Tools for Assessment and Development of Visual Skills with 0-2-Year-Level Learners
 
TASHA TADPOLE'S PUZZLE BOOK

by
Elaine Kitchel, M.Ed.

with consultation from
Millie Smith, M.Ed.

The following people deserve grateful acknowledgment:

David McGee, Technical Research
Frank Hayden, Technical Research
James Robinson, Technical Research
Tom Poppe, Model Maker
Cary Crumpton, Planning Advisor
Steve Mullins, CD Production
Lila Adkins, Large Print
David Manteuffel, Purchasing
Steve Paris, Production Advisor
Anna Fox, Cost
Sandy Maerz, Purchasing
Phyllis Williams, Inventory
Jack Decker, Vice President
David Hines, Engineering
Tony Grantz, Marketing
Pat Packer, Braille
John Aicken, Educational Research
Erica Rucker, Educational Research
Ann Travis, Educational Research
Matthew Smith, Educational Research
Bisig Impact Group, Graphic Design
and
Millie Smith, M.Ed.
Tristan Pierce, B.F.A. 
Rebecca Burnett, Ph.D. 
LaRhea Sanford, Ph.D. 
M. Beth Langley, M.Ed.

for the provision of talent, advice and expertise toward the development of this puzzle book.

Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book
Elaine Kitchel, M.Ed.
Writer and Project Leader
Millie Smith, M.Ed.

Consultant
Erica Rucker, B.A.

Project Assistant
Photo by Tom Murray

Getting Ready

To use Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book, needed items are:
*   a comfortable, quiet corner 
*   a black background cloth 
*   an appropriate magnifier prescribed by the learner's clinician, if the learner uses a magnifier 
*   adequate non-fluorescent lighting (Most fluorescent lighting contains UV and blue light which causes glare problems for students with visual impairments. See "What Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments Need to Know About Lighting.") 
*   adequate alignment and support for the student who has physical disabilities or is developmentally very young 
*   black, white, red, and peach colored construction paper 
*   the ToAD Mirror 
*   TADPOLE Cards 
*   the APH Invisiboard 
*   the Billy Bird Puppet 
*   the APH GrandStand 
*   spoon, toothbrush, and blue cup from the ToAD Kit 
*   student's own spoon and/or toothbrush 
*   a ripe banana and a real apple 
*   Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book 
*   tape recorder or MP3 player with music 

Tadpole Skills and Tools

Physiological
                                Fixation     Pursuit     Shif     Cross      Eye-hand        Field     Scanning     Convergence     Depth 
                                                         of       Mid-       Coordination    of                                     Perception
                                                         Gaze     line       (cause/effect   Vision 
                                                                             & activation)
                                                                                                                                              
ToAD Toothbrush                    X            X                                X                                       X              X
ToAD Triangles                     X                      X         X            X                       X        
ToAD Flashlight & Attachments      X            X         X         X                          X         X        
ToAD Cup                           X            X         X         X                             
ToAD LED Keychain Light            X            X         X         X                          X            
ToAD Match 'n Sort Cards           X                                                                     X        
ToAD Pom-pon                       X            X         X         X                                                
ToAD Bowls and Balls               X            X         X         X            X                                                      X
ToAD Bell Bracelet and Puppet      X            X         X         X            X             X                         X    
ToAD Spoon                         X            X         X         X            X             X                         X              X
ToAD Tangle Toys/Foam Squares                                                    X                                   
Slinky                             X            X         X         X            X                                   
ToAD Mirror                        X                                                                                     X    
ToAD Swirly Mats                   X                                             X             X         X        
Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book        X            X         X         X            X                       X               X              X
TADPOLE Cards                      X                      X         X                                    X            


Perceptual
                                Visual      Object         Object/Shape    Figure         Size              Shape 
                                Memory      Recognition    Recognition     Ground         Discrimination    Discrimination
                                            (3-D)          (2-D)           Discrimination
                                            
ToAD Toothbrush                               X              X                                                X
ToAD Triangles                    X                          X                                                X
ToAD Flashlight & Attachments                        
ToAD Cup                        
ToAD LED Keychain Light                        
ToAD Match 'n Sort Cards                                     X                X               X               X
ToAD Pom-pon                                  X                
ToAD Bowls and Balls                          X                               X                               X
ToAD Bell Bracelet and Puppet     X           X                
ToAD Spoon                                    X                               X                               X
ToAD Tangle Toys/Foam Squares     X                                           X        
Slinky                        
ToAD Mirror                       X                    
ToAD Swirly Mats                                                              X        
Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book                   X              X                X               X               X
TADPOLE Cards                                 X              X                X               X               X


Cognitive
                                Object         Imitation    Identifying    Sequencing     Matching    Sorting    Photograph      Color 
                                Permanence     of Action                                                          Recognition     Discrimination
    
ToAD Toothbrush                                  X             X                            X            X        
ToAD Triangles                                                                X             X            X                           X
ToAD Flashlight & Attachments                                
ToAD Cup                                
ToAD LED Keychain Light                                
ToAD Match 'n Sort Cards                                                                                             X    
ToAD Pom-pon                                     X                        
ToAD Bowls and Balls              X              X                                           X                                        X
ToAD Bell Bracelet and Puppet                    X             X                    
ToAD Spoon                                       X             X                             X           X           X    
ToAD Tangle Toys/Foam Squares                    X                            X              X           X                            X
Slinky                                           X                        
ToAD Mirror                                
ToAD Swirly Mats                                                                                                                      X
Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book                                    X              X              X           X           X                X
TADPOLE Cards                                                  X              X              X           X           X                X

Dedication
This book is dedicated to all those teachers, who have, for decades, made their own kits of materials to perform functional vision assessments and vision development activities for students with visual impairments. Many of these imaginative individuals have provided help their students could have acquired no where else. They have contributed profoundly to the body of information that provides the foundation for ToAD and TADPOLE.


Table of Contents

 Introduction
 Social Smiling Face Photo
 Spoon Recognition Photo
 White Spoon Discrimination Drawing
 White Spoon Differentiation Puzzle
 White Spoon Directionality Puzzle
 Two Banana Drawing
 Banana Discrimination Puzzle
 Mix-it-up Puzzle
 Blue Cup Recognition Drawing
 Blue Cup, Size Discrimination Drawing #1
 Blue Cup Discrimination Drawing #2
 Blue Cup, Color Discrimination Drawing
 Toothbrush Photo
 Toothbrush Directionality Drawing #1
 Toothbrush Discrimination Drawing #2
 Double Discrimination Drawing
 Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #1
 Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #2
 Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #1
 Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #2
 Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #3
 Red Berry Discrimination Drawing
 Drawing of Child Eating Berries
 Resources

Important Notice
Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book should be used either for functional vision assessment or vision development activities for a given student. It should not be used for both purposes for an individual child.

