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Geometry Resources for Students with Visual Impairment

Geometry materials and activity ideas for teaching students who are blind or visually impaired

By Gwyn McCormack

Teachers often wonder what instructional materials are available to teach geometry to students who are blind or visually impaired.  These are some of my favorite resources.  Some are teacher-made and some are commercially available. (Editor’s note:  The author is British, so many of these suppliers are in the UK.  Similar products are available in the United States and Canada.)

Resources to support:

2D and 3D Shapes Resources

montesorri shapes Montessori Shapes
variety of shapes
Shape Activity by ‘Melissa and Doug’ purchased from Seedlings Braille in the USA
each shape word is written in large print and braille Each shape word is written in large print and Braille. 
magnetic shape activity
Magnetic Shape Activity
Cut shapes in stiff card. Cut each in half and add a magnet to the back of each one. Child to match pairs on the magnetic board. 
shapes ice cubes tray
Shapes Ice Cube Tray
Create some activities with this shaped ice cube tray. E.g count all the hearts, clubs, diamonds. Place a diamond shape in the diamonds, heart shapes in the hearts and beads in the club.
Matching 2-D shapes and Lazy Sue
Matching 2-D shapes game with the Lazy Sue
Felt shapes from the RNIB and a green circular mat from IKEA (optional.) Make word labels in Braille for each shape. Add Velcro to 6 spots around the circumference of the mat. Position one set of shapes on each Velcro spot. Roll a dice, take it in turns to spin the Lazy Sue. When it stops the child feels the shape and finds the matching shape and/or word label.
3-D shape/net set Matching 2-D shapes and Lazy Sue
This set is from TTS and includes a set of large print shape labels to which sticky back braille can easily be added.
3d geometry shapes
3-D shape set using wedding favour boxes
Buy in sets of 10 from the internet, these make a useful resource across a number of activities and make a good practical investment. Fill the boxes with objects, match 3-D shapes, count sides
3-D shape set using wedding favour boxes
2-D- 3-D Shape Activity
Using wedding favour boxes match each one to its 2-D partner. 2-D shapes made from foam board with raised line shape produced in zy-fuse paper glued to the top of each. 3-D shapes lined up on a tray with a strip of Velcro running down the centre, to hold them in position.
2d 3d shape activity using wedding favor boxes
2-D to 3-D Activity
Use the Lazy Sue to create a fun activity of matching 2-D – 3-D shapes. Roll the dice, take it in turns, spin the Lazy Sue, when it stops child feels the 3-D shape that has landed in front of them and finds its matching 2-D shape.
2d to 3d activity using lazy sue
Tactile pattern game
See sheet ‘Tactile pattern game’ for further ideas (Komplement Multipurpose hanger from IKEA £4.50)
tactile pattern game
Making 2-D shapes
A bright coloured geo board which can also be used for coordinates.
bright colored geo boardbright colored geo board
Sold by Absorbent Minds
plastic geometric strip material
Sold by Learning Resources
geometric shapes

Position, Direction and Movement

goemetry mat and embossing film
Geometry mat – sold by RNIB. Embossing film sold by RNIB. Spur wheels by Amazon (or, type in Overstitch-Leather-Perforating Roulette on Amazon)
protractors and tools for measuring angles

protractors and tools for measuring angles

Protractors are sold by RNIB. The black and white print protractor is from a set of templates on a CD which is sold as part of the book Teaching Pupils with Visual Impairment: Making the school curriculum accessible – sold by Amazon
The black and white ruler on the bottom is from TTS Educational Supplies. Early Stage Ruler
tactile graph paper
Tactile graph paper
Sold by RNIB

Patterns and Sequences

Wooden discs with felt shapes glued to the top, use on a clip board, laid flat on the table. Add a Velcro strip to the back of each disk and a long strip across the clip board. You can then use for other pattern resources and it keeps everything in place whilst the child is accessing it. wooden disks with felt shapes
Make patterns with beads wooden disks with felt shapes
Make patterns with lego and symmetry designs patterns with legos and symmetry designs
Use peg boards to make patterns peg boards used to make patterns
Use Numicon to make patterns numicon
Make patterns with wooden shapes

Add two long strips of velcro to a foam board positioned on a tray. Add velcro to the back of wooden shapes.

wooden shapes
Create tactile shape pattern strips on off-cuts of laminated pouches. Make two sets of each pattern strip. Child to match the pattern strips. Make two columns of velcro for the child to complete this activity on.
felt squares
Position and direction
IKEA black arrow notice board. Add velcro to each end of the arrow and make laminated labels with velcro spots added to the back of each. Use with or without the Lazy Sue – create activity for understanding position and direction.
ikea black arrow notice boardblack arrow notice board
Coordinates
See Tactile graphs handout for coordinates suggestions.  (Available from TTS)
tactile board for coordinates

geometry resources pinterest collage