning experiences
0005 10:00:15:07 10:00:19:22
with a rich and varied
multi-sensory curriculum.
0006 10:00:19:22 10:00:23:11
(woman reads)
"Special Schools."
0007 10:00:26:10 10:00:29:19
(narrator) This programme looks at
how visually impaired pupils
0008 10:00:29:19 10:00:32:06
can build confidence,
achieve their ambitions,
0009 10:00:32:06 10:00:37:03
and develop the necessary skills
to enjoy a full, independent life.
0010 10:00:40:15 10:00:42:11
At Dorton House School in Kent,
0011 10:00:42:11 10:00:45:09
pupils are supported in using
all their available senses
0012 10:00:45:09 10:00:48:08
to participate in
a varied curriculum.
0013 10:00:48:08 10:00:53:11
Mobility and spatial awareness are
encouraged throughout the school.
0014 10:00:57:00 10:01:00:08
Dorton House employs
visually impaired staff,
0015 10:01:00:08 10:01:02:17
recognising that
appropriate role models
0016 10:01:02:17 10:01:07:15
are necessary to promote
children's self-esteem.
0017 10:01:07:15 10:01:09:22
The school believes
anything is possible,
0018 10:01:09:22 10:01:14:14
and few activities need to be ruled
out on health and safety grounds.
0019 10:01:14:14 10:01:17:21
So, if you'd like to raise
your bow arm...
0020 10:01:17:21 10:01:19:01
(boy) Hello!
0021 10:01:19:01 10:01:22:15
(narrator) A way to promote learning
is to share experiences with peers.
0022 10:01:22:15 10:01:24:18
DortonHouseSchool has forged links
0023 10:01:24:18 10:01:28:24
with MiltonMargaiSchool
for the Blind in Sierra Leone.
0024 10:01:28:24 10:01:31:10
Education
0025 10:01:31:10 10:01:33:03
It's a nation
0026 10:01:33:03 10:01:36:00
And its people...
0027 10:01:36:00 10:01:38:11
(narrator) The children
exchange Braille letters
0028 10:01:38:11 10:01:40:17
and friendships have been formed.
0029 10:01:40:17 10:01:43:05
MiltonMargaiSchool Choir
has been to England,
0030 10:01:43:05 10:01:45:13
and now three Dorton House pupils
0031 10:01:45:13 10:01:47:22
are about to visit
their friends in Africa.
0032 10:01:47:22 10:01:51:11
..put a banner up on a pole,
and we could raise it when we leave.
0033 10:01:52:07 10:01:54:21
(narrator) As gifts
for the Milton Margai children,
0034 10:01:54:21 10:01:58:22
the whole school has been involved
in making masks and tactile maps.
0035 10:01:58:22 10:02:01:19
( "Back to School" continues)
0036 10:02:05:12 10:02:08:03
At Dorton House,
pupils' visual needs are assessed
0037 10:02:08:03 10:02:10:07
when they first arrive
at the nursery,
0038 10:02:10:07 10:02:13:18
to determine
the support they will receive.
0039 10:02:13:18 10:02:17:17
Right from the start children are
encouraged to use hearing, smell,
0040 10:02:17:17 10:02:19:22
taste and touch
0041 10:02:19:22 10:02:22:14
to investigate their environment.
0042 10:02:22:14 10:02:26:08
Even cooking becomes
a multi-sensory experience.
0043 10:02:26:08 10:02:29:11
Now, we're going to make
some pizza faces today...
0044 10:02:29:11 10:02:34:14
My role is to support children in
the specialist setting we have here.
0045 10:02:34:14 10:02:37:15
We are a separate nursery
from the school,
0046 10:02:37:15 10:02:39:16
because we're an assessment nursery.
0047 10:02:39:16 10:02:42:20
The children can come when
they're two. They leave at five.
0048 10:02:42:20 10:02:45:01
Some of the children
will go into the school.
0049 10:02:45:01 10:02:50:22
Other children go into perhaps
mainstream schools in the area,
0050 10:02:50:22 10:02:53:01
or to other specialist facilities
0051 10:02:53:01 10:02:56:19
for severe learning difficulties
or physical difficulties.
0052 10:02:56:19 10:02:58:11
Where's Oliver's nose?
0053 10:02:58:11 10:03:01:16
(Bindon) We differentiate
the cooking for different children.
