Building Your Skills to Build Their Future

By, Dr. Amanda English

For more than two decades, I’ve heard the same worry from parents of children who are blind or low vision (BLV): “I’m afraid I’ll teach them the wrong way.”   Whether it’s making a sandwich, brushing their teeth, or making their bed, families often fear that one misstep will lead to long‑term problems.

Let me start by saying something loud and clear:

There is NO one right way.

Start Somewhere — That’s What Matters

Skill-building begins with doing something. Whether you teach your child to wipe the counter in circles or in a grid pattern doesn’t matter nearly as much as the fact that you’re teaching them to wipe the counter at all. Techniques can be refined over time. My way may differ from your way, and your way may differ from another parent’s — and that’s okay. Some methods may eventually prove more efficient, but that’s true for any learner, sighted or not.

Adaptations Aren’t the Answer — Practice Is

At Amanda English, The Intentional Educator, I teach individuals, families, and educators how to adapt techniques for BLV learners. Adaptations are helpful, but they are not what creates independence. Repetition is.

Muscle memory develops through practice — not through a single attempt. I often remind families: “It’s not one and done.”   Skills must be practiced many times, across many days, to become reliable.

Start Early and Scaffold Over Time

We would never expect a fully sighted child to clean an entire kitchen without years of smaller experiences leading up to it. By preschool, they’ve likely carried a dish to the sink. By elementary school, they’ve put silverware away. By high school, they’ve loaded the dishwasher. Each skill was repeated, expanded, and made more complex over time.

BLV children need the same gradual, scaffolded approach. Independence is built layer by layer, not delivered all at once.

A Career of Teaching, Learning, and Empowering

Throughout my career as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, I’ve had the privilege of teaching countless families, educators, and BLV students adaptive techniques that support independence. The most powerful outcomes always come from consistent practice, patient scaffolding, and a willingness to start — even if it’s imperfect.

Let’s Build Skills Together

Schedule a planning meeting with me, Amanda English, to design a training for your team or for the families you support. Together, we can build your skills so you can build their future.