Humans are vertebrates, animals having a vertabral column or backbone.

They rely on a sturdy

internal frame that is centered on a prominent spine. The human skeletal system consists of
bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons and accounts for about 20 percent of the body weight.
The skeleton makes up the human body’s bony framework. It consists of 206 bones and the
accompanying ligaments and joints. The skeleton gives the body its shape, enables it to move,
and protects its internal organs. Bones also store minerals, such as calcium, and are the site of
blood cell production. However, this essay will discuss how a teacher can use demonstration and
question and answer to teach visually impaired students about the skeletal system.

The student who is blind or visually impaired will typically need some accommodations to safely
and fully access the science curriculum. It is important to meet with the Teacher of Students with
Visual Impairments to discuss the curriculum and objectives and content that will be covered
during the school year. This is important for students following the standard course of study as
well as those following a modified curriculum. The student's unique visual needs should be taken
into consideration when determining how to make materials accessible. Science materials may
include measuring devices, charts, reading materials, and equipment (Kucera, ed. 1993).

The discussion will start by having a look at how Demonstration can be applied when teaching
the visually impaired about the human skeletal system. Demonstrations are a part of the science
curriculum that requires adaptation and modifications for students with visual impairments.
Demonstrations are an integral component of science instruction, but often must be modified for
visually impaired students. The teacher should place more emphasis on oral descriptions of
scientific processes rather than textual representations of the demonstration so that visually
impaired students might gain a mental picture of what is taking place.

For example, since the demonstration involves the human skeletal system, the teacher should
fully describe—or have other students describe—the physical appearance of the individual
elements that make up the skeletal system and their separate properties followed by a vivid
depiction of the whole system and what it is made up of. Having normally sighted students
accurately describe the demonstration will help these students develop the skills of careful
observation and effective communication. The teacher should also pass around physical objects
related to the demonstration as it takes place (Ratliff 1997).
Adaptations and modifications that can be applied during the demonstration can include:

Firstly, allowing the student to sit in a lab station near the demonstration. According to
Trowbridge, Bybee, and Powell, “students with visual impairments learn through sensory
channels other than vision, primarily hearing” (2004:277). Therefore, visually impaired students
should be seated closest to the sound source. Likewise, visually impaired students should sit in
an area of the classroom with the best lighting. “Positioning a student’s desk so that the light
comes over the shoulder’s non-dominant hand helps reduce glare” (Miller 2002, 119).
Unfortunately, the best area for optimal sound may not be well lit and vice versa. So, it may be
necessary to allow the visually impaired student to move from one location to another depending
on what activity is taking place in the classroom.

The physical arrangement of the classroom should also be considered when making allowances
for visually impaired students. Unnecessary obstacles in the room should be eliminated and
visually impaired students should be informed if the room arrangement has been altered or if a
temporary obstacle has been placed in the room such as a demonstration table or movie screen
(Lewis and Doorlag, 2003). For example, if the teacher chooses to use a youtube video to give a
description of the system to the learners, he should make sure that there is total silence in class to
make sure that all that is being mentioned in the video is understand as crystal clearly as possible
by all the learners.

Secondly, learners should be given a hands-on Experience. During demonstration lessons, the
student should be permitted to handle the materials before, during and after the demonstration.
Additionally, when possible, vary the method of presentation by using concrete objects and
descriptive language (Baker, et al, 1994). For example, the teacher should make sure that he
brings a model of the human skeletal system so that the pupils can touch and know the part or
parts the teacher is talking about. In addition, since learners usually have some prior knowledge
of their bones, whether it is from an injury or just seeing a skeleton at used at play, the teacher
can choose to ask if anyone in the class has ever broken a bone. If a student has an injury story
and is not too embarrassed to talk about it, encourage him or her to share it with the class.
Thirdly, exploring a model or diagram of the item demonstrated. There are also many fun ways
to encourage students with low vision to use their vision within the science area. You might
consider collecting items in one color to study. Create an I Spy box by scattering theme-related
materials in a box. Provide the student with duplicate items and challenge him to locate the
match. Here, each part being discussed from the skeletal system should physically be felt and the
location known by all the learners so as to make sure that all that is being talked about is known
interms of location and texture.

