Routines are opportunities for the learner to be included in the class and interact with peers while working on goals such as:

• Increasing social skills
• Increasing communication skills
• Improving vocabulary (verbal, sign language, object cues)
• Encouraging the use of vision
• Encouraging eye-hand coordination
• Providing opportunities for matching
• Developing a sense of responsibility and self esteem

In this example, the student's routine will be to return 3 journals to classmates. Please note, routines will vary from learner to learner based on his/her abilities and communication. Be sure to read our section on Routines for information and talk to your POPDB Consultant for help with developing routines. Click here.

Preparation:

• Make sure each classmate has a name sign.
• Make two sets of photos of each classmate - one goes on the journal and one is in an ablum for the learner with deafblindness. Ensure clarity of photos, eliminate glare.
• Make 2 sets of printed names of classmates - one goes in the album under the classmate's picture while the other is kept in a small container.

Routine for the Learner with Deafblindness:

• Go to the place where the journals are kept.
• At this place, match the journal photo with the album photo to identify the classmate. Talk to the learner about the photo and model the peer's name sign.
• Search for the classmate in the room and take the journal to the peer.
• Repeat with the other two journals.

The next step would be to have the learner match the classmate's printed name to the printed name on the book, then match the printed name to the photo on the book.

Scripted Interactions:

With the teacher:

• To let the teacher know that the learner is going to do his/her job now, s/he might give the teacher an object or picture cue in exchange for 3 journals.
• Be sure to get the cue back from the teacher when the job is done. The teacher would sign and say "Thank you, _______." The learner places the cue in his/her finished box.

With classmates:

• The learner signs "Hi _______." The classmate signs back, "Hi _______." The learner with deafblindness gives the journal to his/her classmate. The classmate signs, "Thank you, _______."