It is also recommended that very young and multiply-involved children spend no more than 20 minutes in one sitting while working on Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book.
 
All materials contained in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book are copyrighted and owned by the American Printing House for the Blind. No copying or distribution of these materials can be conducted without express written permission of the American Printing House for the Blind, 1839 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY 40206-0085.

Introduction

Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book is an accessory to TADPOLE: Tools for Development of Visual Skills, Learners Level 0-2. TADPOLE also serves as the Vision Modality for the Sensory Learning Kit. There are many activities for both play and development of vision or visual skills for which Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book may be used. The primary ones are delineated on the pages opposite the puzzles themselves.

The photos, illustrations, and puzzles in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book have been developed to help students learn the following visual and perceptual skills for the purpose of functioning in their environments:

*   Visual fixation and attention 
*   Shift of gaze, crossing midline 
*   Lateral eye movement 
*   Scanning 
*   Visual discrimination of pattern, size, directionality, color, shape, figure/ground and other attributes 
*   Matching 
*   Sorting 
*   Visual closure 
*   Depth perception 
*   Identification of objects and images 

The photos and illustrations in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book have been designed mainly for learners who have developmental ages of 0-2. Often the thoughtful practitioner questions her/himself regarding whether the skills he or she teaches to very young children are "functional."

Millie Smith, an expert on early childhood, multiple disabilities, and a consultant on TADPOLE had this to say:

"Functional" is a word that was used in the community-based curriculum approach. It applied to skills that the student would use in post school environments like home and work. That is great for mild and moderately, mentally disabled students who are going to finish school and go to assisted work and living situations. The question is what does "functional" mean for a 0-2 year level learner? My answer would be that any interaction with people and objects in the natural environment that gives the learner the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the events of his/her life is functional. So, playing with a mirror is functional because it gives the student the opportunity to understand that he has a face too and that a mirror is a way of seeing what others see. For a 0-2 year level learner, play is the most powerful teaching methodology and in no way compromises the functionality of the outcome.

The photos and illustrations in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book can be used in meaningful ways to help the learner participate in his/her life events. They can be used separately as part of the Vision Modality of the Sensory Learning Kit, as part of TADPOLE activities or as a prerequisite to the Squire ToAD's Puzzles. Tasha Tadpole's Puzzles have been designed mainly for students ages 0-2 years with visual impairments who have other disabilities or complications. Squire ToAD's Puzzles were designed for learners ages 2-5 who have no impairments other than those of the visual system.

In this book reference is made to hand-under-hand technique. To perform this technique, the practitioner places his/her hand under the hand of the child, then guides the child's hand to touch the desired object. This is believed to be the gentlest way to help the child.
 
In today's world equal representation of the sexes is important. The practitioner will find that alternating exercises in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book refer to the learner as "he," and then "she." Every effort is made to provide equal representation of both males and females.

In Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book, the practitioner will see words of different colors. Pond blue words refer to items made by APH that are not part of ToAD or TADPOLE. Items from the ToAD Kit will appear in toad green. Items from TADPOLE will appear in tadpole orange. This is done to help the reader locate references to these items easily within the book.

The images and concepts embedded in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book and TADPOLE cards provide high-contrast images in colors and patterns designed to build visual and perceptual skills. These images and activities have been tested on real students with visual impairments and other complicating conditions. They meet APH's tested criteria for image clarity and contrast for documents to be used by persons with low vision. The suggested activities have been researched and tested not only to build visual skills, but to fit into the learner's life in a meaningful way. Practitioners may find many ways to use the puzzles in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book besides those suggested. It is hoped teachers and interventionists will find Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book useful as they work toward the development and assessment of the visual skills of their students.

Most teachers and practitioners will want to keep records about their students' progress. Reporting forms are included in the TADPOLE Practitioner's 

Guidebook.

General Preparation

It is difficult to say enough about the preparation of the environment and the child for functional vision activities. Most children who have severe disabilities will have several prerequisites before they can begin to use their vision.
*   support and alignment of the child's body, especially the head and neck 
*   appropriate lighting, with no UV or blue light in the environment 
*   limitation of distraction 
*   simplification of the visual environment 
*   and physical readiness of the child 
are all necessary before vision and learning can take place.

The use of bolsters, pillows, and frames to support the child is encouraged. For several useful examples of how support and alignment of the child can be achieved, watch "Good Lookin'" and "ISAVE 101," two videos from APH.

Lighting should usually be soft and indirect, not too bright and not too dark, but this varies from child to child. Cool white fluorescent light should be avoided altogether, as should flashing light. Incandescent light from behind or above the child's eye level is usually best, as long as the child is not allowed to light gaze. (See What Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments Need to Know about Lighting, APH Catalog Number: 7-08941-00.)

Care should be taken to limit distraction and stimulation. The practitioner should wear a black apron and gloves when presenting stimuli to the learner. Use of a black corner or some other corner where the walls are a simple pastel color can be used as backgrounds for functional vision activities. Extraneous sounds should be absent and the practitioner will do best to talk in soft tones.

Even in the best of circumstances, the child must be ready to see. If he or she is hungry, sleepy, tired, or heavily medicated, peak visual function may be out of the question. Make sure the child is well-rested, well-fed, comfortable, supported and ready to see. When a child's needs are met, only then can he or she become a "learner."

Elaine Kitchel, M.Ed.
Low Vision Project Leader
American Printing House for the Blind

Social Smiling Face Photo
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Mirror 
*   Black background cloth 

Social Attentional Gaze
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have the ToAD Mirror handy during this exercise. 
2.   If the student has motor problems or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes it is helpful to engage the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles. This will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place the Social Smiling Face Photo on a simple black background cloth, as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. Some learners will benefit if the photo is placed on the black reading stand called the APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to visually explore the photo. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI actually turn their heads away from the photo while viewing. If allowed to do this, a student will usually turn back toward the photo again as soon as his visual system has reorganized. 
5.   Note whether the student reacts to the photo with a smile, by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees the photo. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the photo closer or farther away. 
6.   If the student does not seem to be aware of the photo, then use the ToAD Mirror to show him his own face. Start at a distance of 13 inches. Note if the student reacts to the image of his own face. If he does not, vary the distance. When he does react to his own image, then try again with the photo. If he does not react to the image of his own face, give him time to rest from the activity and try again at a later time. 
7.   Once the student reliably reacts to the Social Smiling Face Photo, or another image of a face, he is ready to move on to the Spoon Photo. 
8.   The Social Smiling Face Photo can be used to teach the parts of the face or to talk about smiles and other facial expressions. 

