This activity from Vietnam demonstrates some of the skills that can be taught by feeding farm animals.  When trying to decide which part of a given task youth who are blind or visually impaired might be able to do, begin with a task analysis.

A task analysis is a list of all of the steps involved in a given task or activity, listed in sequence.  This can be broken down into very small steps, or into larger groups of steps, depending on the needs and abilities of an individual.  Once the list of steps has been created, the family and other members of the team can look at what adaptations or modifications might be necessary, how much help will be needed, and what may be done independently. 

In this example, the steps might be:

1. Prepare food for the pig or other animal. 

This might include cooking the food, as with the rice and sauce in this photo.  The animal might also be eating leftover food that the family did not eat, and in this case the food that will go to the pig can be identified and placed in a bucket or other vessel.

 

2. Carry the food to the place where the animal lives or where it will eat.

If the youth is unable to carry it independently, look at other ways it might be transported, as, for example, on a small cart.  Another option would be to have the youth carry a very small quantity (maybe only a cup of the food) and then someone else can carry the rest of it.

 

3. Place the food in the trough or food dish.

In this photo, the girl holds a big metal bowl with one hand, while placing the food in a trough in front of a row of pigs.  As with above, if the youth is not able to do this independently, look at which parts she might be able to do.  Would it work with a smaller quantity?  Or maybe just scooping food out of the bowl while someone else holds the bowl?

 

 

 

4.  Interact with the animals to be sure that they have had enough to eat and are doing well.

In this photo the girl pats the pigs, and this helps to establish a connection with the animals.  You can encourage the youth to talk to the animals and to touch them

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Carry the empty bucket or vessel away and wash it for next time.

Again, this may be something that the youth is able to do independently, or it may be that he or she just does a portion of it. 

 

 

Even if the youth is not able to do all of the steps in a given activity, he or she should be involved in all of the steps and be told about what is happening next.

 

Related activities:

Make a basket that can be used to place the food in or to carry it to the barn.

In this photo, a girl weaves a basket using a wooden or straw frame.  While not everyone will be able to do all of the steps of this activity, this is an example of how a task can be expanded.