0054 10:03:01:16 10:03:05:08
We've got Faith, who will
explore the food with her fingers
0055 10:03:05:08 10:03:08:07
and likes to bring her fingers
up to her mouth to taste -
0056 10:03:08:07 10:03:12:15
although she can't see
what she's doing.
0057 10:03:12:15 10:03:14:22
Oliver has more vision,
0058 10:03:14:22 10:03:18:07
but he needs help putting the food
in areas where he can see,
0059 10:03:18:07 10:03:22:20
because he can't see very well
all the way round.
0060 10:03:22:20 10:03:25:21
And then we've got a little boy
who has physical difficulties.
0061 10:03:25:21 10:03:29:05
Zac has no vision but will be
using his sense of smell,
0062 10:03:29:05 10:03:31:05
and using one hand
rather than both hands -
0063 10:03:31:05 10:03:33:12
but will be encouraged
to feel with both.
0064 10:03:33:12 10:03:37:03
When we make our pizza faces
we're going to put on some eyes...
0065 10:03:37:03 10:03:40:21
Charlie is very much
hands-on and tasting
0066 10:03:40:21 10:03:43:17
and not using his vision very much -
0067 10:03:43:17 10:03:45:24
he would need bright lights
to be able to see.
0068 10:03:45:24 10:03:49:19
It's round - like your face.
0069 10:03:49:19 10:03:53:18
The special part of the assessment
is looking at their visual needs
0070 10:03:53:18 10:03:56:15
for actually
accessing the curriculum
0071 10:03:56:15 10:04:00:03
in terms of their reading and
their writing and their use of ICT
0072 10:04:00:03 10:04:02:03
and their manipulative skills.
0073 10:04:02:03 10:04:03:18
Does it smell nice?
0074 10:04:03:18 10:04:06:03
(Cottle) A lot depends on
what their vision is -
0075 10:04:06:03 10:04:08:12
if they're blind
or partially sighted.
0076 10:04:08:12 10:04:12:03
And then,
as a result of that assessment,
0077 10:04:12:03 10:04:14:15
I can give
directions and information
0078 10:04:14:15 10:04:16:18
as to what size print they need,
0079 10:04:16:18 10:04:19:04
what modifications
they need to the curriculum,
0080 10:04:19:04 10:04:21:08
any specialist equipment they need,
0081 10:04:21:08 10:04:26:10
and basically how the child learns
and how they access learning.
0082 10:04:27:06 10:04:30:08
OK, Charlie, here it comes.
Ready? Have a taste.
0083 10:04:30:08 10:04:32:18
(woman) We're an interesting
school community
0084 10:04:32:18 10:04:37:08
in that the unifying fact
for all of our children here
0085 10:04:37:08 10:04:39:14
is that they have
severe vision impairment.
0086 10:04:39:14 10:04:42:02
(Bindon) What do you think
might look like eyes?
0087 10:04:42:02 10:04:44:20
But they may or may not have
additional disabilities.
0088 10:04:44:20 10:04:50:07
So we have quite a lot of children
who one might otherwise describe
0089 10:04:50:07 10:04:53:16
as having learning difficulties,
but they're also visually impaired.
0090 10:04:53:16 10:04:57:19
We also have children who have
very significant other disabilities.
0091 10:04:57:19 10:05:02:03
And of course, although they
may not have examination success,
0092 10:05:02:03 10:05:05:05
nevertheless, many of them have
a lot of personal success
0093 10:05:05:05 10:05:08:02
in terms of personal achievement.
0094 10:05:09:15 10:05:11:09
Good girl.
0095 10:05:11:09 10:05:13:10
One... two.
0096 10:05:13:10 10:05:16:12
What do we need
in the middle of our face, Oliver?
0097 10:05:16:12 10:05:19:23
(Bindon) They're coming from
the very close unit of the family,
0098 10:05:19:23 10:05:23:20
and it's the first step out into
the exciting world for them.
0099 10:05:23:20 10:05:27:02
That's why it's so important
that it's a safe, secure environment
0100 10:05:27:02 10:05:30:19
with teachers that
really get tuned in to their needs.
0101 10:05:30:19 10:05:32:22
Cut it in half, we've got two.
0102 10:05:32:22 10:05:36:03
(Bindon) So we work on
the children really being happy,
0103 10:05:36:03 10:05:39:23
because a happy, confident child
is one who's going to learn.
