From Disability to Creativity (LS-DI-545)

Summary

This cross-curricular Learning Scenario strives to promote students emotional literacy: their empathy and social integration, as well as their creative self-confidence.

By using various 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, group discussion, listening to others, role playing,  sharing of experiences and invention, students will become socially responsible citizens sensitive to adversity.

They will understand that every difficulty and obstacle that can come upon in life can be their advantage and that every medal has two sides. Inspired by the life story of Louis Braille, students will become inventors themselves, and by going through the creative process of design thinking, they will try to make life easier for blind/impaired people with their inventions.

Learning process

Through various activities and using Europeana resources, students will be motivated by the life story of Louis Braille, his courage and strength to turn life’s challenges into the common good. During the 4 lessons, students will discover the Braille Alphabet, decipher the words written in his letter, but also go on a Treasure Hunt reading words written on Braille Alphabet. A big step towards innovation and design thinking is going to happen when students experience everyday life situations of blind/impaired people. It is the awareness of the daily challenges of blind/impaired people and empathy that will lead to new inventions that students working in teams will design and present to other groups.

Students reflections

By experiencing various life situations of blind people, students expressed many different emotions, as well as various reflections:

“I felt worried and helpless. I didn’t know what to do next. It all took me more time.”

“I relied heavily on the other senses, but also the help of my couple in the group.”

“It was scary. I didn’t know what to do next. The game didn’t go as well for me as usual.”

“I moved slowly and cautiously. Every step seemed dangerous to me. The stick really helped me but also the partner in the group. With their help, I felt safer.”

Would you like to know more about this learning scenario? You can download it below:

Did you find this learning scenario interesting? You might also like:

• Colour-blind Women (LS-ES-268)
• Smile from the Darkness – Story of Braille Alphabet (LS-EU-266)
• Why Board Games? (EN-CUR-478)

Public Domain Mark 1.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Örebro läns museum.