The National Guidance

Numeracy Strategy
Curriculum & Standards

The daily mathematics lesson

Teachers and
Guidance to Teaching Assistants
in Primary Schools
support pupils Status: Recommended

with visual
Date of issue: 09/01
Ref: DfES 0510/2001

impairments

Standards and Effectiveness Unit

2+3 GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
18-7
12×2 Visual impairments
1 2
3+ Partial sight
2–1 The term ‘partially sighted’ is used to describe visually impaired pupils who work

33+5 primarily through the visual medium. It extends from those with relatively minor
visual difficulties to those who may be on the margin between print and braille

66÷3
and who are sometimes described as having low vision.

7×3
While the medical causes of visual impairment are numerous, it is possible to
summarise the functional implications for partially sighted pupils under the

41+3 following broad headings. The visual problems of any one pupil may fall into
several categories:
19-5 ● Poor acuity Acuity is the term given to the sharpness of the overall image

2–3 seen by an individual. Both distance and near vision can be affected by poor

×2
acuity, but not necessarily to the same degree. Some pupils may be able to

1 3 see quite small print on a page but be unable to see the blackboard, while for
others the opposite may be true.

42– 0 ● Central vision loss Some pupils may have particular difficulty with their

12+2 central vision – the area of the visual field that is used for detecting fine detail.
They may be able to move around freely if the rest of the visual field is

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4 unaffected. These pupils often have most difficulty with tasks involving
reading, writing and close observation.

77+6 ● Peripheral vision loss This can create the opposite effect to Central
vision loss, presenting pupils with particular difficulties in moving around and

11– 0 locating objects, but leaving them able to work quite effectively with detail by
using their central vision. It can also present pupils with difficulty in finding the
23+3 ‘space’ to record their answers on a question paper or workbook.

58- 9 ● Interrupted vision Some pupils’ sight is affected by irregular patches of

poor vision, so that they may have to scan objects consciously in order to see
42+2 them effectively. Complicated visual tasks may become impossible

+2 for these pupils if they are able to pick up information only in

72 disjointed fragments.

332+4 ● Low contrast sensitivity Some visual conditions

cause particular difficulties where an object to be
2×2 viewed does not stand out clearly from its background.
For such pupils the lighting and colour scheme of the

1 7 + ×2 school environment will be especially significant. They

may find the clarity and contrast of print on the page

199×2 more important than its size.

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GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS 2+3
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● Adaptability to light Many pupils with a visual impairment will find 12×2
pronounced variations in light difficult to manage. Many find bright light
1 2
painful (photophobia), while others may find it difficult to adjust visually when
moving from a bright to a dimly-lit area or activity. 3+
● Impaired ocular mobility Some visual difficulties arise from problems in 2–1
controlling different muscle functions in the eye. Nystagmus, for example, 33+5
involves a continuous involuntary movement of the eyes, usually from side to

66÷3
side, which creates significant focusing difficulties. Some pupils may have
problems with convergence (the ability to train both eyes on the same object
at the same time), while others may find it hard to shift their focus from a near
to a far object.
7×3
● Colour loss Colour confusion on its own does not constitute a visual 41+3
impairment, but it often accompanies and compounds other visual difficulties.
The extent of colour vision loss varies between individuals, but the main
19-5
educational implications remain the same – difficulty in distinguishing detail in
2–3
×2
pictures, maps and diagrams. Activities that are heavily dependent on colour-
coding may present significant access problems to pupils with a severe
colour loss. 1 3
Partially sighted pupils make up the majority of visually impaired learners. Their
42– 0
needs vary considerably and many are able to work with normal print. 12+2
Paradoxically, their apparent ability to cope often creates a significant difficulty