0104 10:05:39:23 10:05:42:09
You're gonna put that one on
as a mouth?
0105 10:05:42:09 10:05:46:09
Shall we put it on that way up?
Cos then it's a nice smiley face.
0106 10:05:46:09 10:05:49:21
(Bindon) Cooking is an excellent
multi-sensory experience,
0107 10:05:49:21 10:05:53:24
so the end result isn't the
important thing - it's the process.
0108 10:05:53:24 10:05:57:13
So it can mean that they explore
containers, packets -
0109 10:05:57:13 10:06:01:00
all useful things, life skills,
for later on.
0110 10:06:01:00 10:06:03:01
Crunchy, isn't it?
0111 10:06:03:01 10:06:06:23
They're able to make a mess here,
nobody minds.
0112 10:06:06:23 10:06:11:15
They need really to be able to
cover themselves in it if necessary
0113 10:06:11:15 10:06:14:17
to find out the different properties
- dry, wet, sticky -
0114 10:06:14:17 10:06:17:19
which they need to feel
and they need to explore.
0115 10:06:17:19 10:06:20:05
We're going to put it
on the baking tray.
0116 10:06:20:05 10:06:22:13
Put it next to Oliver's.
0117 10:06:25:15 10:06:30:11
Mobility is begun
with the very youngest children.
0118 10:06:30:11 10:06:33:01
It's not started as a formal way,
0119 10:06:33:01 10:06:36:11
it's done as a very informal way -
playing with the children,
0120 10:06:36:11 10:06:39:14
but with specific activities
to help their body awareness.
0121 10:06:39:14 10:06:43:08
Shall we do the
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"?
0122 10:06:43:08 10:06:45:11
(Bindon)
So it might be action rhymes -
0123 10:06:45:11 10:06:48:11
locating their heads
as opposed to their feet,
0124 10:06:48:11 10:06:50:14
finding out where they are
just on the floor,
0125 10:06:50:14 10:06:53:11
and making them aware of
their positions in space.
0126 10:06:53:11 10:06:56:01
..ears and mouth and nose
0127 10:06:56:01 10:06:59:00
Head, shoulders, knees and toes
Knees and toes
0128 10:06:59:00 10:07:00:18
(Bindon) We don't hold their hands.
0129 10:07:00:18 10:07:03:17
If they're happy to walk on their
own, that is the whole point -
0130 10:07:03:17 10:07:06:10
that they can do the same
as any other child.
0131 10:07:06:10 10:07:08:18
I'll meet you at the stairs, Samuel.
0132 10:07:08:18 10:07:10:21
(Bindon)
The building is well adapted.
0133 10:07:10:21 10:07:12:22
We do keep the corridors very clear.
0134 10:07:12:22 10:07:16:05
There's sensitive lighting,
so that's not going to glare
0135 10:07:16:05 10:07:18:13
and upset the children
whose eye conditions
0136 10:07:18:13 10:07:23:13
might mean that
they're very sensitive to light.
0137 10:07:23:13 10:07:26:08
(narrator) For pupils
who will eventually use a cane,
0138 10:07:26:08 10:07:28:20
there are pre-cane skills
to be learnt -
0139 10:07:28:20 10:07:33:13
primarily
body and spatial awareness.
0140 10:07:33:13 10:07:35:20
I'm called Samuel. I'm eight.
0141 10:07:35:20 10:07:39:07
Samuel at the moment
is learning his pre-cane skills,
0142 10:07:39:07 10:07:43:17
and that involves
learning body protection,
0143 10:07:43:17 10:07:46:07
trailing, squaring off.
0144 10:07:46:07 10:07:51:17
And he's been learning this route
for about four weeks.
0145 10:07:51:17 10:07:54:04
We'll continue that route
0146 10:07:54:04 10:07:57:19
till he can do
the whole route back to class.
0147 10:07:59:12 10:08:04:03
I was with him today, so gradually
I will withdraw and I'll meet him
0148 10:08:04:03 10:08:06:17
at set places on the route.
0149 10:08:06:17 10:08:10:12
Eventually, he will do the route
and I'll meet him at class.
0150 10:08:10:12 10:08:13:12
- Samuel, where are we?
- In the foyer.
0151 10:08:13:12 10:08:17:17
That's right.
That was really good. Well done!
0152 10:08:17:17 10:08:19:20
Samuel has
some learning difficulties,
0153 10:08:19:20 10:08:24:14
but he's achieving well
for his age at the present time.
