Integration/consolidation of spatial concepts in independent mobility

Each fully formed concept provides students with a foundation for future understanding and expanded possibilities for learning.

The focus of O&M lesson is to develop skills that can be used to travel independently in a variety of environments. The development of reading skills of maps is an essential objective in orientation and mobility training of visually impaired students.

The reading of maps promotes the integration of concepts in the development of skills, increases understanding of spatial relations and allows students to travel independently in any type of environment. Mental representations or ideas about how people, places and things are positioned and located in the environment are commonly referred to as spatial concepts. Spatial concepts, that may include the relationship between your own person and the surrounding object, the relationship between objects, are often represented in positional terms, such as: near / in front / back, right / left or north / east/west /south. Spatial concepts are used during travel to:

• describe the relative location of people, places and things within the environment (e.g. the dog is behind the fence that is on your right)
• arrange the segments of a route (e.g. the route to the dining room is before the office)
• provide an egocentric reference framework for spatial updating (I just passed by the drinking fountain and the office should be on my right)
• understand the plan of a map,
• learn mobility techniques that require specific spatial positions.

Spatial understanding is closely linked to body awareness and supports the development of advanced environmental concepts. Cartographic forms of reference involved system of spatial arrangements, including these grid patterns (parallel and perpendicular streets). The teaching process will be applied individually to each student. The students will be able to move on a predefined route, which has been presented to them in advance.