Spoon Recognition Photo
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Metal spoon 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised with use of the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a real, metal spoon handy during this exercise. A spoon is available in the ToAD Kit. 
2.   If the student has physical disabilities or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Spoon Recognition Photo on a simple black background cloth, as an upright easel or on a black reading stand, like the black APH GrandStand, in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for her. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the photo. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI actually turn their heads away from the photo while viewing. If allowed to do this, a student will usually turn back toward the photo again after her visual system has reorganized. 
5.   Note whether the student reacts to the photo with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees the image in the photo. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the photo closer or farther away to get a response. 
6.   If the student does not react to the Spoon Recognition Photo, place a real spoon on top of the spoon in the photo. Note if the student reacts to the real spoon. Let her hold or touch the real spoon and help her place it on top of or beside the spoon in the photo. Use the word "spoon" often while demonstrating the similarities between the real spoon and the Spoon Recognition Photo. 
7.   It may help to give the student a bit of dry cereal or banana in the real spoon and allow her to feed herself. Make sure the student has no allergies to these foods. Repeat Step 6 until the student recognizes or attempts to interact with the spoon in the photo. Rest between activities. 
8.   When the student consistently recognizes or interacts with the Spoon Recognition Photo, she is ready to go on to the White Spoon Discrimination Drawing. 

White Spoon Discrimination Drawing
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Black construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Metal spoon 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Figure-Ground Discrimination
1.   Make sure the student is in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a real, metal spoon handy during this exercise. One is available from the ToAD Kit. 
2.   If the student has physical disabilities or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place the White Spoon Discrimination Drawing on a simple black background cloth, as an upright easel or on a black reading stand, like the black APH GrandStand, in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the drawing. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the drawing during their viewing process. If allowed to do this, a student will usually turn back toward the drawing again as soon as his visual system has reorganized. 
5.   Note whether the student reacts to the spoon in the drawing with a smile, or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he is seeing the spoon in the drawing. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the drawing closer or farther away to get a response. 
6.   If the student does not respond, place a real spoon on top of or near the spoon in the drawing. Note if the student reacts to the real spoon. If he does not, place a bit of dry cereal or banana in the spoon to elicit a response. Make sure the student has no allergies to these foods. When he responds, let him feed himself the treat using the spoon. 
7.   Point out the similarities between the real spoon and the spoon in the drawing, saying the word "spoon" often. 
8.   If the student does not consistently respond to the spoon in the drawing, he may not be able to differentiate the spoon from the background containing the yellow squares. Cover the yellow squares with black paper, and try again. If the student responds when the yellow squares are blocked out, let him rest, then repeat the exercise. After he reacts to the spoon without the yellow squares, uncover them slowly, one-at-a-time and see if he still reacts to the spoon in the drawing. 
9.   Repeat this exercise until he can consistently recognize the spoon in the drawing, even with the background noise of the yellow squares. When he can, he is ready to go on to White Spoon Differentiation Puzzle. 

White Spoon Differentiation Puzzle
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Black construction paper cut into 3" squares 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Metal spoon 
*   Black background cloth 

Identification/Differentiation
1.   Make sure the student is in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of black paper handy during this exercise. 
2.   If the student has physical disabilities, or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the White Spoon Differentiation Puzzle on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Cover the line of small images at the bottom of the page with a piece of black paper. 
5.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during the viewing process. If allowed to do this, the student will usually return to look toward the puzzle again as soon as her visual system has re-organized. 
6.   Note whether the student reacts to the spoon image in the puzzle with a smile, by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees an image. Depending upon her vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
7.   Ask the student to point to, or otherwise identify the spoon in the puzzle. If she reacts to or identifies the spoon, uncover the line of small images at the bottom of the page. Ask the student to find the spoon in the line of images at the bottom of the page. If she cannot, point to each of the images, going left-to-right while naming them. When the small spoon is reached, point out how the small spoon looks like the big spoon in the center of the puzzle. Then identify the last image in the line. 
8.   Point to the big spoon in the puzzle. Ask the student to identify the little spoon. 
9.   Repeat step #7 and #8, resting when needed, until the student can identify both spoons in the puzzle. The student may enjoy playing with the real spoon for a while. The student is now ready for the White Spoon Directionality Puzzle. 

White Spoon Directionality Puzzle
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Red construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Metal spoon 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Size, and Directionality Perception
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised by use of the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of red construction paper handy during this exercise as well as the student's spoon or a spoon from the ToAD Kit. 
2.   If the learner has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place the White Spoon Directionality Puzzle on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Cover the line of small spoons at the bottom of the puzzle with a piece of red construction paper. 
5.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the puzzle. By now most students should be able to recognize and react to the spoon in the center of the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during their assimilation process. If allowed to turn away, a student will usually turn back toward the puzzle once his visual system has reorganized. 
6.   Note whether the student reacts to the puzzle with a smile, by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees the spoon image. Depending upon the student's vision, move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
7.   When there is certainty that the student sees and responds to the spoon in the puzzle, remove the piece of red construction paper, uncovering the line of spoons at the bottom of the page. Move from the student's left-to-right across the bottom of the page and point to each spoon. Say the word "spoon" often. 
8.   Ask the student to find the little spoon that points the same way as the big spoon. This may be very difficult for some students. Depending on the age of the student it may or may not be helpful to use the words "left" and "right". However, the words "up," "down," "this way," and "that way," or just pointing could be used to demonstrate directionality. 
9.   For some students, especially those who are developmentally very young, to find the spoons on the distracting red background may be at the upper limit of their abilities. Use professional judgment to make the decision about which puzzles from Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book to use with a particular student. 
10.   When the student can consistently pick out the correct little spoon then he is ready to move to the Two Banana drawing. 

Two Banana Drawing
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Two real bananas 
*   Black construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Black background cloth 

Fixation, Object Recognition
1.   Make sure the student is in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of white or black construction paper and a real banana handy during this exercise. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Two Banana Drawing on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether the student responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she is seeing an image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   If the student does not seem to recognize the bananas in the drawing, cover one up with black construction paper. Allow sufficient time for her to respond, especially if the student has CVI. If there is still no response, place a real banana near the banana in the drawing, oriented in the same direction. Say "banana" and point to the real banana, then to the banana in the drawing. Again watch for a response. Give the student a little piece of a real banana, if needed, to help her associate the real banana with the banana drawing. Make sure the student has no allergies to any foods you may present. 
6.   Repeat the exercise on different days until the student shows that she recognizes the banana. Then use two real bananas to pair with the two bananas in the drawing and repeat the exercise. 
7.   When the learner consistently responds to the drawing of the two bananas, she is ready to move on to the Banana Discrimination Puzzle. 