0154 10:08:24:14 10:08:27:14
We're developing
his body and spatial awareness.
0155 10:08:27:14 10:08:30:07
We're continuing to develop
his pre-cane skills.
0156 10:08:30:07 10:08:32:12
Protect.
0157 10:08:32:12 10:08:36:02
Right, so we're going to go
into the gym corridor.
0158 10:08:36:02 10:08:39:11
(Stopforth) He was trailing what we
call the sure line - the wall line -
0159 10:08:39:11 10:08:42:03
and he was probably also using
a protective technique.
0160 10:08:42:03 10:08:46:12
At the same time we were encouraging
him to use his remaining senses -
0161 10:08:46:12 10:08:49:14
particularly his sense of hearing,
0162 10:08:49:14 10:08:53:11
which is the primary sense
after the visual sense.
0163 10:08:54:09 10:08:58:14
He'd be encouraged to use tactile
and olfactory senses as well.
0164 10:08:58:14 10:09:01:09
Samuel... what have you got to do?
0165 10:09:02:16 10:09:04:14
Good boy.
0166 10:09:04:14 10:09:06:01
Well done!
0167 10:09:08:20 10:09:12:00
- There's nobody else.
- Well done, Samuel!
0168 10:09:12:00 10:09:13:16
There's nobody else.
0169 10:09:13:16 10:09:16:11
So I'm going to do protection
0170 10:09:16:11 10:09:20:11
and, you know, practising trailing,
0171 10:09:20:11 10:09:23:10
and squaring off, and...
0172 10:09:23:10 10:09:28:08
Mannerisms with youngsters who are
congenitally blind can develop.
0173 10:09:28:08 10:09:33:12
If they're not highlighted,
they become,
0174 10:09:33:12 10:09:35:21
as a youngster,
perhaps not as distracting,
0175 10:09:35:21 10:09:38:10
but as an adult,
sometimes unacceptable.
0176 10:09:38:10 10:09:40:22
Because often
you get eye-poking, rocking,
0177 10:09:40:22 10:09:43:09
head-shaking,
that sort of thing.
0178 10:09:43:09 10:09:46:08
But you do need to draw it
to the child's attention.
0179 10:09:46:08 10:09:49:09
You don't reinforce it by saying,
"Samuel, don't do that."
0180 10:09:49:09 10:09:53:00
You maybe just place a finger on
the head, then the hand moves away.
0181 10:09:53:00 10:09:56:07
Right, we're going to
walk across the foyer.
0182 10:09:56:07 10:10:00:06
(Stopforth) The programme is
based on a pyramid of objectives,
0183 10:10:00:06 10:10:04:17
the baseline being the development
of sensory awareness,
0184 10:10:04:17 10:10:07:21
the development of
what we call pre-cane skills,
0185 10:10:07:21 10:10:10:12
and the development
of body and spatial awareness.
0186 10:10:10:12 10:10:13:17
And the pinnacle of that pyramid
is ultimately
0187 10:10:13:17 10:10:15:17
independent travel
with a long cane -
0188 10:10:15:17 10:10:19:12
and we're talking probably in terms
of a totally blind person here.
0189 10:10:19:12 10:10:24:22
Now, Samuel is still realistically
on the baseline of this pyramid.
0190 10:10:24:22 10:10:28:24
You've got youngsters perhaps where
just loss of sight is an issue.
0191 10:10:28:24 10:10:31:12
You have youngsters
with learning difficulties.
0192 10:10:31:12 10:10:33:21
You also have youngsters
who are nonambulant.
0193 10:10:33:21 10:10:39:16
But all these children benefit from
the orientation mobility programme.
0194 10:10:39:16 10:10:42:04
(Thompson) We've got
the specialist curriculum,
0195 10:10:42:04 10:10:44:09
which is about mobility
and orientation.
0196 10:10:44:09 10:10:47:19
And we follow
the National Curriculum -
0197 10:10:47:19 10:10:51:18
but obviously adapted to meet the
needs of these particular children.
0198 10:10:51:18 10:10:57:07
But alongside that, there's also
the everyday parts of independence,
0199 10:10:57:07 10:11:01:24
and we've embedded that in the
curriculum we offer to all children.
0200 10:11:01:24 10:11:06:18
We call it SKIFIL -
Skills For Independent Living.
