Strategy
3-Dimensional Spatial Orientation Discussion Box
Use a texture box to work on descriptive and positional language and texture identification!
This super simple box serves as a hands-on learning object to facilitate a discussion regarding the following concepts:
- tactile discrimination: rough, smooth, bumpy, plastic, paper, slick, hard
- inside corner/outside corner
- sides/corners
- top/bottom
- parallel /perpendicular
- edge
- same/different
- sorting/matching
The subject areas include: concept development, orientation and mobility, math, english/language arts
- 1 shoe box
- tin foil
- bubble wrap
- courigated cardboard (layered cardboard box)
- sand paper or rough stair tred tape
- white glue or double sided tape
- See “variations 2 and 3” below for more options to add complexity.
Sample discussion points:
- Tell me what you feel. – If the student is capable, enable him or her to direct the conversation.
- What are the textures you feel? or Can you find the ridgey/bumpy side?
- Where is a. . . wall, edge, corner, right side, left side, inside corner, outside corner…
- Which wall is rough?
- Show me an inside corner/outside corner.
- Can you run your finger along an edge? …from corner to corner?
To Construct:
- Simply affix one texture on each “wall” of the box.
- Be sure to cover each wall edge-to-edge but leave the edges themselves uncovered so they are more identifiable tactually
- Put the same/matching textue on the inside and outside of each wall except for one wall. That way, one wall is different from all of the other walls which can add depth to the conversation.
- See “variations 2 and 3” below for more options to add complexity.
1. If the student does not have the verbal ability to have a dialogue, the student can still use this box for learning.
- If that is the case, I recommend “providing a narration” as a teaching strategy. i.e. as the student explores, make simple statements directly related to their touch such as, “Oo! That’s rough… Let’s go find the smooth side… Here it is on the right. Oh! the outside wall is smooth too. It feels like bubble wrap. It sounds like bubble wrap too. Let’s go check the left side.” Some physical cues and/or hand-under-hand guidance may be required for more clear communication.
2. You can use a variety of materials for the various textures. APH sells a kit called “Carousel of Textures” which they describe as Feel’n Peel Sheets”. But common houshold materials work just as well as long as you can glue them effectively. Double sided tape can be used.
3. You can add one Velcro dot in the middle of each “side” which would enable the students to stick items on the sides you request. You can have them read Braille directions or listen to recorded directions to do things like, “Place the large oval on the outside of the right wall”.
- If you have an APH “Wheatley Tactile Diagramming Kit”, the Velcro shapes are ready-made with a variety of textures, sizes and colors. The photo above shows very simple hand-cut shapes with black Velcro (If you want to decrease visual distraction, use white Velcro on white paper). Picture above is one large and one small: triangle, square, oval and rectangle. The large oval is Velcroed to the outside of the right wall in the photo above. I used black Velcro for the dark sides and white Velcro on the lighter sides of the box to make it less visually distracting since the focus is on developing tactile skills and knowledge of 3-D spatial orientation.
By barbnixon
