​Who to Teach

​Instruction in action and motion should be considered for every student with a visual impairment, but must be individualized according to three factors:
  • Dependent on Cognition. Students of all cognitive levels benefit from learning action and motion concepts, but instruction must match their learning profile. Students with typical cognition may require instruction to replace missed visual information. Students with intellectual disabilities may need frequent repetition, highly concrete instruction, simplified language, and immediate application in routines. Instruction should always focus on functional movement, not just vocabulary.
  • Dependent on Additional Disabilities. Students with additional conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, deaf-blindness, or orthopedic impairments may have motor delays, limited sensory input, reduced stamina, and difficulty with body planning. These students often require smaller steps, longer instruction time, physical prompting or modeling, increased repetition, and greater sensory reinforcement. For some learners, movement instruction is essential for safety as well as independence.
  • Dependent on Level of Vision Loss
    • Blind: Tactile, auditory, and kinesthetic instruction.
    • Low Vision: Visual modeling with tactile confirmation.
    • Progressive Loss: Teach concepts early with nonvisual transition
Students should never be assumed to infer motion simply because they can see movement sometimes.

​Why Teach Action & Motion?

​Action concepts help students understand cause and effect, follow directions, move safely, participate in play, engage socially, complete tasks, and understand change. Without explicit instruction, students with visual impairments may experience hesitation, unsafe movement, poor coordination, misunderstood directions, and difficulty with peer interaction. Teaching action concepts develops confidence and control.

​When to Teach

​Action and motion should be taught:
  • Early. From infancy through adulthood
  • Naturally. Embedded into daily routines
  • ​Across environments. Classroom, playground, home, community
Action understanding should grow with the student.

​Instructional Strategies

  • Teach Through Movement. Students should physically do actions—not just hear words. Examples include pushing carts, pulling chairs, rolling balls, jumping, turning, and carrying.
  • Use Real Language. Name actions clearly. For example: push, pull, lift, carry, stop, turn, open, and close. Avoid vague language.
  • Pair Language with Experience. Match action words with movement. "We are rolling the ball."
  • Emphasize Cause and Effect. Teach how movement changes results. Push hard = object moves farther. Walk fast = reach sooner.
  • Scaffold Learning. Begin with simple actions and progress to direction, speed, force, and coordination.
  • Assess Through Independence. True understanding is shown by following directions, independent movement, adjusting force, using vocabulary, and generalizing actions.

​Activities for Teaching Action & Motion Concepts

  • Gross Motor: Obstacle courses, red-light/green-light, ball games, dance and rhythm, and Yoga.
  • Fine Motor: Building projects, buttoning, pouring, opening containers, and crafting.
  • Travel: Navigating areas, stairs, turning escalators, and cane skills.
  • Functional Practice: Carrying groceries, cleaning tasks, cooking, playground activities, and exercise routines.
​Action and motion form the foundation for independence. For students who are blind or visually impaired, movement learning does not happen incidentally. It must be experienced, repeated, labeled, practiced, and reinforced. 

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Full Article List

Guide: Start Here
Tools (VI Basics)
Plan: Referrals & Eligibility
Referral & Eligibility​ ​Medical Vision Information 
FVLMALow Vision Evaluations
Other Evaluations
Plan: IEP Planning
Plan: Collaboration & Accessibility
​Collaboration Accessible Materials ​Classroom Access Instructional Access Technology Access ​Additional Supports Service Delivery Models  ​
Teach: Compensatory Skills
Compensatory Skills
Concept Development ​Alternative Communication ​Emergent Literacy ​Braille Code
​Beginning Braille ​ Braille Fluency & Comprehension  Writing Braille ​​​Nemeth Code Instruction 
​​​Tactile Graphics ​Print Concepts ​​Abacus  ​​Organization Skills​ ​​Study Skills ​​Time Management
Teach: Sensory Efficiency Skills
​Auditory & Listening Skills ​​Visual Efficiency Skills ​​Optical Device Use ​Tactile Readiness
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AT Overview ​AT Use & Maintenance Braille AT ​iOS Instruction Audio Access​ ​Video Magnifiers ​​​Basic Computer Use Computer Access ​Productivity
Teach: Social Skills
Social Skill Basics​
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Teach: Self Determination
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Personal Care ​Hygiene & Grooming ​Personal Health Mealtime Skills ​​​ Food Preparation
Household Skills Clothing Management ​Money & Budget Shopping & Consumerism Phone Use ​Safety & Emergency Preparedness ​​Services & Community Resources
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Evelyn Jane Stories 
Learn: Teaching Strategies & Planning
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