6th Africa Forum, Kampala, Uganda

Techniques Of Teaching Mathematics To Primary School Learners With Visual Impairment.

R. A. Mwanzi, Kenya Institute of the Blind, Kenya.

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Mathematics is an indispensable component of human life playing a vital role in the activities of mankind since it allows a person to develop computation skills and improve logical thinking hence enabling one to fully participate in daily activities. It is estimated that 90% of learning is through visual sense. For a blind child, teaching methodologies utilizing multi-sensory approaches optimally can compensate the loss of sight. Learners at primary level need clear, simple and practical ways of learning mathematics. A teacher for learner with visual impairment has to design tasks, assign problems and other activities that stimulate thoughts and mental activity in order to lead the learner to the construction of meaning. Teachers should adjust their teaching methods and assess a learner with visual impairment in multiple ways so that such a learner can compete more against him/herself rather than against others. This paper discusses some of these techniques of teaching mathematics to learner with visual impairment.