0201 10:11:06:18 10:11:10:16
And there's the whole issue of them
being able to access information
0202 10:11:10:16 10:11:13:20
that usually
we access through sight.
0203 10:11:13:20 10:11:17:02
If children haven't got that,
you've got to do something instead.
0204 10:11:17:02 10:11:18:20
And that, for the young children,
0205 10:11:18:20 10:11:21:13
will be about
real, everyday experiences.
0206 10:11:21:13 10:11:25:23
So in their playhouse they'll have
real fruit, not plastic fruit.
0207 10:11:25:23 10:11:28:04
But for the older children,
0208 10:11:28:04 10:11:30:22
it's about enabling them
to access in a tactile form.
0209 10:11:30:22 10:11:35:11
Now, if I were teaching archery
to mainstream children,
0210 10:11:35:11 10:11:37:06
I would give a demonstration
0211 10:11:37:06 10:11:39:24
of the points of technique
that I would wish them to do.
0212 10:11:39:24 10:11:45:00
But obviously, in this instance
I can't show by demonstration.
0213 10:11:45:00 10:11:49:10
Therefore, my use of language
has to be as precise as possible.
0214 10:11:49:10 10:11:53:04
So, Nick,
if I stand at the shooting line,
0215 10:11:53:04 10:11:57:15
if you would like to come forward
to me and stand opposite me...
0216 10:11:57:15 10:12:01:01
Obviously, the health and safety
aspects of a sport like archery
0217 10:12:01:01 10:12:02:23
are really important.
0218 10:12:02:23 10:12:04:23
The children have to be made aware
0219 10:12:04:23 10:12:08:06
that there's a very set
series of guidelines
0220 10:12:08:06 10:12:11:11
that they have to adhere to
in order to make the sport safe.
0221 10:12:11:11 10:12:15:02
..draw a line across your toes,
it'll be facing the target.
0222 10:12:15:02 10:12:19:00
Only under the instructions of
the person who's taking the lesson
0223 10:12:19:00 10:12:21:07
will they come to the shooting line
and shoot.
0224 10:12:21:07 10:12:23:17
Nobody goes beyond that.
0225 10:12:23:17 10:12:27:08
I'm very, very strict about that.
0226 10:12:27:08 10:12:31:11
OK, so you're going to hold it up
at shoulder height...
0227 10:12:31:11 10:12:34:18
Nick has a very small field
of central vision
0228 10:12:34:18 10:12:36:18
and no peripheral vision.
0229 10:12:36:18 10:12:39:17
So Nick is able to see the target,
0230 10:12:39:17 10:12:42:14
but there's other things
he's not able to do.
0231 10:12:42:14 10:12:47:01
He wouldn't be able to see me
unless I was standing opposite him.
0232 10:12:47:01 10:12:51:02
So positioning of the teacher
in relation to the pupil
0233 10:12:51:02 10:12:52:18
is important as well.
0234 10:12:52:18 10:12:56:01
Put your fingers on the string.
Slide down till you feel the button.
0235 10:12:56:01 10:13:00:03
So every time you put your fingers
on the string to release an arrow
0236 10:13:00:03 10:13:02:03
it's always in the same position.
0237 10:13:02:03 10:13:03:03
(Nick) Yep.
0238 10:13:03:03 10:13:06:04
And just turn your head
towards the target,
0239 10:13:06:04 10:13:08:19
draw, keep your elbow high,
0240 10:13:08:19 10:13:11:11
and when you're ready, release.
0241 10:13:14:01 10:13:15:24
Excellent. Well done.
0242 10:13:15:24 10:13:18:19
- Now, same feeling.
- Yeah.
0243 10:13:18:19 10:13:21:15
And middle finger
to the corner of the mouth...
0244 10:13:23:03 10:13:27:05
- That's pretty good.
- We'll have a look in a moment.
0245 10:13:27:05 10:13:30:15
Everyone has to wait until
all the arrows have been shot
0246 10:13:30:15 10:13:32:15
before we go up to collect.
0247 10:13:32:15 10:13:35:14
It's all done
in a very systematic way.
0248 10:13:35:14 10:13:38:16
About a tenth of an inch
off that cross.
0249 10:13:38:16 10:13:41:10
In fact, I think
you're actually just touching
0250 10:13:41:10 10:13:44:13
one of the legs of the cross.
That is brilliant.
