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Anchor Center and Perkins School for the Blind Publish Expanded Core Curriculum

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON AMAZON. In partnership with Perkins School for the Blind, Anchor Center for Blind Children recently co-developed and published the nation’s first comprehensive resource for parents, educators and…

December 13, 2018
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Kelsey Montague
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Updates
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NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON AMAZON.

In partnership with Perkins School for the Blind, Anchor Center for Blind Children recently co-developed and published the nation’s first comprehensive resource for parents, educators and therapists, focused on educating children birth to 5 with visual impairment, dual sensory loss (i.e., deaf blindness), as well as motor or sensory challenges: Teaching Life Differently: The Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) for Babies and Young Children with Visual Impairment.

Co-written by Anchor Center’s veteran physical therapist, Melinda Doyle McCall and JC Greeley, TSVI, COMS (a former teacher and founding member of Anchor Center), the ECC refers to a body of knowledge and foundational skills that children with blindness need to master so that they can live, learn, and (eventually) work as independently as possible.

This is a compilation of creative ideas and well-known strategies used at Anchor Center to help children with vision impairment reach their highest potential in all areas of life. The book is filled with information, resources and real life strategies to help guide families, caregivers, educators and therapists in the early years. However, some of the interventions can certainly be applied to older children and children with additional challenges. These are tried and true strategies.

What is the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC)?

Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) was developed to help everyone working with an individual with visual impairment understand their unique learning needs. The ECC helps build the foundation of skills that sighted children (and adults) learn incidentally, or through imitation. This requires careful attention to adapting/modifying things in the school, home, play (and later on work) environments. Specific teaching and parenting strategies must focus on how to best meet the unique needs of each child.

The goal of “Teaching Life Differently” is to help families of young children with vision impairment develop a strong understanding of the ECC as it relates to a very young child. So Much of what we need to succeed in life begins in the first 5 years of life. This is when children learn to eat, get dressed, play with things, move their bodies and develop social skills. These skills form a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning!  “Teaching Life Differently” starts at the very beginning and addresses all skill levels and challenges.  See what the ECC looks like for a baby, toddler or preschooler.

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON AMAZON.