Teach-Primary-Issue-19.3

Boys and girls There’s another factor at play too: the gender bias. Boys are 16 times more likely to be affected than girls – one in 12 boys will have colour blindness, compared to just one in 200 girls (colourblind- awareness.org) . If a teaching method depends on colour, but the majority of affected pupils are boys, then we’ve created a persistent situation of indirect sex discrimination. Colour blindness isn't just an access issue – it’s an equality issue. And it’s not just children who are impacted. Thousands of teachers will be colour blind too. Yet, they’re unlikely to receive reasonable adjustments in their workplace, even though colour blindness, by definition, is a disability. What can you do? The good news is small changes can make a huge difference – and they often cost little to nothing. First, start looking for the signs. Does a pupil use colour inappropriately? Do they colour skies and seas purple instead of blue? Do they copy a friend when the task requires selecting colour? Can they continue a colour pattern easily? A colour-blind child might develop some coping strategies, but they won’t always be effective. Next, make sure colour isn’t the only way you communicate information. Use patterns, labels, or symbols, too, so that all pupils can access the material. Some ideas to get you started: Maths Use patterns, shading, or symbols on graphs instead of relying on colour alone. Ensure number blocks or counters have numbers or symbols on them. If you use colour-by-number worksheets, make sure they are only used where labelled pens and pencils are provided (label each with its colour name in a simple form – e.g. dark red, light pink, etc). Science Allow a colour-blind child to work with a colour buddy who can help them (make sure you are certain the buddy does not have colour blindness themselves!). Label pH charts, diagrams, and results clearly instead of using colour as the only distinguishing feature. Highlight plant structures using written labels or different textures. Explain biological slides by discussing contrast differences instead of referring to colours alone. Geography Use symbols or patterns on maps to differentiate regions. Ensure flags are identified by name, not just by appearance, as colour blind students may not be able to distinguish them accurately – a surprising amount of flags can look the same when you can’t distinguish their colours! Avoid using traffic light colour coding to indicate economic or climate data— use patterns, grayscale shading, or labels instead. Finally, talk about it. Colour blindness is common, but it’s rarely discussed. Simply raising awareness can help schools become more inclusive. TP Marie Difolco is the author of Supporting Colour Blindness in Education and Beyond (£19.99, Routledge) and works voluntarily alongside Newcastle University to raise awareness of colour blindness. 50 | www.teachwire.net Want to check if your classroom is accessible to colour blind pupils? Ask yourself these questions: Are my teaching resources colour-reliant? If I took away the colours, would the meaning still be clear? Do I use colour-coded marking or feedback? Can all pupils differentiate between comments? If not, should I add symbols, too? Are my displays accessible? Do colour blind children struggle with charts, behaviour traffic lights, or subject-specific colour schemes? What about sports? Could bib colours be causing problems? Have I ever checked? Have I ever actively looked for signs of colour blindness in my pupils? Have I ever had a conversation with other staff about it? How many colour-blind children can we identify across the school? Do the numbers reflect the statistics? Do I know how my classroom looks through the eyes of a colour-blind child? Have I ever used a colour vision app to check (e.g. Chromatic Vision Simulator)? A QU I CK COLOUR AUD I T “Thousands of teachers are also colour blind, but are unlikely to receive reasonable adjustments in their workplaces” This image shows how a person with colourblindness might view the same orange and green pens that are pictured on the previous page.