Enrichment Activities
1.   Use the Two Banana Drawing to teach the concept of one-to-one correspondence or to teach the amounts of "One, Two." Continue to add photos or real bananas to teach higher amounts. 
2.   Use the banana to teach the concept of "yellow." Compare the yellow banana to a red apple to see the differences in the colors. 
3.   Use a banana and a cracker to teach the concepts of "food" and "eat" and "share." 

Banana Discrimination Puzzle
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Real banana 
*   Black construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Size Discrimination
1.   Make sure the student is in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of black construction paper handy during this exercise. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place the Banana Discrimination Puzzle on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. Cover the line of small images at the bottom of the page with black construction paper. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether he responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees or recognizes the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   Ask the student to point to the big, yellow banana. If the student does not point to it, use hand-under-hand technique to help the student point to the banana or use a real banana to place beside the banana in the puzzle. If the student still does not respond to the Banana Discrimination Puzzle, go back to the Two Banana Drawing and repeat that activity. 
6.   Once there is certainty that the student recognizes the banana in the drawing, uncover the line of small objects at the bottom of the page. Identify the objects one-by-one with the student, always going from left-to-right from his point of view. 
7.   Now point to the big, yellow banana and ask the student to find the little, yellow banana at the bottom of the page. If the student cannot do it, use hand-under-hand technique to guide the child's hand to the little banana. If the child still has difficulty with selection of either banana, repeat step #5-#7 until he becomes skilled at the selection of each image upon request. 

Mix-it-up Puzzle
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Black construction paper cut into 4×8 rectangles 
*   Real banana 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Blue cup 
*   Spoon 
*   Toothbrush 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Figure-ground Discrimination
1.   Make sure the student is in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of black construction paper handy during this exercise. 
2.   If the student has physical disabilities or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the blue cup, the ToAD spoon, the ToAD toothbrush, and the banana on a black background cloth, or as an upright easel, about 13-16 inches away from the student. Do not place them in a line, but place them in a random arrangement on the cloth. Starting at the point farthest away from the student and moving to the point closest, point to each object and say its name. Ask the student to say the names as well. If the child cannot talk, urge her to point to each object as the name of each one is said. 
4.   Remove the objects. Place the Mix-it-up Puzzle on a simple, black background cloth, in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. Ask her to point to one of the bananas. If the student cannot do it, place the black construction paper over the top banana, the toothbrush, and the spoon. Ask her, again, to point out or otherwise identify the remaining banana. If she cannot do it, repeat the Banana Discrimination Puzzle and try the Mix-it-up Puzzle again afterward. 
5.   If the student can do it, then uncover the spoon and ask her again to identify the banana. If she is successful, uncover the toothbrush and ask the student again, to identify the banana. If she is successful, uncover the remaining banana and ask her to identify the banana. 
6.   When the child can successfully point to one of the bananas, ask her to identify the spoon in the picture. If she cannot, repeat items #4 and #5 and emphasize the spoon instead of the banana, until she can successfully and consistently identify the spoon. When the child can do this she may enjoy using the spoon to eat a bit of banana. Make sure the student has no allergies to any foods you may present. The student is now ready to move to the Blue Cup Puzzle. 

Blue Cup Recognition Drawing
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   White or black construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Blue cup 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of white or black construction paper handy during this exercise. Also have the blue cup from the ToAD Kit ready to use. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes, engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place the Blue Cup Drawing on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a black reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether he responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees an image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   Point to the cup in the drawing, and say the word "cup" often. Show the student the blue cup from the ToAD Kit, saying "cup." Place the ToAD blue cup close to the cup in the drawing. 
6.   Allow the student to drink or pretend to drink from the real, blue ToAD cup. Repeat step 5 until the student recognizes the Blue Cup Drawing. 
7.   Remove the real, blue ToAD cup and ask the child again to either point to the cup in the picture or name the object as you point to it. When the child can do this consistently without the cue of the real blue ToAD cup he is ready to move to the next puzzle. 

Blue Cup, Size Discrimination Drawing #1
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Black construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Blue ToAD cup 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Size Discrimination
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of black construction paper handy during this exercise. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Blue Cup, Size Discrimination Drawing on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether she responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she is seeing an image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   Cover the line of small object drawings at the bottom of the puzzle with a piece of black construction paper. Ask the student to point to the big, blue cup. If the student does not point to it, use hand-under-hand technique to help her point to the big, blue cup in the drawing or use the real, blue ToAD cup to place beside the cup in the Blue Cup, Size Discrimination Drawing. 
6.   Once there is certainty that the student recognizes the blue cup in the drawing, uncover the line of small objects at the bottom of the page. Identify the objects one-by-one with the student, always going from her left-to-right. 
7.   Now point to the big, blue cup in the center of the drawing and ask the student to find the little, blue cup at the bottom of the page. If the student cannot do it, repeat step #6 and #7 until she becomes skilled at selection of both the big and the little cup upon request. 

Blue Cup Discrimination Drawing #2
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   White construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Blue ToAD cup 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Size Discrimination, Figure-Ground Discrimination, Directionality Discrimination
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of white construction paper handy during this exercise. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place the Blue Cup Discrimination Drawing #2 on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Cover the top two cups with a piece of white construction paper. Give the student sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether he responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   Ask the student to touch each cup in the drawing. The student may need hand-under-hand assistance to do this. Another option is to give the child bingo disks or nickels and ask him to place one on each cup. 
6.   If the child has trouble, narrow the number of cups in his view to 1 or 2. If he still has difficulty, place the real, blue ToAD cup near the drawing. Touch the real cup and a cup in the drawing, saying the word "cup" often. 
7.   If the child cannot pick out the cups in the drawing, he may not be able to overcome the interference posed by the diagonal lines in the background. In this case, it is important to block out as much background as possible with white paper. Gradually increase the field to include one cup at a time. It may take several exposures to the drawing while slowly increasing the number of visible cups, before the student can see all the cups. Do not hurry the child. This could take several days or weeks. 
8.   Once the student is able to discern each of the cups, it may be fun to explore the drawing in more detail to discover which cups are big and which are little. 
9.   Another option is to find which cups have their handles pointing in the same direction. This is a complicated puzzle for students with CVI or other brain dysfunction. Patience is appropriate here, and even then, some children will not be able to discern directionality. 
10.   If this puzzle is too hard, skip to the next, Blue Cup, Color Discrimination Drawing. 

