"Teacher, I can't see the board!"

Our jobs as ESL and ABE instructors might actually be easier if we heard this phrase more often.  Unfortunately, many of our learners struggle silently in class because they can't see the board, distinguish the grainy photograph, or hear over the background noise of the class next door.  This may be especially true of older learners, learners with little prior schooling, or learners with little to no ability to communicate in English. 

One of the most difficult aspects of serving learners with disabilities is recognizing that a disability may be the cause of a learner's lack of progress.  Asking learners about their vision or hearing is great, if you share enough language to communicate those concepts.  If not, you may want to experiment with some of these classroom strategies and note whether learner performance improves when these adjustments are in place.

Seeing the Board
If you're using a white board, reduce glare by closing blinds or writing on large pieces of poster paper. Stick to black markers that have plenty of ink (colored and dying markers are more difficult to see) and write as large as is feasible.

Experiment with where students sit in class. Can they see the board better from some places in class?

Are the learners who most need to sit at the front of the room the ones who usually opt to sit there?

Reading Handouts
Although black text on white paper is definitely the standard, many people report reduced eye stress when reading black text on light colored paper.  Try photocopying onto light blue or green paper or contact PANDA vision consultants (pandavisionloss@gmail.com) to borrow colored plastic overlays that learners can place over normal white paper.

I also keep a few pairs of cheap drug-store reading glasses on hand in my classroom. I have a variety of different strength levels for learners to try. Some use them every day in class, others just use them when they forget their own glasses. In some cases, it has inspired learners to buy their own non-prescription reading glasses, which cost between $2-10. Volunteers and other supporters of your organization are often happy to donate these because it is a tangible and low-cost donation.

When you have the option to print your own materials (not photocopies or textbook pages), experiment with different fonts and font sizes.  See the other posts on this blog about large print.

Seeing the Pictures
Photos and drawings, especially those that are photocopied or held by a teacher at the front of the room, can be very hard to see.  Consider replacing some pictures with props or pantomime. Enlarging photos on a photocopier or overhead project is often unhelpful but choosing pictures with strong lines, high contrast, and clear subjects can make a difference.  Also consider the contrast and text size in textbook graphics.

Beyond the Classroom
As for helping learners get eye exams and prescription glasses, I have had little success finding resources specifically geared toward low-educated, non-native English speakers. Often the best options are to help the learner determine what their insurance (if they have any) covers and to set up an appointment for an eye exam. Provided the client has an interpreter, I think many clinics have found ways around the conventional letter reading chart. If the client does not have insurance, I would call United Way 2-1-1 in the twin cities for a list of organizations that provide free or sliding scale eye care.