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for partially sighted pupils, as it may lead to their very real needs being 4
underestimated or overlooked.
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Blindness 11– 0
Pupils who are ‘educationally blind’ have insufficient sight to work through the
visual medium of print, relying instead on their other senses. For most pupils in
23+3
mainstream schools, this mainly involves working through touch via braille. 58- 9
42+2
However, being educationally blind does not necessarily mean that a pupil
has no useful vision. Many braille-reading pupils retain some vision
which may serve them well both in and out of the classroom, for close
+2
observation of practical work, for example, or for independent
mobility.
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Among those pupils who are completely blind, it is
important to distinguish between those who have
2×2
never seen and those who have seen and are now
blind. Pupils’ ability to grasp certain concepts
1 7 + ×2
will be greatly influenced by whether they
have ever had direct visual experience of
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the world around them.
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2+3 GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
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12×2 How do pupils with visual
1 2
3+ impairments learn
2– 6 mathematics differently?
33+5
Numbers and the number system
66÷3 Pupils with visual impairments:

7×3 ● may use language for counting but not have understanding.
Early language experience is usually gained through hearing counting rhymes

41+5 and joining in rote counting, supported by visual experience. All auditory

19-5 experiences need to be accompanied by opportunities for concrete first-hand

experiences.

2–3 ● often miss out on early number experiences in everyday life.

×2
Blind learners will need to be given the basic information that sighted pupils

1 3 absorb incidentally, such as the number of fingers on one hand, and that a
dog has four legs. Tactile tallies, use of simple number lines, hand on hand,
42– 0 and auditory prompts will support the learner in all counting activities.

12+2 ● may find it difficult to understand a number as a whole.

Learners who are visually impaired may not be able to grasp the property of

192×
4 whole numbers. They will not view six chairs together at a glance, but will
move from one chair to another to discover there are six. Practice needs to be

77+6 given to develop ordering skills, with emphasis on more and less, matching,
counting and comparing.

11– 0
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GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS 2+3
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● find the concept of zero difficult. 12×2
When a visual representation cannot be used, zero needs to be taught by
1 2
comparing the auditory or tactile representation of nothing to one, or some.

● may not get the same level of support from visual materials as
3+
their sighted peers. 2–1
Visually impaired learners need to be taught number patterns. On the 33+5
100-grid, the column of multiples of 10 may not be immediately apparent. The

66÷3
grid can be modified for learners with low vision and those using non-sighted
methods. Place value will need more direct teaching, using tactile versions of
place value cards that cue in the learner to increasing values. Emphasis can
be given initially to the ‘size’ of the number in relation to its value, e.g. 700 is a
7×3
bigger number than 5. (This becomes more difficult when comparing 700 and
688.)
41+3
● may lack the necessary early experiences that support
19-5
estimation skills.
2–3
×2
Direct teaching using auditory and tactile experiences will be necessary to
compensate for the restricted experiences learners may have of visualising
quantities. Encourage learners to ‘focus’ first on one number – e.g. ‘this is 1 3
what it feels/sounds like’ – before making comparisons with other quantities.
At a later stage, learners may swiftly develop the skill to use their fingers to
42– 0
‘count’ objects by grouping. Early experiences of known quantities are 12+2
essential before this can happen.

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2+3 GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
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12×2 ● may find the partitioning of large numbers difficult.

1 2 Early skills of partitioning up to 10 can be developed using counters, but this

3+ becomes unmanageable with bigger numbers. Using an abacus or place

value blocks can support this area of learning. The base ten apparatus is also
2–1 helpful.

33+5
66÷3
7×3
41+3
19-5
2–3
3 ×2
1
42– 0
12+2 Calculations

192×
4 Pupils with visual impairments:
● favour simple horizontal layout of calculations.

77+6 Learners may find it difficult to locate information on a page and will often lose
track of where they are in a calculation. It is essential within the horizontal
11– 0 layout to model correct use of the equals sign in calculations. Methods of
recording work need to be carefully structured, established early and then
23+3 remain consistent.