Blue Cup, Color Discrimination Drawing
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   White or peach construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Blue ToAD cup 
*   Foam Red Apple from ToAD Apple Puzzle 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Size Discrimination, Color Discrimination, Directionality Discrimination
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. Be sure to have a piece of white or peach construction paper handy during this exercise. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes, engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzles will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Blue Cup, Color Discrimination Drawing on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Cover the two cups on the left with a piece of white or peach construction paper. Give the student sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether she responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   Ask the learner to touch each cup in the drawing. She may need hand-under-hand assistance to do this. Another option would be to offer bingo disks or nickels and give her guidance to place one on each cup. 
6.   If the student still has difficulty, cover the center cup as well as the two on the left. Get the blue cup from the ToAD Kit and show it to the student. Then, point to the blue cup in the drawing while saying the word "cup." Repeat this with the red cup. Ask the child to place a nickel on the blue cup. Repeat with the red cup. Now ask her to point to the RED cup. 
7.   Now present the foam Red Apple from the ToAD Apple Puzzle. Place it between the blue cup and the red cup in the drawing. Show the student that the apple is RED and the lower cup is RED. Point to the blue cup and say "blue." Then point to the apple and say "red." Repeat this exercise two or three times. 
8.   Uncover the cup in the center of the drawing. Talk about how it is a cup and it is a BLUE cup. Point to the cup in the upper right hand corner and talk about how it is a BLUE cup. Now point to the red cup and talk about how it is a RED cup. 
9.   Uncover the other two cups and go through the same sequence as that in step #8. Make sure the student identifies all the blue cups and the red cup. 
10.   Steps #8 and #9 can be repeated with emphasis on the sizes of the cups or with emphasis on the directionality of the cups, depending upon what the student needs. 

Enrichment Activity
1.   Spread out a white or black cloth in front of the student. On the cloth place the blue ToAD cup, the toothbrush, a banana or apple, and another item until there are items of three different colors. Point to each of the items while stating the color and the name such as "blue cup, red toothbrush, yellow banana." Encourage, and if needed, help the student point to each item and say the color and name of the item. If she does not have speech, say the colors and names and allow the student to point to the items. Say them in different orders until the student can accurately identify either by saying the names or pointing to the objects. 
2.   Spread out three new items that are familiar to the child in her daily activities. Repeat Enrichment Activity Step #1 by identifying the colors of your items. Do other comparison activities using familiar red objects and blue objects. It may be helpful to use the TADPOLE Cards for this activity. 
Toothbrush Photo
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Toothbrush from ToAD Kit or student's own toothbrush 
*   Billy Bird Puppet from ToAD Kit 
*   Black background cloth 

TADPOLE Materials Needed:
*   TADPOLE black and white toothbrush card 

Object Recognition, Color Discrimination, Function Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes, engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place the Toothbrush Photo on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Show the student the Toothbrush Photo. Give him sufficient time to explore the photo. Note whether he responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   If the student seems not to recognize the toothbrush, place the Billy Bird Puppet on one hand, and with the use of the toothbrush from the ToAD Kit, brush Billy Bird's teeth with the other hand. 
6.   If the child is interested, allow him to brush Billy Bird's teeth. Talk about how everyone needs a toothbrush to brush his/her teeth. 
7.   Now, place the toothbrush near the toothbrush in the Toothbrush Photo. Make sure to say its name, "Toothbrush," and the color too if the child is capable of handling both pieces of information. Ask the student to repeat the words "blue toothbrush." If the real toothbrush is a color other than blue, point to it and call it by its real color name. 
8.   Using hand-under-hand technique, to help the child color the uncolored TADPOLE toothbrush card the same color as his personal toothbrush. 

Enrichment Activity
1.   Allow the student to use his own toothbrush as Billy Bird talks about the color of it. Allow the learner to swish it in some water and brush his teeth. Let Billy Bird talk about the color of his toothbrush and about brushing teeth and how much fun it can be. Let Billy Bird ask the child questions about how his family members each use a toothbrush to brush his or her teeth. 
2.   If the resources are available, it may be fun to have Billy Bird present the child with a new toothbrush when the exercise is finished. 

Toothbrush Directionality Drawing #1
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Tape recorder or MP3 player 
*   White construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Toothbrush from ToAD Kit or student's own toothbrush 
*   Billy Bird Puppet from ToAD Kit 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Color Discrimination, Function Recognition, Directionality
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Toothbrush Directionality Drawing #1 on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. Cover the top two toothbrushes with a piece of white construction paper. 
4.   Now, show the student Toothbrush Directionality Drawing #1. Give her sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether she responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   Now, place the toothbrush from the ToAD Kit on top of the bottom toothbrush in the drawing. Show the student that the brush part of the toothbrush is on "this side." Now, flip the toothbrush around and place it on the toothbrush in the drawing that is just above the bottom toothbrush. Talk about how the brush part of the toothbrush is now on "that side." 
6.   If the student has arm and hand mobility, ask her or help her to place the ToAD Toothbrush as directed in step #4. Flip the toothbrush several times emphasizing "this side" and "that side," "this way" and "that way," "left" and "right," whatever terms are appropriate. 
7.   Uncover the top two toothbrushes in the drawing. Ask the student to place the ToAD Toothbrush on top of each toothbrush in the drawing, starting at the top. As she does this, talk about which way the brush end is pointing, according to the directional terms established. 
8.   Place the handle of the toothbrush in Billy Bird's mouth. Allow Billy Bird to point the brush end of the toothbrush first one direction, and then another. Let Billy Bird talk to the student about directionality in terms that are appropriate for the student's learning level, such as up, down, high, low, this way, that way, etc. 
9.   Allow the student to hold her own toothbrush or the ToAD Toothbrush and point it in the directions Billy Bird suggests. When she can consistently point it in the directions suggested she has mastered the task/concept. When satisfied with the student's performance, play music for her or offer her a new spoon or toothbrush. 

Enrichment Activity
1.   Get eight toothbrushes or eight spoons. Using four toothbrushes or spoons, make a pattern with the objects pointing left and right. Give the student the other four toothbrushes or spoons, and ask her to repeat the pattern. It may be necessary to start out with just two items, and gradually add additional ones. Do this several times. 
2.   If the child is good at it, mix spoons and toothbrushes and ask her to repeat the pattern of mixed objects and the directions in which they point. 

