Understanding Colorblindness

For the record, color blind people can only see black and white is not true. This is because it is extremely rare to be totally color blind or has complete color vision deficiencies. There are many different types and degrees of colorblindness but they will not be posted to due to complex discussion.

Although some cases of this deficiency can be due to aging, nearly all color deficiency of significant degree is hereditary, congenital (you're born with it), and permanent.

Before having your own colorblind test here, here are some pointers on how teachers and parents can help children with this kind of deficiency:

1.0 Label a picture with words or symbols when the response requires color recognition. Label coloring utensils (crayons, colored pencils, and pens) with the name of the color.

2.0 Use white chalk, not colored chalk, on the board to maximize contrast. Avoid yellow, orange, or light tan chalk on green chalkboards.

3.0 Teach color deficient children the color of common objects like green for grass, and blue for the sky.

4.0 Try teaching children "all" the colors. Remember, most color deficient children can identify pure primary colors. It is normally just different shades or tints that give them problems.

5.0 Photocopied parts of any kind of book printed with colored ink. Black print on red or green paper is not safe. It may appear as black on black to some color deficient students.

6.0 Make sure a child's color vision has been tested before they have to learn their colors or color-enhanced instructional materials are used.

Now, here are some colorblind tests you can use for yourself and your children. If you find them small, you can copy paste them to your computer with free of charge.


Let your children enjoy the rainbow because just like life, our world is so colorful!

For more detailed explanation about colorblindness and other tests, you can visit Color Vision Testing.

Article Source:Effective Parenting Tips

4 comments:

  ian

January 27, 2008 at 8:26 PM

This is a very practical guide for parents, as colorblindness, like dyslexia and autism, is getting some long overdue recognition as real medical conditions that can impede a child's performance in life, particularly in school.

This is close to my heart since I myself am colorblind- and yes, I can see colors and my world isn't black and white. There IS such a condition- achromatopsia- where the afflicted's life is one panorama of shades of gray.

It isn't so bad, not bad at all. I've learned to live with being colorblind- well, according to the Ishihara Colorblindness Test I took while rotating in Ophthalmologist, I am more "color-deficient" than colorblind.

Now if they can only "diagnosis" my awful lack of ability to sing... harharhar Kudos on the post again!

  Angel

January 27, 2008 at 8:46 PM

Thanks for the additional info, Ian! I just hope this post will somehow awaken some health concern groups about this problem, esp. teachers.
By the way I will to do some research about your "lack of ability to sing" although I think it will take me a loooooong time...LOL!

  John Nash

April 1, 2008 at 3:42 PM

Very nice post because you touch on a topic that is rarely discussed amongst educators: the role color vision deficiency can play in impeding a child's academic performance. Dr. Terrace Waggoner has let me share a white paper he wrote on the topic. You can see it here.

  Angel

April 1, 2008 at 7:00 PM

Thanks for appreciating my tips. I am surprised you patiently read my old posts.

I read the post you shares with me and I hope parents will view that.

Thanks for sharing.