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Talk Chemistry

Blind students

From Diyan Gunasekera 

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I am writing to you to request for some information/help with teaching chemistry to the blind. I am currently working as a full time chemistry lecturer. This academic year, one of my students who is studying on the science degree foundation programme cannot see and is completely blind. 

Do any readers of Education in Chemistry teach (theory and practical) to students who are blind? I would like to contact any such members to request for guidance/help.

If you are able to help Diyan please contact us and we will pass on your details.

Top tweets

Here are some of our favourite tweets this issue:

Blue bird with megaphone

Source: Shutterstock

  • David Smith (@professor_dave) retweeted the results of our survey on how chemistry teachers use social media and added: Interesting data on Twitter vs Facebook! 

Neil Pickles (@napickles) responded: I use Twitter for teaching, but not Facebook. Easier to keep personal things away from Twitter. 

  • Helen Rogerson (@hrogerson) needed some ideas for chemistry club activities. We offered some suggestions from the RSC outreach resources webpage that are clearly appreciated which were clearly appreciated.
  • Dyland (@dpw_uk) at the University of Leicester is clearly impressed with the outreach activities offered by the RSC: Spectroscopy in a Suitcase is such an amazing activity - it reaches so many students #HESTEM

Find out more about how this scheme can benefit your school at on the Spectroscopy in a Suitcase website.

  • Science4real (@Sci4real) tweeted their blog post about the ChemEd 2012 conference that was held in Dublin. Take a look to find out about inquiry-based methods in science education and the 'Chemistry is all around us' project:

New post: Chem-Ed 2012 includes links to resources mentioned on the day 

  • If you didn't come across Mole Day - October 23 between 6:02 AM and 6:02 PM (6:02 in 10/23 in the US date style) - then Unstable Isotope (@UnstableIsotope) had this reminder:

In honor of mole day, here is #xkcd with a mole of moles.

Take a look to find out 'What would happen if you were to gather a mole (unit of measurement) of moles (the small furry critter) in one place?'

  • Finally, don't forget that most of our more recent articles are freely available on our website Michael Seery (@michalekls) uses back issues with his students: 

Raiding back issues of @RSC_EiC and @ChemistryWorld to provide students a first reference for posters they'll be preparing. Great resource. 

Contact and Further Information


EiC Editorial Office 
Royal Society of Chemistry, Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Rd, Cambridge CB4 0WF
Tel: +44 (0)1223 420066 
Email: EiC Editorial Office