Toothbrush Discrimination Drawing #2
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Tape recorder or MP3 player 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Toothbrush from ToAD Kit or student's own toothbrush 
*   Spoon from ToAD Kit 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Color Discrimination, Function Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use the vision he has. 
3.   Place the Toothbrush Discrimination Drawing #2 on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. Give him sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether he responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
4.   Now, place the student's toothbrush or the ToAD Toothbrush in front of the student. Ask him to indicate which item in the drawing looks like the toothbrush in front of him. An indication of ANY toothbrush is a correct response. 
5.   Ask the student which toothbrush in the drawing is the same color as the toothbrush in front of him. If the drawing does not provide a toothbrush that is the same color, use a spoon and ask the student which item in the drawing looks like the item in front of him. Then talk about the colors of the items in the drawing. 
6.   Ask the student to place the toothbrush/spoon on the item in the drawing that is the same color. Check to see if the child gets both color and directionality correct. But remember, a placement on the correctly colored item, no matter what direction, is a correct answer. 
7.   If the learner gets the color correct, ask him if the brushes of the toothbrush or the bowl of the spoon are pointing in the same direction as in the drawing. It may be necessary to assist the learner to understand the concepts, by helping him flip the item to the appropriate orientation. The student may need to practice Steps #6 and #7 several times on separate occasions to begin to understand the triple concepts of identification, color, and directionality all at the same time. 
8.   When the student successfully completes the activity, play music for him. 

Double Discrimination Drawing
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Tape recorder or MP3 player 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Toothbrush from ToAD Kit or student's own toothbrush 
*   Blue Cup from ToAD Kit 
*   Black background cloth 

Object Recognition, Color Discrimination, Function Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use the vision she has. 
3.   Place the Double Discrimination Drawing on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. Give her sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether she responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
4.   Ask the student to point (or otherwise indicate) to the cup, and then ask her to point to the toothbrush. If she gets it right the first time, repeat the request twice more to make sure the concept is solid. 
5.   Place the blue ToAD cup and the toothbrush from the ToAD Kit within reach of the student but separated from one another by a few inches. Talk about the toothbrush being "in" the cup in the drawing. Ask the student to place the toothbrush "in" the blue ToAD cup. If she does not do it or seems not to understand, help her place the toothbrush in the cup. Talk about the similarities between the real cup and toothbrush and the cup and toothbrush in the drawing. 
6.   Separate the cup and the toothbrush again. Close Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book. Ask the student to demonstrate what she would do with a cup. Ask her to demonstrate what she would do with a toothbrush. 
7.   If she gives correct information, play music for her. She is now ready to move on to Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #1. 

Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #1
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Tape recorder or MP3 player 
*   Red ball from classroom or student's own ball 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   Black background cloth 
*   ToAD Billy Bird puppet 

TADPOLE Materials Needed:
*   TADPOLE card - 5" × 5" black and white ball 

Object Recognition, Color Discrimination, Function Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #1 on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. It may be helpful to use a reading stand like the black APH GrandStand. In any case, choose the viewing angle and distance that works for the student. 
4.   Now, show the student Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #1. Give her sufficient time to explore the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during their assimilation process. If allowed to turn away, a student will usually turn back toward the puzzle once her visual system has reorganized. Note whether she responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, holding her breath, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   Now, place the ball from the classroom near the ball in the drawing. Talk about the qualities of the ball, such as its color and roundness. 
6.   If the student has arm and hand mobility, ask her or help her to tap the ball to make it roll just a little. 
7.   If the student is able, roll the ball to her and let her return it. If she is not able, use the ToAD Billy Bird puppet to help roll the ball back and forth. Talk about how balls roll and children can play games with them. 
8.   Play music and roll the ball, or tap the ball in the picture, just for fun. 
9.   Repeat this exercise over several days until there is a certainty that the learner sees and responds to the ball in the drawing. 

Red Ball Song
I have a little ball
I like to roll around 
Roll my little ball, 
All along the ground. 

Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #2
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   White adhesive tape 
*   Red ball from classroom or student's own ball 
*   Another small toy from the classroom 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   ToAD Billy Bird puppet 
*   Black background cloth 

TADPOLE Materials Needed:
*   TADPOLE card - 5" × 5" black and white ball 

Object Recognition, Feature Discrimination, Function Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place a strip of white adhesive tape around the middle of the red ball to make a stripe. Set the ball aside. Then place the Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #2 on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. Move closer or farther away to select the viewing angle and distance that works best for the student. 
4.   Now, show the student Red Ball Discrimination Drawing #2. Give him sufficient time to explore the puzzle. By now most students should be able to recognize and react to the ball in the center of the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during their assimilation process. If allowed to turn away, a student will usually turn back toward the puzzle once his visual system has reorganized. Give him sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether he responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees the image. 
5.   Now, place the striped red ball from the classroom near the striped ball in the drawing. Show the student that the ball looks like the one in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book. Talk about the white stripe on the ball. Talk about what other familiar objects, such as candy canes, may have stripes. 
6.   If the student has arm and hand mobility, ask him, or help him grasp the ball and touch the stripe. Ask him to then toss the ball. Give assistance if needed. Clap as the ball bounces. 
7.   Talk about how balls bounce. Use another small classroom toy to illustrate the concept of bouncing. Grasp the toy and simulate bouncing by moving it up and down. You may want to sing a little song during this part of the activity. 
8.   Repeat this exercise over several days or weeks until there is certainty that the learner sees and responds to the ball in the drawing. 
9.   Use the black and white ball card from the TADPOLE cards. Allow the student to color the ball the same color as his own ball, or the classroom ball. Assist the student with this activity if needed. 

Bouncy-Bouncy Song
I'm a bouncy bouncy toy. (or ball)
And I bounce from here to there.
I bounce up high
and I bounce down low
and I bounce right to your chair.

Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #1
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Dry cereal or small pieces of bread 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   ToAD Yellow Bowl 
*   ToAD Billy Bird Puppet 
*   Black background cloth 

TADPOLE Materials Needed
*   TADPOLE card - 5" × 5" green bowl on black background 

Object Recognition, Color Discrimination, Function Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #1 on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away, or choose the viewing angle and distance that works best for the student. 
4.   Give her sufficient time to explore the drawing. By now most students should be able to recognize and react to the bowl in the center of the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during their assimilation process. If allowed to turn away, a student will usually turn back toward the puzzle once her visual system has reorganized. Note whether she responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, holding her breath, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   Once there is a certainty that the student sees the bowl in the drawing, place the ToAD Yellow Bowl near of the yellow bowl in the drawing. Show the student that the ToAD Yellow Bowl looks like the one in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book. Talk about the color of the bowl. Point from the bowl in the picture to the real bowl and say "bowl" often. 
6.   Now show the learner the TADPOLE card with the green bowl on the black background. If the learner does not say "bowl" prompt her. Point to the yellow bowl in Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book and say "yellow bowl," then point to the green bowl on the card and say "green bowl." The student may be confused by the difference in color and size, so repeat this activity again over several days until the learner recognizes that the yellow bowl in the drawing and the green bowl on the card are both bowls. For some learners this activity may take longer than several days, so allow your student all the time and repetition she needs. 

