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Development of spatial orientation and independent movement of visually impaired children of preschool age
BEDLÁNOVÁ, Eva
This bachelor thesis looks into spatial orientation and independent movement of visually impaired preschool children. These issues are integral to every visually impaired person's daily life and it is at an early age, before joining any type of educational establishment, that a lot of time and utmost patience is required to address them. It is characteristic of this period that it mainly comes down to families, professionals and teachers to help develop competence in this area. However, the development is sometimes hindered by reduced awareness. Based on the related theoretical background, the thesis introduces the specifics of spatial orientation and independent movement of visually impaired preschool children. Its practical part presents a qualitative research concluded to compare the different methodical approaches taken in families and kindergartens to develop visually impaired children's independent movement. Data for the research was collected via document analysis, structured interviews with parents and teachers and through observations. A sub-objective of the thesis is to draft a informative brochure for parents with visually impaired children. The thesis is divided into a theoretical and a practical part. The theoretical part provides basic information about visual impairment in children. It deals with the classification of visual impairment, providing information on possible diagnostics such as functional vision assessment, the content of which is hardly found in resources available. It also discusses some education issues, namely educational attitudes in the family, early care and the preschool education system. In its last chapter, the theoretical part deals with spatial orientation and independent movement, describing its methodologies and elements as well as the development of spatial orientation and independent movement at different age stages. Using content analysis, the practical part introduces the content of the school educational programme for kindergartens for visually impaired children, paying closer attention to its section dealing with spatial orientation and independent movement. Whether and to what extent the educational programme is actually used in practice, is determined is through observation, another data collection technique used in the practical part. The third data collection technique used is a semi-structured interview. This technique provides information about the different approaches taken in families and kindergartens to develop spatial orientation and independent movement. It also establishes the sources of information, assessing their availability and quality. The research implies that with the exception of early care, the support to parents of children with visual impairment is scant. Furthermore, mild deficiencies were found in the implementation of the school educational programme in kindergartens. A sub-objective of the thesis was to draft an informative brochure to serve as a basis for an actual material which could provide parents with essential information on how to treat their children indoors and outdoors. The draft was made using the research results and early care internal resources; in the future it may be developed into a document available to all parents who have a child with any degree of visual impairment.
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