Three Bright Red Pom Poms Lined Up in a Row

This book is one of the examples shared showing how to adapt books for children with cortical visual impairment (CVI).  Please begin by reading the introductory information:

• Literacy for Children with CVI: Overview and Implications for Different Phases
• Guidelines for Modifying Books for Students in Phases I, II, and III
• Adapting Books and Literacy for Students with CVI
• General Materials Used to Adapt Books for Children with CVI

Brightly colored mylar pom poms have long been a favorite visual target of students with CVI. Students who visually function in Phase I and even into Phase II respond well to them and often look very consistently at them.  They come in bright, colorful colors, are often made of mylar reflective material and they are lightweight and easy for small fingers to grab (Note:  watch carefully, pom poms are not child safe!).  

Because this book has 3 well-spaced targets on each page, the student would need to be able to tolerate more than 1 target in an array (high Phase I or into Phase II).  If the print on the red paper makes the array too complex, it can be easily covered using Blocking Techniques.  

It is easy to make miniature mylar pom poms by breaking apart a full sized Pom Pom and cutting shorter lengths of the mylar strands, binding them into bundles and creating a smaller version of the student's favored target.  In this book pictured, I used a combination of red and silver strands, but it can easily be created with all red or all yellow, or any color that is preferred by the child.  Any slight movement of the page causes movement of the light weight individual strands of mylar and the reflective quality of the mylar also draws visual attention.  

Materials

• Red inexpensive mylar pom poms that can be taken apart and modified in size; you can often find these at the Dollar Store or you can cut apart and modify a metallic red foil fringe curtain/doorway to create mini pom poms (find at Amazon)
• Scrunchy pony tail holders, to bind and create the mini pom poms (2 per pom pom)  
• For a full list of materials, see General Materials Used to Adapt Books for Children with CVI

   

Examples of Books

The following are other examples of books I have created for students with CVI:

• Where is the Red Gift Bag?
• Getting Ready for School (CVI-friendly pegboard book)
• One Yellow Slinky Bouncing Up and Down
• Three Silver Pie Tins and One Red Puff
• Five Little Lights
• My Favorite Things
• Clifford's Family (Modified Version)

For more ideas from Diane Sheline, visit Strategy to See.