0251 10:13:44:13 10:13:49:24
I make sure that everything has its
place, and everything in its place.
0252 10:13:49:24 10:13:51:21
Cos it's very important
0253 10:13:51:21 10:13:55:11
when you're trying to build
confidence in spatial awareness
0254 10:13:55:11 10:13:59:17
that they can expect things
to be as they remembered.
0255 10:13:59:17 10:14:03:11
Slot your feet into the holes there.
0256 10:14:03:11 10:14:05:06
- Thank you.
- OK?
0257 10:14:05:06 10:14:07:01
(MacQuarrie) For blind children,
0258 10:14:07:01 10:14:09:23
it's important that they have
some point of reference
0259 10:14:09:23 10:14:12:18
so that they know when
their feet are in position,
0260 10:14:12:18 10:14:14:18
their hand is at the right place.
0261 10:14:14:18 10:14:18:16
So we have some footplates,
and we've also got a tactile sight.
0262 10:14:18:16 10:14:21:02
They have to build up trust,
0263 10:14:21:02 10:14:24:22
so that they know that
you are going to keep them safe.
0264 10:14:24:22 10:14:27:10
Just take your time.
When you're ready,
0265 10:14:27:10 10:14:31:11
lift your bow arm up.
Nice and easy.
0266 10:14:31:11 10:14:36:03
Sometimes my tone of voice
hasn't been the correct tone.
0267 10:14:36:03 10:14:39:16
I've startled them. It just
hasn't sounded right to them.
0268 10:14:39:16 10:14:42:18
They will also pick up
your moods as well.
0269 10:14:43:22 10:14:47:22
If you don't talk enough,
it makes them feel very insecure.
0270 10:14:47:22 10:14:50:23
So it's getting it just right.
0271 10:14:50:23 10:14:51:21
Good.
0272 10:14:51:21 10:14:55:04
That's one of the things I have
to work on - how to use the voice.
0273 10:14:55:04 10:14:57:01
That's centre target.
0274 10:14:57:01 10:14:59:23
Now I want you to slide it out.
0275 10:14:59:23 10:15:04:21
You've got one, two...
and one just below it. OK?
0276 10:15:04:21 10:15:08:08
So you've got them around
four o'clock on the clock face.
0277 10:15:08:08 10:15:12:01
- Yeah.
- Just to the right of centre.
0278 10:15:12:01 10:15:14:21
I don't have all the answers -
I'm learning all the time.
0279 10:15:14:21 10:15:17:01
And that's one of the joys
of the job.
0280 10:15:17:01 10:15:19:23
It just gives them
an added dimension to their life.
0281 10:15:19:23 10:15:23:22
I mean, it gives them independence,
a sense of achievement,
0282 10:15:23:22 10:15:26:21
self-esteem, a sense of self-worth.
0283 10:15:26:21 10:15:31:11
When I started archery
0284 10:15:31:11 10:15:35:20
it was very, very hard.
0285 10:15:35:20 10:15:39:05
Archery has meant a lot to me
because it means that I have
0286 10:15:39:05 10:15:43:17
an extra leisure hobby that I can
continue outside of school.
0287 10:15:43:17 10:15:47:04
Get the right technique,
0288 10:15:47:04 10:15:51:10
it's quite easy after that.
0289 10:15:51:10 10:15:56:08
I've entered two competitions
and I've retained a cup
0290 10:15:56:08 10:15:58:19
in the last two years
outside of school.
0291 10:15:58:19 10:16:02:11
The Paralympics? Who knows!
0292 10:16:03:17 10:16:05:24
I won't put the apron on just yet.
0293 10:16:05:24 10:16:09:23
(narrator) Dorton House encourages
children in their aspirations,
0294 10:16:09:23 10:16:14:11
and there are visually impaired
staff who can act as role models.
0295 10:16:14:11 10:16:17:01
(teacher) So shall we start
from the top, then?
0296 10:16:17:01 10:16:20:15
When I was about 16, 17
I lost my eyesight
0297 10:16:20:15 10:16:24:20
and I went to the college near
here that's connected to Dorton,
0298 10:16:24:20 10:16:26:13
where I did A levels.
0299 10:16:26:13 10:16:30:18
I then went to live in Spain for
two years to learn the language.
0300 10:16:30:18 10:16:34:06
I came back to work here,
using my languages,
0301 10:16:34:06 10:16:36:24
working with
the staff and the children,
0302 10:16:36:24 10:16:39:01
also doing counselling as well.
