Geometry is inclusive

Today I would like to talk about teaching geometry to students with special needs. Along with the years, education has been able to develop resources that help students with diversity to keep up with the rest of their classmates. 

For this reason, I consider it is more than important to learn some adaptation that we might introduce in our geometry lessons in order to be equitable and respectful with all the students. 

There are different ways of capturing and representing geometry objects. It is when we face a new situation we all mostly use our visual skills to identify that object or situation, therefore, these new images are progressively adapting in our brain until they form a real image. 

For students that might have some issues with this visual problem, there is a programme called Frostig which provides 25 activities to work and develop visual-motor skills, shape and background perception, the position on the space, space relationships and visual memory. 

In this video you will see how to apply Frostig’s test: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vMcr4Z_7lw

Working geometry with students with Visual Disability 

For these students that present these difficulties, working geometry and mathematical concepts might be a real challenge. First of all, I would like you to watch this video in order to see their reality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYb2jm-SWMM 

This girl shows a great motivation for learning and it is something that we should foster in our classrooms no matter the necessity of our students. 

It is relevant to introduce the “ háptico” system which entails touch and synesthesia. It is the perception of balance and all parts of the body in order to work this subject therefore, it allows the shape and forms capture.

Other resources we can use with these students are the following ones: 

Engraving: This could engrave information thanks to the Perkins machine. Also, we can work with geometric shapes by using this machine.

Geometric- algebraic expressions: For this action, we must use the transcription rules of Braille with the use of expressions and transformations. 

In this video, you will find some tips to use with your students: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXdDBAHh3eM

Moreover, the Braille system allows students to work geometry through the machine called “positive point” which allows them to work with different types of angles. For the denomination of geometry figures and the different polygons, we can use specific symbols along with the enumeration of its vertex. 

Geoplane and handmade materials.

The use of the Tangram is also a great element to introduce in your class. It gives your students the freedom to manipulate geometric shapes. 

Moreover, we can use plastics and wood geometric figures. 

Finally, I would  like to share this speech in which a teacher talks about how to work with students with special needs:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nEihYAqR84

                                                                 References 

Recursos educativos - Web de Educación de la ONCE. (2013). Educación Inclusiva ONCE. https://educacion.once.es/recursos-educativos