58- 9 67 + 54 = 60 + 50 + 7 + 4
42+2 = 110 + 11

+2 = 121
72 ● will often take longer to record their answers.
It should be acceptable for a pupil to work through a smaller number of
332+4 examples, whilst still demonstrating an understanding of the task. It is

2×2 essential to remember that sometimes the process is more important than the
product, and at other times, practice of computation is needed.

1 7 + ×2 ● are often very good at rote learning number facts.

However, numbers may be perceived as words, and this can mask a lack of
199×2 basic understanding of number combinations (and partition). Learners need
practice in grouping numbers in different ways so that the numbers can be
18×2 experienced as wholes or as component parts.

0+2 6
GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS 2+3
18-7
● often rely on their knowledge of known number facts to support 12×2
calculation skills.
1 2
Skills of rapid recall are helpful in providing facts needed to support new
calculations quickly. 3+
● need to be familiar 2–1
with calculator
ON 33+5
keypads.

66÷3
Simple large-display and
talking calculators enable 7 8 9 ÷
the learner to focus on the
mathematics, without the
4 5 6 ✕ 7×3
hindrance of recording
calculations.
1 2 3 – 41+3
0 . = + 19-5
2–3
3 ×2
Solving problems 1
Pupils with visual impairments:
42– 0
● may not benefit fully from the incidental experiences provided
in the everyday environment that support the learning of
12+2

192×
classification skills.
Most sighted pupils observe things in their day-to-day experiences and make
4
77+6
associations – e.g. tooth brushes … hair brushes … sweeping brushes …
yard brushes – that lead to classification. Learners who are visually impaired
are able to classify objects and experiences by taste, smell, or sound
characteristics rather than visual ones. Planning a range of formal and 11– 0
informal accessible opportunities will promote the development of
basic classification skills.
23+3
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2+3 GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
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12×2 ● may have difficulties with problems that involve ‘same’ and

1 2 ‘different’.

3+ Learners will need many matching and sorting activities using real objects
(initially with a great difference in size, shape, texture and weight) before they
2–1 can move onto a more subtle level of discrimination. It is important to use

33+5 objects that are familiar, such as different types of footwear, before moving on
to differences between shapes, lengths, etc. Labelling needs to be done
verbally at the point of experience.

66÷3 ● may have difficulty solving word problems that rely on

7×3 visualisation skills.

Objects or numbers can be represented with concrete materials that can be

41+3 manipulated to aid understanding of the problem, and support subsequent

problem-solving strategies.
19-5 ● often find it difficult to participate in group problem-solving

2–3 activities.

×2
Visually impaired learners need to experience the different parts of a problem

1 3 in order to understand the whole problem. They will need to experience or be

talked through the different elements of the group problem in order to

42– 0 understand how the bit they are doing ‘fits in’. Provision of individual sets of
apparatus or materials supports understanding of the procedure or sequence
12+2 involved in the whole problem.

192×
4 ● will focus more on the oral language element of problem-
solving.

77+6
Mathematical language and problem-solving language should be used
consistently. Adults working with the pupil need to agree on both the

11– 0 vocabulary and the structure of the problems. Consolidating understanding of

the language to be used, prior to the lesson, is essential. Known words that

23+3 have different meanings in the mathematical context need to be introduced in

a practical situation to ensure understanding.
58- 9
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GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS 2+3
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Measures, shape and space 12×2
1 2
3+
Pupils with visual impairments:
● often use knowledge of the numbers on a clock face to
orientate themselves and objects within their environment. 2–1
This supports simple skills such as locating food on a dinner plate – ‘the peas
are at half past’. Acquiring understanding of this as early as possible has
33+5
many advantages.

