Tix&Mix has a magnetic wall board that comes in a variety of solid colors, and it could be a wonderful way to explore letters, numbers, shapes, and creativity in both print and braille. As a TVI (teacher of students with visual impairments), I am always looking for ideas to support teachers, parents, and students by showing them creative ways to expose students to literacy.
Our environment is rich with words but for our students who are blind or have a visual impairment, access to those opportunities may not be available.
Having a magnetic board on a wall that students can access on their own, including those in wheelchairs, can help with this issue. It is a way they can explore, create, and play on their own while getting exposure to literacy in their environment independently.
It is easy to put braille onto the magnetic items and also to create topical items to personalize learning. Using the APH braille labels is a quick way to put braille on items. If you are just doing letters and numbers, I like the quick and easy already made APH stickers. I chose the black wall decal for the highest contrast. I also like that they have a bunch of different choices of magnets that can be theme based and you can create a whole literacy theme around it.
My student enjoyed creating their own picture.
This one was a tall building in a city. He then discovered that you can also draw on the magnetic board. He played independently with no direction. I occasionally asked questions and supported his creativity. I liked that he could easily move around and stand while working.
What learning centers have you created in your home or classroom to promote independent literacy exploration? Share your ideas by contacting: Lisha.yochimowitz@perkins.org
