Dramatic PlayBy: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com The dramatic play station provides opportunities for social, language, emotional, and intellectual development. Students have the opportunity to interact with peers in social situation and practice language. The ability to pretend and to experiment with playthings is necessary for the development of language, reasoning and imagination for sighted and visually impaired students. Through play in the dramatic play station, the students have opportunities to develop an understanding of roles of family members, learn about community helpers and experiment with relationships.
Keep in mind that it is especially difficult for students with visual impairments to understand the difference between make-believe and reality. In order to imitate and act out experiences, a student must first have had experiences with and understanding of the roles and actions to be acted out. It is more meaningful to re-enact familiar and real experiences in dramatic play areas. Students with visual impairments need concrete experiences in real-life situations followed by play repetitions. For this reason, it would be beneficial to begin a unit with a trip to a bakery, farm, restaurant, etc. before expecting the student to pretend with the materials. Incorporate concepts into the drama station by discussing: likes and differences of pots & pans, silverware, clothing; size (big/little and small/medium/large) and quantity differences of people, clothes, food containers; placing spoon/utensils in and out of a pot or oven; placing dolls on top of the bed or underneath the sheets; placing pots on top of a hot pad or placing the hot pad underneath the pot; sound differences of pots and pans rattling; Match towels of the same texture; Discuss if food containers are hard or soft; if clothes are rough or smooth; front and back of food boxes; shapes of boxes and containers; and if boxes or cupboards being empty or full. Include clothing with various fasteners to encourage students to practice dressing skills.
Use a real mailbox to “mail letters” and “deliver” the letters to the right person. Provide household items that can be used in different ways such as pots and pans that fit inside each other, and lids that fit on top. Incorporate objects/materials within the center to make the experiences more meaningful. (ex. a real metal pan with a lid will be more meaningful than a plastic one, broom, iron/ironing board, phone, suitcases, keys and keyholes, dishes, etc.) As the student forms more of an understanding of these real objects, you could introduce pretend and talk about similarities and differences. (Keep in mind that pretend objects often lack interesting textures and smells and may always be too abstract for the visually impaired child!
When planning the dramatic play area, keep in mind that it needs to be a bigger area to accommodate the various furnishings and activities. It is also a loud area, so it is best to have it located near the block center which is another loud area. Create theme boxes using plastic totes or banker boxes. Store theme related materials in the boxes for easy retrieval. Supplement the theme boxes with freebies from business offices, doctor's offices, grocery stores, restaurants, dentists office, post office, etc. Parents may have access to materials for the boxes based on their jobs.
Materials to Incorporate Into Dramatic Play:
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History of vi
Visual Impairments
Vi organizations & Agencies
VI book resources
VI Professionals
Professionalism
Instructional Planning
Professional Publications
Educational Programming
Individual Learning Differences
referrals
Medical vision exams
fvlma
additional evaluations
service planning
writing goals
compensatory skills
Guiding Principles Functional Skills Community Based Experiences Concepts to Teach Access to Instruction Organization & Study Skills Time Management Virtual Instruction Movies & Assemblies Lectures & Instruction Board Work (Chalk, White, etc.) Daily Schedule Morning Meeting Weather Check Dramatic Play Blocks Numbers & Counting Cranmer Abacus Instruction Algebra Geometry & Spatial Sense Measurement & Data Early Literacy Experiences Create Tactual Books Reading Instruction Reading Efficiency Science Adaptations Social Studies Adaptations Communication Modes Accessible Educational Materials Individual Schedules & Communication Cards Adjust Lighting Large Print Optical Devices for Near Optical Devices for Distance Optical Device Use Photocopying Font Legibility Increase Contrast Pictures & Worksheets Keyboarding Instruction Word Processing and Shortcuts Navigate Computer w/o a Mouse Braille Code Braille Instruction Braille Instruction Materials Writing Braille Summer Reading (braille) Signature & Handwriting Nemeth Braille Code Tactile Graphics Guidelines Creating Tactile Graphics Tactile Graphics Instruction Teacher Made Materials Labeling System assistive technology
Overview of Assistive Technology VI AT Resources Non-Optical Low Vision Devices Video Magnifiers Video Magnifier Instruction Screen Enlargement & Readers Low/Med. Tech Tactual Devices Notetaker Instruction Braillewriter Repair Tactile Graphics Technology Braille Technology Auditory Access Devices Accessing Audio Books iPads as Instructional Tools Making iOS Device Accessible iOS Accessibility Resources VoiceOver Apps for VI Note Taking apps Apps for Accessing Books Identification Apps Navigation & Location Apps Braille Apps Magnifier Apps Sound Making Apps Cause & Effect Apps Vision Skills Apps Apps for Early Learning Read to Me Story Apps Apps for Communication Android Apps for VI sensory efficiency
Sensory Input Encourage Use of Vision Sensory Area & Rooms Lightbox Use Sensory Activities for Students with Multiple Disabilities Sensory Tables Visual Efficiency Skills Visual Attend and Scan Activities Visual Tracking Activities Visual Discrimination Activities Visual Motor Activities Tactual Readiness Developing Skillful Hands Auditory Readiness Listening Skill Instruction independent living
orientation & Mobility
career education
recreation & Leisure
self determination
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