66÷3
7×3
41+3
19-5
2–3
3 ×2
1
● find mathematical problems that directly or indirectly involve
distances difficult. 42– 0
Relate distance and time problems to real experiences. Time walks of a 12+2
known distance. Give a time and ask ‘How far could you walk’ to encourage

192×
an estimate. Use known knowledge of time and distance relationships to
calculate the time it will take to travel twice that distance. Introduce new
4
problems, building on information that is known and experienced first-hand.
77+6
● may not be able to grasp the concept of perimeter.
The understanding of ‘all the way round’ is very difficult for pupils who are 11– 0
23+3
unable to see something as a ‘whole’. In order to develop these skills, it is
important to begin with objects that can be experienced within the pupil’s
reach. Use arm or hand spans to measure the distance around a desk, book, 58- 9
cupboard or door.
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2+3 GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
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12×2 ● exist in a 3-D world, but find it very difficult to comprehend a

1 2 2-D drawing which represents a 3-D object.

3+ Visually impaired learners are accustomed to examining one aspect of an

object at a time. It is far more difficult to examine the ‘wholeness’ of an object
2–1 by tactile methods than by visual inspection. Pupils need to have a clear

33+5 grasp of 2-D shapes before 3-D aspects are introduced. It is essential not to
use 2-D representations of 3-D shapes at any time. Pupils may be
encouraged to draw the relationship between everyday shapes and solid

66÷3 ‘known’ shapes in order to demonstrate their developing understanding. (The

introduction of nets can support this understanding.)
7×3 ● may need to use specialist equipment to support their learning

41+3 of symmetry.
The use of split paper fasteners, folded card and grids will support pupils’
19-5 understanding of symmetry and reflection.

2–3
3 ×2
1
42– 0
12+2

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4
77+6
11– 0
23+3
58- 9 ● need lots of concrete experiences of plane shapes.

42+2 It is more appropriate to give visually impaired learners an outline of a shape,

+2 for example a triangle, and allow them to experience the different properties

72
from ‘inside’ and ‘outside’. The outline of a shape will feel very different to a
‘filled’ shape. It also provides more support for pupils to draw around the

332+4 inside of the shape than the outside.

2×2 ● often have difficulties reading scales.

The use of tactile or talking scales will support pupils in measuring activities.

×2 The introduction of large-scale ‘number line’ scales will allow pupils to offer

1 7 + approximations in relation to measurements. The use of key markers with

which pupils become familiar may cue pupils towards the correct measure.
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GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT PUPILS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS 2+3
18-7
Handling data 12×2
1 2
3+
Pupils with visual impairments:
● will benefit from using a tactile approach to simple graphs and
charts. 2–1
The use of cubes on a tactile board, and magnetic shapes on a magnetic
board, will allow pupils to interpret their results and to manipulate ‘new’ data.
33+5
Peg boards and the abacus may also be used to represent data or support
tallying.
66÷3
● need to be trained to develop good organisational skills when
participating in data-handling activities.
7×3
Pupils will find these types of activity very difficult if there is an expectation of
41+3
collaborative group work. The working area of a visually impaired learner
needs to be carefully prepared so that objects can be easily located. It is
19-5
important that the learner is able to follow the route through the data-handling
cycle.
2–3
3 ×2
1
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12×2 References
1 2 Organisations Publications

3+ VISPA
(Visual impairment and
Mason, H.L. Visual Impairment, London,
David Fulton Publishers, 1997

2–1 special needs advice)

‘Thorstone’
33+5 Old Aston Hill
Hawarden

66÷3
Deeside
Flintshire
CH5 3AH

7×3 RNIB

41+3
244 Great Portland Street
London

19-5 W1N 6AA

2–3
3 ×2
1
42– 0
12+2

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4
77+6
11– 0
23+3
58- 9
42+2
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Copies of this document can be obtained from:
DfES Publications
Tel 0845 60 222 60

332+4 Fax 0845 60 333 60

Textphone 0845 60 555 60
e-mail dfes@prolog.uk.com

2×2 Ref: DfES 0510/2001

© Crown copyright 2001
Produced by the Department for Education and Skills

×2
Extracts from this material may be reproduced

+
PRINTED BY THE COLOUR WORKS, LONDON

for non-commercial or training purposes

1 7 on condition that the source is acknowledged.

www.standards.dfes.gov.uk

199×2 www.dfes.gov.uk

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