Peer Interaction Tips

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​Updated June 20, 2025
Positive peer interactions are essential for all students, including those who are blind or visually impaired. Social skills may need to be explicitly taught and practiced to ensure students understand how to interact confidently and respectfully with peers. The strategies below can support these important skills.

Strategies for Supporting Peer Interaction

Build Awareness of the Social Environment
  • Describe surroundings, including who is present, what others are doing, and relevant social cues.
  • Highlight the tone of conversations, mood of the group, and any visual information the student may be missing.
Describe Peers and Activities
  • Provide verbal descriptions of peers’ appearances and actions, especially in new or group settings.
  • Share who is entering the room, who is speaking, or what facial expressions and gestures are being used.
Encourage Observation Before Participation
  • Teach the student to pause, listen, and gather context before jumping into group conversations or games.
  • Model how to assess tone, topic, and turn-taking before speaking.
Address Curiosity About Visual Impairment
  • Help the student prepare ways to respond to peer questions about their vision or tools (e.g., white cane, Braille device).
  • Foster a classroom climate of respectful curiosity and natural inclusion.
Promote Verbal Communication of Emotions
  • Teach sighted peers to express emotions verbally, since facial expressions and body language may not be noticed.
  • Encourage clear verbal communication about feelings, needs, and reactions.
Highlight and Celebrate Braille Skills
  • Offer opportunities for the student to demonstrate Braille reading or writing in class.
  • Encourage classmates to ask respectful questions, promoting Braille awareness and appreciation.
Use Names in Conversation
  • Encourage the student to use peer names when initiating or responding in conversation.
  • Using names promotes personalization and helps the student maintain orientation in group discussions.
Expect Participation
  • Set the expectation that the student will respond to peers, join group activities, and be included in class discussions.
  • Assign classroom roles and responsibilities to reinforce participation.
Teach Turn-Taking and Listening
  • Explicitly teach and model how to take turns in conversation and games.
  • Reinforce the importance of listening without interrupting, then contributing at the right time.
Develop Conversation Skills
  • Practice starting conversations, staying on topic, asking follow-up questions, and ending conversations politely.
  • Role-play scenarios with peers or paraprofessionals to build confidence and fluency.
Demonstrate Socially Appropriate Affection
  • Discuss appropriate physical gestures (e.g., high-fives, handshakes) and when they are acceptable.
  • Address personal space, consent, and cultural norms related to touch and affection.

Recommended Resource

Getting to Know You: A Social Skills and Ability Awareness Curriculum
Available through the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), this K–12 curriculum helps students who are blind or visually impaired:
  • Build social awareness
  • Practice friendship and communication skills
  • Interpret nonverbal cues
  • Prepare for successful adult life, including employment and independent living

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