0303 10:16:39:01 10:16:42:01
- Hola. Buenos días.
- Hola. Buenos días.
0304 10:16:42:01 10:16:44:20
- Grace. Hola. Buenos días.
- Hola. Buenos días.
0305 10:16:44:20 10:16:46:18
- Eleanor.
- Hola. Buenos días.
0306 10:16:46:18 10:16:48:19
- ¿Qué desea?
- Can we choose any?
0307 10:16:48:19 10:16:50:19
Any of the main courses.
0308 10:16:50:19 10:16:53:14
- Aw, Vicky!
- You can do the pudding afterwards.
0309 10:16:53:14 10:16:57:14
It works pretty well. It means I
have more empathy with the children.
0310 10:16:57:14 10:16:59:08
Quisiera...
0311 10:16:59:08 10:17:02:05
(Duncan) We can work together
using Braille, large print.
0312 10:17:02:05 10:17:03:21
We use a CCTV,
0313 10:17:03:21 10:17:06:13
which enlarges print
if they need to read it onto a TV.
0314 10:17:06:13 10:17:08:06
Un chocolate, por favor.
0315 10:17:08:06 10:17:11:07
(Duncan) We use computers
which have speech on
0316 10:17:11:07 10:17:13:24
or Zoom Text,
which is an enlargement program.
0317 10:17:13:24 10:17:16:12
You will add up how much it is,
then ask for it.
0318 10:17:16:12 10:17:19:09
The only other adaptions we make
is that we focus more
0319 10:17:19:09 10:17:24:06
on speech and pronunciation
and speaking and listening,
0320 10:17:24:06 10:17:27:14
rather than maybe
so much reading and writing.
0321 10:17:27:14 10:17:30:08
- Hola. Buenos días.
- Hola. Buenos días.
0322 10:17:30:08 10:17:32:16
¿Qué desea?
0323 10:17:32:16 10:17:34:14
Sí...
0324 10:17:34:14 10:17:38:23
Paella... por favor. Gracias.
0325 10:17:40:13 10:17:43:07
- (Duncan) ¿Para beber?
- ¿Para beber?
0326 10:17:43:07 10:17:46:21
Zumo de fruta, por favor. Gracias.
0327 10:17:46:21 10:17:49:01
¿Quiere postres, por favor?
0328 10:17:49:01 10:17:51:18
Helado de chocolate, por favor.
0329 10:17:51:18 10:17:55:09
We try and have something visual
or tactile for them to work with,
0330 10:17:55:09 10:17:59:09
so we focus a lot on role-plays and
things where they can move around,
0331 10:17:59:09 10:18:02:23
rather than just sitting still
and learning a list of words.
0332 10:18:02:23 10:18:06:07
- In Spanish?
- (girl) 10, 11, 12, 13...
0333 10:18:06:07 10:18:08:14
(Duncan)
We have plates and cups and things -
0334 10:18:08:14 10:18:12:02
it makes it
a bit more realistic for them.
0335 10:18:12:02 10:18:15:06
- Por favor.
- Gracias.
0336 10:18:15:06 10:18:17:16
- (Duncan) Adiós.
- (Grace) Adiós.
0337 10:18:20:01 10:18:23:02
I started school here
when I was four years old.
0338 10:18:23:02 10:18:24:24
It was 1987.
0339 10:18:24:24 10:18:28:24
The best teachers were your friends.
That's why I did so well at school -
0340 10:18:28:24 10:18:31:06
because they were so friendly.
0341 10:18:31:06 10:18:33:17
There was only eight people
to a class.
0342 10:18:33:17 10:18:36:04
You felt like you knew everyone
straight away.
0343 10:18:36:04 10:18:38:02
It was a really nice atmosphere.
0344 10:18:38:02 10:18:41:12
I'd have rather gone to a special
school than a mainstream school,
0345 10:18:41:12 10:18:46:15
cos I got good qualifications
and better job prospects.
0346 10:18:46:15 10:18:53:16
I left school when I was 16 and went
to DortonCollege for four years.
0347 10:18:53:16 10:18:58:05
Now I'm back working here. I've been
working at Dorton for two years.
0348 10:18:58:05 10:19:02:08
We believe in the children and know
that a lot of them are very capable.
0349 10:19:02:08 10:19:06:10
The reality is that 75% of