And finally, allowing the demonstration to be used prior to class (Ross and Robinson 2000). It is
essential for the classroom teacher to collaborate with the Teacher of Students with Visual
Impairments (TVI) on the upcoming curriculum. Collaboration can take place in a variety of
ways, but ideally, there should be a beginning of the year discussion about the topics for the
year/semester. What concepts are going to be introduced? What concepts will need to be
reviewed? Working together as a team, they can develop strategies to create concrete experiences
and adapt materials, models, and charts that meet the students unique learning and visual needs.

Student involvement in demonstrations is also an excellent instructional strategy for the visually
impaired. For example, when talking about the kneecap, the learnrr may be asked to come
forward, touch the kneecap on the provided model. The visually impaired student can then be
asked to touch their own body and locate the kneecap. That way, the learner will have learnt that
the kneecap is part of the skeletal system and know where it is located on their own body.

Moving on to how the Question and Answer method can be used to teach the visually impaired
about the human skeletal system, the teacher can ask students to clap to ask a question. Many
classrooms rely on visual cues in order to ask questions or get the teacher’s attention. It is very
traditional for learners to raise their hand if they want to speak during a lesson. Visually impaired
or blind students may not notice when their peers raise their hands. Instead, the teacher should
replace visual cues with audio cues (Rea, et al., 2000). For example, you could have students
clap twice if they want to ask a question or probably give out an answer.

Next, after asking a question, the teacher can encourage discussion with peers before asking for
arrswers. For example, may ask the teacher can ask the learner(s) the parts that are located on the
upper part of the skeletal system. The teacher can then give the learners time to have a mini
discussion on what parts they think are located where the teacher had asked. After that, the
teacher can then allow for responses to come after giving ample time to the visually impaired
learners.

Further, when asking questions concerning the human skeletal system, the teacher must make
sure to address all learners by name. Students who are visually impaired or blind may not always
know who is talking. As a result the teacher should always address students by their name when
he calls on them to answer or ask questions. This way the student who is visually impaired can
learn to identify their peers based on the sound of their voice (Blankenship and Lilly, 1981)

Futhermore, the teacher avoid asking if a student can see something since there may be learners
with local vision in the classroom. For example, the teacher should not ask the learner, “Can you
see this?” They often can see it, but that does not mean that they can access it or read it. Instead,
for example, the teacher can ask: “Can you find the ribcage?” or “Can you identify all the parts
and numbers without guessing?” or “Can you see some parts on the model better than others?”

To conclude, thos essay has discussed how a teacher can use Demonstration and Question and
Answer methods to teach learners who are visually impaired about the human skeletal system.
Indeed, the discussion has established that these two methods need to be applied carefully so as
to maximise the benefit from the learners therefore the need for the teacher to rehearse
adequately before delivering a lesson using the two methods.
References

Baker, E., M. Wang, and H. Walberg. (1994). The effects of inclusion on learning. Educational
Leadership 52:33–35.

Blankenship, C., and M.S. Lilly. (1981). Mainstreaming Students with Learning and Behavior
Problems. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Kucera, T.J., ed. (1993). Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities. Washington, D.C.:
American Chemical Society.

Lewis, R.B., and D.H. Doorlag. 2003. Teaching Special Students in General Education
Classrooms. 6th ed. Old Tappan, N.J.: Merrill.

Miller, S.P. (2002). Validated Practices for Teaching Students with Diverse Needs and Abilities.
Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Ratliff, J.L. (1997). Chemistry for the visually impaired. Journal of Chemical Education 74:710–
711.

Rea, D., K.P. Millican, and S.W. Watson. (2000). The serious benefits of fun in the classroom.
The Middle School Journal 3:23–28.

Trowbridge, L.W., R.W. Bybee, and J.C. Powell, (2004). Teaching Secondary School Science:
Strategies for Developing Scientific Literacy. 8th ed. Old Tappan, N.J.: Pearson.