Conchita Hernandez's blog

As a field of TVIs (teachers of students with visual impairments) and blindness professionals, many of us do not feel prepared or equipped to work with English Learners (EL) who are blind or low vision. English Learners now make up more than 10% (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2018) of the total student population in public schools. English Learners who are blind or low vision have unique needs that cannot be met by simply adapting EL strategies or blindness strategies. English Learners come with a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that we can tap into to help them flourish.

Finding a strategy for our English learners (EL) that are blind and low vision can be a struggle. This has to do with many EL strategies being picture-based, or not practical for the population of students we work with. We have likewise not been trained in the use of EL strategies and may not know where to begin. While there is minimal research done on EL strategies that work with our blind and low vision students, there are things we can do as educators to find the perfect strategy. Below I outline some steps to follow that may help you find the right strategy for your student. 

Bedtime in a Box is an innovative project that gives families materials for a bedtime routine. This adorable project provides the following items in a box: a bedtime routine log, books, pajamas, soap, towel, alarm clock and many more items to get children and their families following a bedtime routine.

Statistics on English Language Learners in the United States

• About 11% of our general education students are English Language Learners (ELL) or bilingual. 
• TVIs generally do not feel competent in working with this population. 
• Spanish was the home language of 3.7 million ELL students in fall 2015, representing 77.1% of all EL students and 7.6% of all public K-12 students. Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese were the next most common home languages spoken.