Meet the Needs of Children and Families

Rong Han300675328ECEP-233Professor :Chris Cadieux

Meet the Needs of Children and Families

Picture retrieved from: https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=children&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=zh-CN&aq=f&client=aff-265&channel=searchbox&tbo=d&tbm=isch#imgdii=_

1Introduction of the Child and FamilyJose is 4 years old with low visionHis family are new comers to the Toronto and look for services in this areaHis parents are working; Also Jose is only one child in a two- parent familyJose even did some time in the child care centre in the Winnipeg

Jose is four years old child and an only child in two parent family. He is diagnosed with low vision. His parents have moved from Winnipeg to the city of Toronto and they are working in the city. They are trying to find some service to support their family in the Toronto area.Picture retrieved from:https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=low+vision&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=zh-CN&aq=f&client=aff-265&channel=searchbox&tbo=d&tbm=isch#imgdii=_2The range of characteristics within the specific special need Motor skillLow vision may decrease child 's ability to explore the world

Sensory development A person who has low vision may feel scared to meet the new experience

Communication and social skillsPeople who have low vision may not to communicate with other people and need help to learn social skills

Self-help skillsSelf-help skills may be slower to develop and may require specific teaching. For example, manage buttons , zips

Child who have low vision may take longer time to walk and pinch . Sensory development includes the senses of touch, hearing, sight, smell and taste. Sometimes, a person who has low vision may find it difficult to develop body awareness. people make eye contact or use gestures when they make conversation. People who have low vision may not always recognize the signal. Also they need to enter a conversation, they may also need to be taught about the facial expressions or body postures that other people expect from them during a conversation. Children who have a low vision may not imitate what others are doing. Therefore, self-help skills may be slower to develop and may require specific teaching. For example , manage buttons, laces and zips may need more practicePicture fromhttps://www.google.com.hk/search?q=low+vision+needs&safe http://www.cyh.com/healthtopics/healthtopicdetails.aspx?p=114&np=306&id=18733Needs of Jose and his Family

As Jose is a new comer in my preschool room, he should take some time to adapt new life such as our room daily routine and relationship with other children. In the meanwhile, we should encourage other children to positively interact with Jose. For example, more group activities to help them communicate with each other.

Low vision service is very important foe Jose in or out of day care centre. Through this service, Jose and his family can get support to meet their needs. It will help them feel belonging also it will help Jose and his family to better adapt the new environment.

As an ECE teacher, I need to support Jose to adapt the new environment. As Jose is a child with low vision, we need to make some changes in my classroom to create inclusive environment. For example, add some more auditory books. Also when we plan activities, we should consider childrens developmental level and abilities to make sure every child is included and every child the same opportunity to play.

4Needs of Jose and his FamilyAs Jose s parents are working,8 hours day care program may cannot meet the needs of his family, it is very important for them to get extended program, such as after school program.

As Jose is a child with low vision, his family also is a new comer in the Toronto area, they urgently need some professional service to help them . For example, access resource to help them get professional suggestions about low vision, access agencies that provide support to families with children are diagnosed with low vision

Joses family need financial assistance and time arrangement . Jose with low vision needs the parents companionship in his growing process. Parents need to pay more attention to Jose. As both of parents are working, it is hard for them to accompany with their child. They meet the big challenge about their life. So we need provide some assistance to this family.5Low Vision

Definition

Generally refers to a severe visual impairment (not necessarily limited to distance vision). It applies to all individuals with sight who are unable to read the newspaper at a normal viewing distance, even with the aid of eye glasses or contact lenses(Reading Package, Visual Impairments )What type of treatment is available for children with Low Vision?Glasses and/or contact lenses Magnifiers, binoculars, telescopes or tinted lenses Closed circuit TVs, large print books and adaptive technologyYoung children -----be referred to Early Intervention. ( http://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/134)

As some of children have some eye disorder, such as low vision, we need to make clear about the low vision problem among the children.We need to know what is the low vision and try to find some cues to help us recognize the low vision . Low vision is one word that used in the educational context to describe children with visual impairment (Reading package , visual impairment ) The problem of low vision may lead to childrens motor , cognitive, and/or social development delays. Children with low vision need help to support themselves to adapt the environment. Also from my research ,I know there are many ways to help children with low vision.

Picture from: https://www.google.com.hk/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=zh-CN&client=aff-265&channel=searchbox&q=children%20with%20low%20vision&tbm=isch

http://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/134

6Modifying the Physical EnvironmentAs children with vision have some difficulty to see , we do need to modify the physical environment to help children inclusive and safety.

We need to provide enough light in the class room. In the bright classroom , children can see better .Also sometimes we should capture and change light to adapt childs eye level. Secondly, we need to keep the classroom organized. As children with low vision, they cannot see clearly, we should ease clutter in the floor to make them move easily and safety. Also we need to keep the toys in the same place and organized . It will be easier for children with low vision to get access to the resource. Even we can defined every space with different textures, children with low vision can use other senses to determine where they were and how to adapt the environment. We need to adapt materials to be manipulated by child with low vision. For example, providing big printed materials, braille books.

Keeping the physical environment safety and inclusive for children with low vision is an very important issue for every ECE teacher.

7Changes in teaching strategiesPlan some small group activities and let child with low vision to play with the other classmate

Provide lots of hands-on experiences and sensory activities

Use auditory signal in the transition time

Use large print word books or different texture of books or auditory system in the classroom in the circle time

Give child with low vision more time to do activities.

