One of my new teachers has had a very definite expression of interest in learning to ring from a non-sighted potential student, but is asking for guidance how to approach teaching.
I have no experience of this. Can anyone help or suggest someone who can?
David Hamby from Whitley Bay is requesting advice. He is ART accredited.
thanks, Christine Richardson (Sunderland)
Hi Christine
Rose Nightingale has drawn my attention to your query as I am currently teacher a ringer who has been totally blind from birth. I don’t know if David saw my article in the latest ART Works headed “Teaching Rebecca to Ring” but this might be a good place for him to start.
Apart from the points I mention in the article, one thing I recommend is the blind learner stands slightlyfurther back than would usually be the case – not greatly, just 4-6 inches or so and the teacher stands closer to the rope than would be usual. Handstrokes alone proved to be the most difficult bit – hard for a blind learner to anticipate exactly when to reach for the sally just by listening, even if the teacher tries to get the backstokes as consistent as possible and ensure that the rope always falls in exactly the same place. The main challenge at the moment is ringing up and down – these are the only activities still needed for Level 1 – no problem with releasing or making coils, but finding the sally is very difficult My learner started in early December, had a couple of months break for personal reasons and recently covered on the tenor to plain hunt. Even though she is ringing independently, myself or another experienced teacher stills stands with her for the (very few) times when she misses the sally.
Happy to chat with David if he wants to get in touch. Rose has my email address and fine by me for her to let you have it privately so you can pass it on to him.
Ros Baxter (Hessle, East Yorks)