Implementation of ‘From Disability to Creativity’ (SOI-MT-547)

Author: Donna Bugeja, Learning Support Educator, Malta

Abstract

My name is Donna Bugeja, a Learning Support Educator in a primary school. With a bachelor’s degree in special education, I’m dedicated to helping students with diverse needs succeed. I work closely with teachers and parents to create a supportive environment where every child can thrive. Compassionate and committed, I’m passionate about empowering students to reach their full potential.

This scenario helps students understand emotions, empathy, social skills, and boosts their creativity across subjects, fostering overall growth.

Throughout these activities, my primary goal was to cultivate empathy in children towards other people’s life challenges, particularly those with special needs. I aimed to instill an understanding of the obstacles faced by individuals with special needs and demonstrate how even small acts of kindness can profoundly impact their lives. By engaging in these activities, I sought to empower children to recognize the value of compassion and assistance in making a positive difference in the lives of others.

These activities were conducted with a group of 15 enthusiastic Year 4 students, all of whom thoroughly enjoyed and actively participated in the sessions.

The Narrative

I started by introducing Europeana to the children. I explained that it’s a website packed with cultural gems from Europe, such as pictures, videos, and documents. Additionally, I showed them around the website to get them familiar with it.

Activity 1 – Ice Breaker game

To start the lesson, we engaged the children in a fun game. Each child took turns being blindfolded and given a bag containing five different items. Using only their sense of touch, they explored the contents of the bag and attempted to guess what each item was. Afterwards, they wrote down their guesses on a piece of paper. Once they were done, I revealed the items to them, and many were surprised by some of the objects they had difficulty identifying. Following the game, we had a brief discussion about how it felt to be blindfolded and asked the children to imagine what it would be like to wear a blindfold all day while trying to carry out their everyday activities.

Activity 2 – Introducing the children to Louis Braille and Helen Keller.

After our discussion, I began sharing the story of a boy who became blind due to an accident. Despite this life-altering event, he defied his limitations and achieved extraordinary things, inspiring those around him with his resilience and determination.

Together, we watched a YouTube clip about the life of Louis Braille, who invented a writing system known as Braille. We learned about his remarkable journey and how his invention revolutionized communication and accessibility for people who are visually impaired. After the video ended, we brought out some medicine boxes with “Braille” written on them. This hands-on activity allowed the children to experience Braille firsthand, feeling the raised dots on the packaging and gaining a deeper understanding of how it works.

After the hands-on activity, we had a brief discussion. I shared with them that Louis Braille wasn’t the only person who overcame obstacles to achieve great things. I introduced them to another remarkable individual, Helen Keller, who, despite being both blind and deaf, accomplished remarkable feats. Her story served as an inspiration, showing that with determination and perseverance, one can overcome any challenge.  Following our discussion, we watched a short video recounting the inspiring story of Helen Keller. Her story captivated the children, further illustrating the power of perseverance and the ability to overcome adversity.

As an English language writing and listening task, I prepared a short comprehension exercise based on the videos we had watched. The children enthusiastically answered questions about what they had just learned, demonstrating their understanding of the stories of Louis Braille and Helen Keller. Their active participation showed their engagement with the material and their eagerness to learn more about these inspiring individuals.

Activity 3 – Writing in Braille

After the comprehension exercise, we engaged the children in a hands-on activity, each child had the opportunity to write their name in Braille. With guidance, they carefully embossed the raised dots corresponding to the letters of their name onto paper. This personalized exercise not only reinforced their understanding of Braille but also allowed them to create something meaningful and unique. The children were excited to see their names represented in Braille and proudly shared their creations with each other.

Activity 4 – Interactive Learning: Engaging Minds with Answer Garden

During this activity, we aimed to familiarize children with their new tablet devices by incorporating a QR code element. We created QR codes containing questions for them to prompt each child to reflect and answer in their own individual way. This interactive approach encouraged personalized engagement and empowered children to explore and express their thoughts independently using the technology at their fingertips.

The discussion further delved into exploring various ways in which we can extend support and assistance to individuals facing challenges similar to those experienced by Louis Braille and Helen Keller. We encouraged the children to brainstorm ideas and share their thoughts on practical ways to lend a helping hand. Through this dialogue, we aimed to foster empathy and compassion, inspiring the children to consider the needs of others and explore avenues for making a positive impact in their lives.
Building on the discussion, we seamlessly transitioned into an art lesson where the children worked collaboratively in groups to create drawings centred around the theme of “Helping Each Other.” Guided by their reflections on how to support individuals facing challenges, the children unleashed their creativity to depict scenes of kindness, empathy, and assistance. Through their artwork, they explored the power of community and solidarity, reinforcing the importance of extending a helping hand to those in need. This hands-on activity not only allowed the children to express their ideas visually but also deepened their understanding of empathy and the value of working together to make a positive difference in the world

Activity 5 – Overcoming challenges in sports

In our last activity, we used sports to help children understand the challenges that children with special needs might encounter. Through adapted sports activities, we aimed to build empathy and awareness among the children, promoting inclusivity and compassion.  This series of activities, which included a seated basketball shootout, blindfolded walking races, and games of throw and catch using only one arm, provided the children with valuable insight into the physical and logistical challenges experienced by their peers with disabilities. Through these hands-on experiences, the children developed a deeper understanding of the obstacles faced by individuals with disabilities, fostering empathy and promoting a more inclusive mindset.

Outcomes

Learning Outcomes:

• Increased empathy and understanding towards individuals with disabilities.
  • Encouragement of compassion and support towards peers with disabilities.
  • Strengthened sense of community and belonging through shared experiences.
  • Improved comprehension skills through engaging with multimedia content and answering comprehension questions.
  • Enhanced communication skills through participating in discussions and expressing thoughts and reflections.
  • Increased knowledge and understanding of historical figures such as Louis Braille and Helen Keller.
  • Expanded vocabulary related to topics such as Braille, visual impairment, and empathy.
  • Strengthened critical thinking skills by brainstorming ideas for supporting individuals with disabilities.
  • Developed creativity through art activities related to the theme of helping each other.
  • Reinforcement of fine motor skills through writing in Braille and engaging in art activities.
  • Application of technology skills by using QR codes to access questions and interact with digital content.

Conclusion

Next time, I’ll enrich the lesson by including hands-on experiences with special equipment, inviting guest speakers to share personal stories, and encouraging critical thinking. I’ll also integrate technology meaningfully and promote active learning. Reflection and evaluation will help us understand the impact and improve the lesson. These changes will enhance understanding and make the lesson more effective.

Link to the learning scenario implemented: From Disability to Creativity (LS-DI-545).

Do you want to discover more stories of implementation? Click here.

CC BY 4.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Finnish Heritage Agency.