Teaching the blind: “a blind child is a blessing like any other child”

The Daily Vox
The Baumann House Early Childhood Development Centre in Durban caters for blind and partially-sighted preschool children. SANDISIWE HLENGWA, a teacher and coordinator at the school, spoke to Zimasa Matiwane about her work as a special-needs teacher.
There’s no difference between teaching blind and sighted children. I have been teaching here since 2011. Currently we have 13 leaners: five of them are fully sighted; eight are partially sighted or blind. Early intervention is crucial; we take children from six months to six years.
We potty train the young ones, teach them how to walk, feed themselves – all the basics. The older children are trained to use a white cane to build confidence and to navigate independently. The overall goal is to instill independence, empowerment and self-love to each child so they can live a full, happy life with their disability.

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