Enrichment Activity
1.   If the student has arm and hand mobility, ask her to put something in the ToAD yellow Bowl or her own bowl. This can be a small toy, dry cereal, or even her fist. Ask her to then take the item/s out of the bowl. If it is cereal, she could be invited to eat it. Talk about how we use bowls to hold our food, and sometimes a toy or crayons. If the child is familiar with a cat, talk about how the kitty drinks water out of a bowl. As always be certain that all food given to the student will not cause an allergic reaction. 
2.   If the child does not have arm and hand mobility, allow her to point to the bowl with her head or chin, or use another strategy that works for her. 
3.   Allow the ToAD Billy Bird Puppet to eat dry cereal or bread from the bowl, to emphasize the idea that food is often held in bowls. The child might want to feed the ToAD Billy Bird Puppet from the bowl as well. 
4.   Allow the ToAD Billy Bird Puppet to pull crayons from the bowl to change color to assist the learner as she colors the black and white TADPOLE card with the bowl on it. 

Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #2
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Dry cereal or small pieces of bread 
*   Black construction paper 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   ToAD Yellow Bowls 
*   ToAD Billy Bird Puppet 
*   ToAD Black Background Cloth 

TADPOLE Materials Needed:
*   TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" yellow bowl with blue background 
*   TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" yellow bowl with black background 

Object Recognition, Color Discrimination, Function Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported and ready to use his vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Cover the small items at the bottom of the page with black construction paper. Place the Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #2 on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away, or choose the viewing angle and distance that works best for the student. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the puzzle. By now most students should be able to recognize and react to the bowl in the center of the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during their assimilation process. If allowed to turn away, a student will usually turn back toward the puzzle once his visual system has reorganized. Note whether he responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   When you are certain that the learner sees the bowl, tell him that he is to find a smaller bowl like the one in the picture. Now uncover the white spoon at the bottom of the page. (If the white spoon and other items at the bottom of the page are too small for the child's vision, use the same items which are on the 5" × 5" TADPOLE Cards.) Ask the student if the item looks like the big one in the picture. Go to each smaller item in succession. If the learner cannot match the smaller bowl to the large bowl in the picture, rest a few minutes and try the exercise again. If the student still cannot match the bowls, do the exercise again in the near future and go on to #6. 
6.   Show the student the TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" yellow bowl with black background. When you are certain the student sees the bowl, repeat the word "bowl" together a few times. Now show him the TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" yellow bowl with blue background. Make sure the card is presented in his field of view. Ask him to name the object. If he cannot, say it for him. Show him that both of the objects in the pictures are bowls. See if he can shift his gaze across midline from one bowl to another by placing them side by side. Point to one bowl and then the other, very slowly. Check to see if he shifts his gaze from one to the other. It may help to shine a penlight from one card to another to help the student follow the light across midline. If this is necessary, gradually wean the student from the penlight, until he can follow your finger from one card to the other. This may take several repetitions. Repeat this activity until the student can recognize the yellow bowl, regardless of size or colored background. This may take several presentations over many days. 

Enrichment Activity
1.   Use all three ToAD Yellow Bowls. If the student has arm and hand mobility, allow him to stack or nest the three bowls. Allow him to put balls or other objects into the bowls. Students without use of arms or hands might be able to use straws to blow bubbles into water which is poured into the bowl/s. 
2.   Allow the ToAD Billy Bird Puppet to hide balls under the bowls or pour water into the bowls. Ask the student to find the balls or blow bubbles. The ToAD Billy Bird Puppet should interact with the child as much as is appropriate, depending upon whether or not the child is tactually defensive. Perform this activity as long as the learner enjoys it. 

Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #3
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Dry cereal with red bits, berries, or pieces of apple 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   ToAD Yellow Bowls 
*   ToAD Billy Bird Puppet 
*   ToAD Black Background Cloth 

TADPOLE Materials Needed:
*   TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" yellow bowl with berries on blue background 

Object Recognition, Color Discrimination, Function Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported, especially in the head and neck area, and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Yellow Bowl Discrimination Drawing #3 on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away, or choose the viewing angle and distance that works best for the student. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the puzzle. By now most students should be able to recognize and react to the bowl in the center of the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during their assimilation process. If allowed to turn away, a student will usually turn back toward the puzzle once her visual system has reorganized. Note whether she responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   When you are certain that the learner sees the bowl with the berries, ask her to name what is in the picture. If the student is not familiar with berries move to the next puzzle (TADPOLE Red Berry Discrimination Drawing), then come back to this exercise when that exercise is completed. 
6.   If the student understands the picture but is unable to name the items, say "bowl" and "berries" or perhaps "strawberries" to get her started. If the student thinks the bowl holds apples, that label is acceptable too. 
7.   Place the ToAD Yellow Bowl beside the bowl in the picture. Ask the learner to place the food or items provided, such as strawberries, in the bowl. Ask her if the bowl now looks like the big one in the picture. 
8.   Allow the student to feed herself a few bits of the food in the bowl. Be certain the student has no allergies to food you present. If food is not appropriate for this student, allow the student to fill the bowl with items she likes. The little ToAD Foam Squares would be appropriate. 

Enrichment Activity
Use the ToAD Bowls along with the learner's own bowl and other bowls that may be in the environment, to illustrate that bowls can be very different, but still be bowls. We are asking the learner to identify in two ways, by shape and by function. Shapes change a little from bowl to bowl so exposure to many bowls in many contexts is often needed before the student can generalize from her own bowl to recognize other bowls. Feeling the concave aspects of bowls, filling them with objects, and looking at the shapes repetitively is often required.

Red Berry Discrimination Drawing
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Strawberries, other berries, dried cherries or cranberries, etc. 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   ToAD Black Background Cloth 

TADPOLE Materials Needed:
*   TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" red ball with cream background 
*   TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" red berries with blue background 
*   TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" white or yellow spoon on black background 

Object Recognition, Object Discrimination, Shift of Gaze, Shift Across Midline
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure he is aligned and supported, especially in the head and neck area, and ready to use his vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use his vision. 
3.   Place the Red Berry Discrimination Drawing on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away. Choose the viewing angle and distance that works best for him. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the puzzle. By now most students should be able to recognize and react to the berries in the center of the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during their assimilation process. If allowed to turn away, a student will usually turn back toward the puzzle once his visual system has reorganized. Note whether he responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, holding his breath or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate he sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   When there is certainty that the learner sees the picture, ask him to name what is in the picture. If he cannot, help him by saying "berry" or "strawberry." Even "food" is acceptable. Pick the name with which he is most familiar, or is easiest to say, depending upon the learner. Repeat the word often and encourage him to say it. 
6.   Now, show the student the TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" red berries with blue background. When there is certainty that the student sees the card, ask him if the item looks like the big one in the picture. If he says no, or is not responsive, point out the similarities in the pictures. 
7.   If the student understands that the two pictures are similar, introduce TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" red ball with cream background. Place the two TADPOLE cards next to one another with no other distractions in the field of view. Ask the student to indicate which card is the "berry" picture. Ask him which one is the "ball" picture. If he cannot identify them, introduce them again, one at a time using the names of the objects on the cards. Repeat this exercise until the child can differentiate between the berries and the ball cards. Ask him again to identify the ball and then the berries. 
8.   See if he can shift his gaze across midline from one card to another by placing them side by side within his field of view. Point very slowly to the berries and then the ball. Check to see if he shifts his gaze from one to the other. This may take several presentations over many days. 
9.   Allow the child to eat a few berries or dried cherries, if appropriate. Make sure the student is not allergic to any foods you present. 