Communicate with parents effectively

There are many ways I would do to meet some of the needs within my child care setting. I can provide small group activities such as circle time, dramatic play and group work daily to help children play together and improve their empathy and help skills and better understand their peers..I need to focus on the children abilities rather than their disabilities. For example, Organizing lots of sensory activities, such as ice cube. Also I need to praise what child did to improve their self-esteem .As Jose cannot see clearly, I can try different ways to give clear cues to him in the transition time. For example, play different music at transition time .Adapting play materials to make it easy to manipulate by the child .For example, using large printed words. I need adjust my plan based on Joses developmental skills and his interest and give him some time to do the activities.Home/School communication is very important . It can help us to exchange important information about the children with the family. There are some ways for us to use. For example, communication book, parental meeting/interview, phone call, journal.

http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/instructional-strategies-students-low-visionhttps://www.google.com.hk/search?safe=strict&client=aff-265&hl=zh-CN&channel

8AgenciesToronto Central Community Care Access CentreService: Child and family services -- for children or youth with short or long-term disabilities or other special needs and their families There are some agencies in the Toronto area to provide service for the families with children with low vision. I hope it can be useful to Joses parents.

Toronto Central Community Care Access CentreThis centre are located in the Toronto central, it has waiting list.

Non profit, Application must have Ontario Health Insurance

information and referral for related community services ,

Brochures available in Braille, Chinese, English, Filipino, French, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil, Vietnamese

http://www.healthcareathome.ca/torontocentral

9Continuedhttp://www.healthcareathome.ca/torontocentralContact information

Address 250 Dundas St West Ste 305, Toronto, ON M5T 2Z5

Location Toronto Central

Office phone English 416-506-9888 ; French 416-701-4646Fax416-506-0374

Email feedback@toronto.ccac-ont.ca

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Agencies

Canada National Institute for The BlindService: community-based services and are available in Ontario, even are provided at no cost.

Support Canadians who are blind or partially sighted to live independently -to see beyond vision loss and lead the lives they want.

Adult or child who has experienced moderate to severe vision loss. No doctor's referral is required to contact CNIB

www.cnib.ca

http://www.cnib.caLow vision services Make the most of the sight you have

The CNIB provides relevant , specialized services national wide. They provide support to people who are blind or visual impairment. CNIB is committed to helping people who are blind or partially sighted be full participants in lifeIt provide service for any adult or child who has experienced moderate to severe vision loss .For example, Referring Doctors .Family Doctors and Eye Care Specialists can play a key role in referring patients for low vision rehabilitation services.you dont need a referral of any kind. Well work with you to access your medical information if its needed. There is no doctor's referral is required to contact CNIB. Services are provided at no cost to you. toll-free :1-800-563-2642.

Website: www.cnib.ca

11Inclusion of children with special needs reading package part onehttps://www.google.com.hk/search?q=children&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=zh-CN&aq=f&client=aff-265&channel=searchbox&tbo=d&tbm=isch#imgdii=_https://www.google.com.hk/search?q=low+vision&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=zh-CN&aq=f&client=aff-265&channel=searchbox&tbo=d&tbm=isch#imgdii=_https://www.google.com.hk/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=zh-CN&client=aff-265&channel=searchbox&q=children%20with%20low%20vision&tbm=ischhttp://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/134http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/instructional-strategies-students-low-visionhttps://www.google.com.hk/search?safe=strict&client=aff-265&hl=zh-CN&channelwww.cnib.cahttp://www.healthcareathome.ca/torontocentral

Bibliography12Thank youNote: Self-evaluation in the note pageMeet the needs of children and familiesSelf-evaluationThis assignment has been a realistic experience for me. It gives me an opportunity to respond the individual needs and families. Through analyzing the needs of children with special needs and their families, I have gain more confident when working with families about children and their families, it gives me some instructions to help them also I know how to keep our words appropriately when we talk to children with special needs. As ECE teacher, we must make sure our program diversity and inclusive, we need to consider every child abilities and development skills . By researching the agencies, I know there are wide variety of agencies within Canada in the Toronto that provide services to support families with children with disabilities. This assignment gives me lots of resources. I know how to help children included in the class, also I can provide many effective agencies for the family with child with disability. I feel accomplishment and confident when I can do something to meet the needs of children and their families.Doing this assignment, It helps me to improve my professional skills as well. One of the most important things I have learned is to focus on childrens abilities rather than disabilities. As a professional teacher, we should guarantee our program based on childrens needs and abilities, even we need to use diversity teaching strategies to teach children independence . As a future educator I know that I should develop abilities to create more attractive and diversity classroom where everyone feels respected, valued and accepted and curriculum plan that meeting every child and familys needs.13Thank You for readingAlso through doing this assignment, I find their many services for children with special needs and their families. But some of services do have waiting list, it will be not convenient for every family to get the service. We need to take effort to advocate more people and raise their awareness about children with special needs. We can advocate the government and some organizations to provide more accessibility service for children with special needs and their families.

When I do this assignment, I meet some challenges. First of all, there are many information online, I need to take some time to analyze the information that I got and choose some good information to apply them. Another challenge is that I should be always sensitive to my words when I write my perspectives .For example, sometimes I directly write a low vision children without considering appropriate respectful words. Also I have some strengthens. First of all, as the professor gives us the handout and some useful website, I can better understand the low vision issues and make reasonable response. Secondly, As we know that, we have already experienced three different field placements. We see different classroom design and plan different activities . We do have awareness of inclusion and diversity. Even we have already learn some inclusion principles. It would help me to better analyze the needs of children and families.

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