101
Chapter 11
Helping Your Child Know Where She Is
(Orientation)
Rani is a little blind girl, born in a village in India. Rani’s
grandmother Baka is blind too, and has been able to show
Jeevan and Aruna, Rani’s parents, ways to teach Rani. By the
time Rani was 2 years old she had learned to feel her way
along the walls and furniture. She moved slowly, carefully
exploring each crack, bump, and crevice with her fingers. Now
Rani’s family wants to teach her to walk in the house without
holding on to things.
Today, Baka is explaining to Jeevan
and Aruna how she learns to get
from place to place. “When I want
to go from the front door to my
favorite chair, I walk 8 steps. That
takes me past the table. Then I make
a quarter-turn to the left, and I walk
another 4 steps. Then I reach out
my hand and make sure the chair is
there, because I remember one time
somebody moved the chair, and I sat
down on air!” Baka laughs as she
remembers.
But Baka’s story is not funny. It is important for us to understand
how hard it is for a blind child to learn to get around. For Rani
to learn to walk without holding on, she will have to remember
every detail — how many steps to walk and how far to turn.
Rani’s family will have to be patient because it will take Rani a
lot of effort and practice.