Sensorimotor Level = SLK
Preoperational Level = SAM
Where is the child functioning?
Sensorimotor stage
Preoperational stage
Learners who are functioning developmentally from birth to 2-years old Learners who are functioning developmentally from age 2 to 4-5 years and can
and can have only a visual impairment or a visual impairment and
have only a visual impairment or a visual impairment and additional disabilities.
additional disabilities.. This includes infants with visual impairments,
The child is beginning to remember and organize previous experiences and use
toddlers with visual impairments and mild to severe developmental
symbols that represent components of those experiences; making sense of
delays, and school age students early with moderate to severe delays.
his/her world by developing an understanding of what things are, what they do
and how they relate to other things.
What is the child doing?
 Developing attention (what is this?)
 Just starting to use symbols (may be a SLK partial participation level
learners and/or late sensorimotor stage)
 Exploring objects (what can I do with it?)
 Building concepts and vocabulary in new environments (early
 Learning to understand function (what do other people do with
preoperational stage)
it?)
 Using some words, but does not understand the meaning of the words
they say and/or hear (uses echolalia or speech without understanding the
meaning)
What does the child need?
Basic cognitive, communication, social and motor development skills.
The development of a strong sensory foundation to learn concepts about people,
objects, actions and places so that the symbols referring to them are meaningful.
What does SLK do?
What does SAM do?
Supports the development of instructional routines that:
 introduces first symbols
 understands the child’s physiological and sensory learning needs
 establishes meaning for symbols/language by systematically developing
 maximize alertness
near and distance sensory experiences to support learning
 identify the child’s preferred learning media
 builds concepts and schemes
 identify appropriately assessed instructional goals and teaching
strategies
How does SLK do this?
How does SAM do this?
 Systematically reviewing the child’s medical and educational
 creating learning opportunities and providing direct instruction in natural
history
environments
 Identifying the child’s arousal states and giving a profile of typical
 assessment of environments, activities, objects, people and actions to
patterns
identify gaps in understanding
 Assessing responses to media in various sensory channels to
 assessment of concepts related to early academic vocabulary and skills
identify a positive orienting response and determining the level of
 developing near/distant sensory bridges
the child’s orienting response.
 using games to support the repetition and generalization of learning