Enrichment Activity
Lay out the TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" white (or yellow) spoon on black background, and the TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" red ball on cream background. Ask the student which one he would pick to eat berries or cereal. (Use the TADPOLE Card - 5" × 5" red berries on blue background if you need to remind the learner what berries are.) If the student chooses the ball card, indicate to him that it is not the right answer. Ask him the question again. It's acceptable to use the ToAD Spoon or his own spoon to demonstrate. Repeat this exercise each day until he consistently gets the right answer.
Drawing of Child Eating Berries
 
Materials Needed:
*   APH Invisiboard (optional) 
*   Black APH GrandStand (optional) 
*   Strawberries, other berries, dried cherries or cranberries, cereal, etc. 

ToAD Materials Needed:
*   ToAD Black Background Cloth 
*   ToAD Mirror 
*   ToAD Yellow Bowl (or student's own bowl) 
*   ToAD Spoon (or student's own spoon) 

TADPOLE Materials Needed:
*   TADPOLE Cards - 5" × 5" assorted 

Object Recognition, Object Discrimination, Shape Recognition
1.   Make sure the student and you are in an environment that is quiet and has few distractions. A black corner can be devised using the APH Invisiboard. 
2.   If the student has motor deficits or is developmentally very young, make sure she is aligned and supported and ready to use her vision. Sometimes engagement of the student in an activity, such as rolling, before presentation of the puzzle will activate the vestibular system and prepare the student to use her vision. 
3.   Place the Drawing of Child Eating Berries on a simple black background cloth, or as an upright easel in front of the student, about 13-16 inches away, or choose the viewing angle and distance that works best for her. 
4.   Give the student sufficient time to explore the puzzle. By now most students should be able to recognize and react to the bowl in the center of the puzzle. For students with CVI this may take a minute or two. Remember some students with CVI may actually turn away from the puzzle during their recognition processes. If allowed to turn away, a student will usually turn back toward the puzzle once her visual system has reorganized. Give her sufficient time to explore the drawing. Note whether she responds to the drawing with a smile or by reaching out, crying, holding her breath or exhibiting subtler behaviors that indicate she sees the image. Depending upon the student's vision, it may be advisable to move the puzzle closer or farther away to get a response. 
5.   When there is certainty that the learner sees the picture, ask her to name what is in the picture. If she cannot, help her by systematically naming the items in the picture. Pick the names with which she is most familiar, or those that are easiest to say, depending upon the learner. Repeat the words one at a time and encourage her to repeat them. 
6.   Give the student a ToAD Yellow Bowl, or her own bowl and allow her to put some bits of food in it. Make certain the student has no allergies to any food you may present. 
7.   Allow the student to eat some of the food with the ToAD Spoon or her own spoon. Talk about how the learner is like the child in the picture because she is eating out of a bowl with a spoon. (If the student cannot eat, talk about how she is like the child in the picture because she can sit at a table.) The ToAD Mirror may come in handy to show the student how she is similar to the child in the picture. 
8.   Allow the child to play with the bowl and the spoon. It may be helpful to sing a little song. 

I'm Cool Song
I have a little bowl
And I have a little spoon.
I like to use them both
As I sing a little tune.
I'm cool, I'm cool.
I can sing a little tune.
I'm cool, I'm cool,
I can use my little spoon.

Enrichment Activity
TADPOLE Cards have been developed to practice the skills learned throughout Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book. A few extra cards have been included to provide variety. It is easy to build sequences, set up sorting exercises and matching exercises with the cards. Additionally, black and white cards have been provided so the practitioner or the learner can color in the cards to match the learner's own bowl, spoon, etc.

Resources
1.   Graham, C. H. (Ed.). (1965). Vision and visual perception. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 
2.   Holbrook, M. C., Ed. (2006). Children with visual impairments: A parents' guide, 2nd ed., Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House. 
3.   Humphreys, G. W. (Ed.). (1999). Case studies in the neuropsychology of vision. East Sussex, UK: Psychology Press, Ltd. 
4.   Jose, R. T. (Ed.). (1983). Understanding low vision. New York, NY: American Foundation for the Blind, Inc. 
5.   Langley, M.B. (1998). ISAVE: Individualized, systematic assessment of visual efficiency (Vol. 1). Louisville, KY: American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. 
6.   Levack, N., Stone, G., Bishop, V. (1991). Low vision: A resource guide with adaptations for students with visual impairments. Austin, TX: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. 
7.   Lueck, A. H. (Ed.). (2004). Functional Vision: A practitioner's guide to evaluation and intervention. New York, NY: American Foundation for the Blind, Inc. 
8.   Lueck, A. H., Chen, D., Kekelis, L. S. (1997). Developmental guidelines for infants with visual impairment: A manual for early intervention. Louisville, KY: American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. 
9.   McLean, M., Wolery, M., Bailey, D. Assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs, 3rd Ed., Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. 
10.   Rapp, B. (Ed.). (2001). The handbook of cognitive neuropsychology: What deficits reveal about the human mind. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press, Ltd. 
11.   Scholl, G. T. (Ed.). (1986). Foundations of education for blind and visually handicapped children and youth: Theory and practice. New York, NY: American Foundation for the Blind, Inc. 
12.   South Carolina Department of Education. (1992). South Carolina functional vision assessment. Columbia, SC: South Carolina Department of Education. 
13.   Smith, M., (2005). Sensory learning kit routines. Louisville, KY: American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. 
14.   Stillman, T., Battle, C. (2005). Callier-Azusa scale (H): Scales for the assessment of communicative abilities. Dallas, TX: University of Texas. 

Tasha Tadpole's Puzzle Book
Copyright, 2009 all rights reserved.
American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
Catalog No. 1-08155-01
 


