Participating in Community Classes and Activities
Taking part in community classes and recreational activities is a great way to relax, keep fit, and socialize. If you’re looking for a new class to join or need some ideas getting started, see Recreational Resources—Leisure Activities and Recreational Resources—Physical Activities for suggestions.
The more secure and comfortable you feel taking a class, the more enjoyable it will be. On this page, you’ll find tips for assisting your instructor with learning techniques for people who are blind or vision impaired, as well as tips for managing your cane or guide dog at public swimming pools.
General tips
- Think safety first—for yourself—for the staff—for other participants—and for your guide dog.
- Notify the lifeguards or class instructor of your vision impairment. Their job is to maintain the safety of all participants. Briefly explain your vision impairment, your abilities, the assistance you require, and what you do not want or need. This is also important if you do not use a cane or dog.
- Be specific about where you are comfortable in the pool or working out. Do you prefer to be at the front or back of the class or beside the wall of the pool? Do you want a buddy to stay close in case you need assistance?
- Do not begin an activity until you are comfortable with the facility and the staff. Ask questions.
- Explain to instructors how you learn best. Would you like them to speak a little slower, describe motions in a way that’s easy to follow, or use hand-over-hand demonstrations until you perfect the movements?
- Try circuit training. It’s good for maintaining orientation because you move from one activity to another in a circle, line or square.
Taking classes
When you’re researching or starting a recreational class, it’s useful to remember that most people, including instructors, have little experience with vision impairment. Here are some ways to introduce your instructor and others in the class to the learning accommodations that work best for you.
Working with the instructor
- Talk to the instructor before taking the class. You might need to assure her that she can provide the right instruction for you and that you’ll benefit from the class.
- Let the instructor know if you have previous experience in the activity being taught. For example, if you took ballet classes before losing your sight, this would be a good foundation for a yoga or dance class.
- Ask for accommodations that can help you maximize your functional vision—for example, working in a particular location, changing the lighting, or suggesting the instructor wear something in a colour that contrasts with the background wall.
- Let the instructor know some helpful techniques for giving visual information to people who are blind. For example, your instructor can:
- Describe movements as they are being demonstrated. In a fitness class, for example, the instructor could say, “Lie on your back and raise your left leg to point your toes to the ceiling. Imagine you are drawing small circles on the ceiling with your toes and slowly increase the size of the circles.”
- Invite you to be a model for demonstrating movements and positions to the rest of the class. This means you can learn the movements with the instructor while others in the class learn from you.
- Use hand-over-hand technique to model the movements. This means you feel the movements and positions through the instructor’s body.
Working with a facilitator
- Ask a friend, family member or volunteer to join you for at least the first yoga, swimming, aquafit, exercise or dance class. They can generally participate for free. Having a facilitator has several benefits:
- It reassures the instructor that someone will interpret the instructions for you.
- The instructor and others in the class will see how a facilitator works and realize that they could do it too. In future, the instructor will feel more comfortable and confident that the teaching and learning can be successful. If you want to take the next level of the class, the instructor will be more likely to have you participate without the facilitator.
- Someone else from the class may volunteer to be your facilitator for the second session.
- Ask for assistance from an experienced facilitator if you are receiving Community Access Facilitation from BALANCE. The objective is to assist both the instructor and you to feel comfortable in the situation so you can carry on without the facilitator. An Orientation and Mobility instructor can also help you with route training and indoor orientation to the facility before the class begins.
- Ask your community class instructor or program coordinator if the program provides facilitators.
- Ask a friend to take the class with you. It’s also more fun.
- If a facilitator is not available, you’ll need to be more independent. Practice getting to the class or activity on your own and learn to navigate through the change rooms, to the washrooms, and to the class.
Taking your Guide Dog to the pool
- Give the pool staff a copy of What to do when you Meet a Guide Dog.
- Look for a safe place to tie down your dog. This can be in a number of places:
- On the pool deck in a quiet spot away from people
- In the pool office
- At an exit door to the outside. This will provide cool air and prevent your dog from getting overheated. Also, in an emergency, your dog will be by the door and ready to link up with you.
- On the pool deck near the class area or where you enter and exit the pool. This way, the dog can see you in the pool. It’s also easy to find your dog after the class.
- Discuss the purpose of your dog with pool staff. Emphasize that it’s a working animal, not a companion. Remind them not to feed or play with your dog. This will also help them ensure that no one else bothers your dog while you’re swimming.
- Tell the pool staff your name and the name of your dog.
- Adapt these tips as you need for fitness, dance or yoga classes as well.
Taking your Cane to the pool
- Ask another person in your class for assistance travelling from the change room to the entry spot on the pool deck.
- Leave your cane on the pool deck against a wall near the spot where you enter and exit the pool.
- Notify the pool staff that you’ll arrive ahead of time for the first aquafit class or lane swim to familiarize yourself with the change rooms and pool area. Be frank and specific with the staff as to how you want to familiarize yourself with the facility. If you have access to an Orientation and Mobility instructor, you can request a lesson in familiarization to the facility.
- Tell the pool staff your name so they can warn you about any obstacles.
- Adapt these tips as you need for fitness, dance or yoga classes.