As a teacher, it is your responsibility to watch out for any obstacles to learning your students may have. This includes learning disabilities, dyslexia, and second-language issues. This also includes bad eyesight.
Poor eyesight impacts students for a number of reasons. The most clear-cut reason is that they cannot see the board or screen from which you are teaching. However, the difficulties they have outside of class are perhaps more harmful. Undiagnosed eye problems can give students headaches as they are trying to study, or cause them to struggle to read certain words.
The problem is that not all students with eyesight problems know that their sight is an issue. Without having done an eye reading test, they may attribute headaches and reading issues to other health or learning problems.
Another issue is that certain students may not want to wear glasses. Now, with the ability to try on glasses online, you can show them that glasses can look great on them.
There are signs that your student needs to have an eye reading test. Here are the top 5 to look out for.
1. Squinting or sitting close to the board
One of the most clear-cut signs that a student needs to have their eyes tested is that they constantly squint at the board or change seats to sit much closer. They may not want to acknowledge that they have a problem, but if these habits continue, it is up to you to find a way to get them help.
2. Trouble reading
Some students find it more difficult to read than others, especially when second languages are involved. However, difficulty reading is not always related to dyslexia or learning disabilities. It is all too common that students with astigmatisms begin to believe that they just struggle reading, when in reality they are not seeing letters as other students do.
There are some simple tests online you can use to get an idea of whether your student needs to have their eyes tested. Furthermore, if they are getting headaches from reading, it is probably an eyesight issue.
3. A drop in academic performance
There could be many reasons for a drop in performance. But if you have ruled out issues at home or with the content, your student may be struggling with eyesight issues. Getting them to do an eye reading test could be what they need to find their way back to their old performance levels.
4. Blinking or rubbing eyes
If a student is blinking a lot or rubbing their eyes, they may have eyesight issues. These are habitual ways of trying to see better that the student may not even realize they are doing. They’re trying to wipe away the blurriness but of course that is not going to help.
5. A drop in extracurricular performance
There are many possible reasons for a drop in academic performance. However, if a student is gradually becoming clumsier at sports or other extracurriculars, it may help to have their eyes tested.
Keep an eye out for any of the above signs that your student needs an eye test. It could revolutionize their learning experience.
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