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Walk A Mile In My Shoes
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WALK
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2014-12-10
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Walk a Mile In My Shoes
Imagine what it would be like to pick up a book to enjoy, and find that you
can not read it because there is nothing on the pages except bumps. Or what
if you were in a room where everyone was speaking with sign language and you
couldnÆt join in? Many disabled people feel this way when they try to
participate in regular activities with normal people. Below are listed some
experiments to perform and some things to think about as you ôput yourself in
their placeö.
Disabilities Awareness Simulation Activities
Directions: In order to earn the Walk-A-Mile-In-My-Shoes badge you must
fulfill the following requirements:
1)The trust walk must be done.
2)Pick one activity from each of the following areas:
- Visual disabilities
- Hearing Disabilities
- Motor Disabilities
- Mental Retardation
Trust Walk : Divide the group onto pairs, one partner in each pair with a
blindfold on is ôblindö, the other partner is the sighted guide. The ôblindö
partner takes the arm of sighted guided at the elbow; this way the sighted
guide walks slightly ahead of the ôblindö person. This is the procedure that
is actually used when a sighted person assists a blind person. Explain that
the sighted guide never leaves the ôblindö person and that the guide should
tell the ôblindö person when they are approaching (steps, a doorway, etc.)
and place the ôblindö personÆs hand on the back of a chair in order for the
ôblindö person to sit down. Give directions to expose the group to a variety
of situations.
1. Walk to the bathroom
2. Wash your hands
3. Walk Back
4. Sit at a Desk
5. Unwrap a cupcake
6. Pour a glass of juice (hold the cup down with your index finger just
inside the lip of the cup , slowly pour juice until you can feel it reach
your finger)
7. Eat the cupcake and drink the juice
8. Throw away the garbage
Explain that the sighted guide should put the ôblindö personÆs hand on the
things they need (faucets, cup, pitcher, etc.) and help with words in guiding
their partner in activities. Stress that the guide does not do everything for
the ôblindö person, but try to help the ôblindö person do things for
themselves. After completing the activity have the partners switch roles so
that everyone can experience being ôblindö and being the sighted guide.
Section I - Visual Disabilities
1. Which coat is yours? Collect jackets from approximately 6 children at a
time and put them on a table. Blindfold the 6 children and bring them to the
table and find and then put on their own jacket.
2. Have someone string a group of objects on a line. Put on a blindfold. Try
to identify the items by touch alone. Discuss the childrenÆs thoughts as they
moved, unseeing, from object to object.
Section II - Hearing Disabilities
1. Show the group a short, interesting film or filmstrip with the sound
turned off, then give a short quiz. Be sure to ask questions that they canÆt
answer without having heard the sound. Then show the film again with the
sound and take the quiz again.
2. To show why lip reading is so hard, write some long difficult words on the
board and ask the group to copy the, The catch is that you will print each
letter very quickly and erase it before you print the next, be sure not to
say the letters, just print them. What should happen is that the children
will look down to print a letter on their paper and miss a letter that you
quickly erase. Then repeat the experiment with different words and say each
letter as you print it. The point is that lip reading requires constant
visual attention to the speaker and that we can do much better (itÆs much
easier) to look and listen?
Section III - Motor Disabilities
1. To show how it feels not be able to talk (such as happens to some people
with Cerebral Palsy), ask the children one by one to tell you what they had
for dinner last night. The catch is that they canÆt move their lips or
tongue. After they are unable to do it, discuss how it feels not to be able
to talk and yet have something to say (still be able to think).
2. Tie rolled newspapers or magazine to the childrenÆs arms or legs. Have
then walk around the room, have a snack, play a game while experiencing what
it would feel like to carry around the weight of braces or artificial limbs.
3. Some people with motor disabilities have trouble using their hands. Tape
together the fingers of each childÆs weaker hand, leaving only the thumb
free. Instruct the child to keep their other hand behind their back. Give
them first a cup of raisins or nuts and then a dish of pudding or Jell-O with
a spoon to eat with their taped hand.
Some people with motor disabilities canÆt use their hand at all. Divide the
children into pairs and have each child feed their partner a cup of pudding
(and then wipe their partnerÆs mouth).
Section IV - Mental Retardation
1. Find a mirror that you can stand or hold up on the tabletop. Place a piece
of paper in front of the mirror so that you can see the paper through the
mirror. While looking into the mirror, try to write your name so that it can
be read correctly in the mirror. DonÆt look at the paper, just look at the
reflection in the mirror! When you have finished, your name should look
backwards and confused on the paper. Did you make any mistakes. (This
exercise will help you understand the difficulties encountered by person with
cerebral palsy or dyslexia).
2. Many retarded people have trouble with tactile discrimination (canÆt
easily distinguish what they are touching) and therefore canÆt manipulate
things well with their fingers. Have the children put a thick sock on each
hand and then put on and button a shirt. Also, with the sock still on their
hands, have them tie a shoelace.
3. Many retarded people have trouble with visual discrimination (canÆt easily
distinguish what they are seeing) To simulate this feeling, tape surgical
gauze over each childÆs eyes and have them try to drop clothespins into a
bottle, do a puzzle, read a book, etc.
4. Many retarded people have trouble with motor coordination and therefore,
may have trouble walking, climbing stairs, running, etc. To simulate this,
tie soft cord (approximately 18 inches long) between each childÆs ankles and
instruct them to keep the rope straight and tight. Tie another cord around
the childrenÆs arms, keeping them touching the torso from the elbows up. Have
the children walk around, sit down, play a game, etc.
5. Many retarded people have trouble following just a few simple directions.
To simulate this, give the children a list of 10 simple directions (such as:
stand up, turn around, touch your toes, spell your name, etc.); the catch is
that you read the list of directions through once and then have the children
follow them, This could cause them a lot of confusion as a few simple
directions would to a retarded person.
Additional Tips to Share or Role Play with your Girls
Helping a Handicapped Person
Remember all people are different and having a handicap is just one kind of
difference. Knowing that is true is the best way to help a handicapped
person, but there are other ways...
1. When you are with a deaf person, remember that shouting really wonÆt do
any good -- it will only make you red in the face and give you a sore throat!
Instead, make sure you are looking directly at the deaf person when you talk
and you are speaking as clearly as possible. Also, use as much sign language
as possible.
2. A blind person can usually hear perfectly well, so don't ask someone how
blind people feel or what they want to do - ASK THEM!
3. It may be helpful for you to guide a blind person, but make sure you ask
if they need your help first. Sometimes blind people feel they being pushed
or pulled around like a lawn mower or something.
4. The best way to help a person with a learning disability or a speech
disorder is to be patient. DonÆt try to do the reading or the speaking for
the other person.
5. Of course, itÆs never helpful to laugh at a person with a learning
disability or other kind of handicap, but it is often helpful to laugh with
them.
6. To be a friend to people who are mentally retarded. Encourage them to do
their best at all things they can do. You can help them find out what they do
best by letting them try to do everything you can do!
7. Most importantly, remember that all handicapped people are like you in
more ways than they are different. Just like you, they can do some things
better than others. Just like you, they have lots of different feelings. They
can feel happy, sad, excited, frustrated, lonely and loved - just like you.
After all, we are all alike on the inside.