Modifications for Students with significant disabilities

What We Know About Students with Significant Disabilities and Their Access to Literacy

Physical Access Developmental Approaches The Functional Era Integration Current Challenges Historical Perspective: Educating Students with Disabilities

What We Know About Literacy Literacy learning begins early in life and is ongoing Literacy develops concurrently with oral language Learning to read and write are social and cognitive endeavors and children are active participants in the process Literacy learning is a developmental process Storybook reading, particularly within the family, has a special role in young children’s literacy development

Barriers to Literacy Development  limited opportunities to interact with print  cognitive and physical energy expended on other tasks  early experiences with literacy are often unsuccessful

Literacy Difficulties for Students with SSPI (Severe Speech and Physical Impairments)  Limited broad experiences difficulty ambulating to explore interesting items/activities lack of first-hand knowledge of common places difficulty manipulating objects may result in inaccurate perceptions  Restricted participation in typical literacy activities cannot read aloud, retell stories or say the sounds of letters while decoding words providing original sentence to a whole class chart story difficulty asking questions about literacy experiences (sounds words, stories)

Literacy for Students Using AAC Systems  bypass restrictions of face to face communication  eliminates vocabulary constraints inherent in other symbol systems  offers opportunities to clarify misunderstood messages  increases vocational opportunities

Activity In pairs, describe students, environments and situations where alternative and augmented communication and assistive technology have been used in respect to literacy. Be prepared to share

What Can We Do About Students with Significant Disabilities and Their Access to Literacy?

Literacy Project Center for Literacy and Disability Studies Remember to Access Interaction Models Materials Minutes Motivation for literacy

AIMMMM cont. Access: Child/student needs to be able to independently access literacy materials. Interaction: Literacy is nurtured when we engage with others in teaching around literacy materials and events; i.e. introduce a book, talk with peer conferences, facilitate “reader’s chair” – special event to highlight student’s drawings, stories, poems, etc. Modeling: Children need to be exposed to ongoing experiences where adults read a variety of text and write for a variety of reasons. Children need to be read to. Materials: Children need relevant, interesting materials to read and interesting, meaningful reasons to write. Minutes: Setting aside time each day to foster literacy skills in interesting, fun, motivating ways. Motivation: The desire to read and write is rewarding in and of itself. If we model enthusiasm and provide literacy rich environments/activities then motivation to read and write becomes intrinsic.

Role of Graphic Symbols  (McNaughton) Some graphic symbols which contain sequenced components (e.g., blissymbols may contribute to literacy development) television  (Bishop) use of graphic symbols may support development of print awareness, but not other beginning reading processes  (Romski and Sevcik) adolescents with severe developmental disabilities recognized at least 60% of the words printed on their displays

From Symbols to Text

Applying Early Decoding Skills in Shared Reading Janice Light, 2011

Personalized Storybooks Janice Light, 2011

More Adapted Book Ideas

Framework for Balanced Literacy ( Cunningham, Cunningham, Allington)  Four Blocks Model (primary)  Big Blocks (intermediate) Guided Reading Self-Selected Reading Writing Working with Words

Guided Reading: What it is and What it looks like in Classrooms  Purpose is to expose children to a wide variety of literature, read for a purpose, teach comprehension and read increasingly more difficult book  Writing in response to reading is also a target

Strategies teachers use during Guided Reading  Accessing prior knowledge  Connections to personal experience  Developing vocabulary  Taking a picture walk  Making predictions  Setting purposes  Starting a graphic organizer  Exploring text structures

Guided Reading: Some examples for students with significant disabilities  Background knowledge- Students can identify pictures related to text (“Which pictures go with our theme of pets”)  Remnant Books  Adapted graphic organizers

Writing: What it is and what it looks like in classrooms  Purpose is to develop the skills to write independently for many purposes on topics of interest  Examine written language more deliberately and carefully than is done in reading  Share writing with peers

Assistive Technology for Writing Co-Writer

Assistive Technology for Writing Cont.

Writing: Some examples for students with significant disabilities  Students choose a topic from symbols

Self-selected Reading: What it is and what it looks like in classrooms  Purpose is to develop skills in self-selecting reading materials  Provides opportunities for students to share and respond to what they are reading  Provides opportunities for teachers to conference individually with students  Usually begins with a teacher read aloud

Self Selected Reading: Examples for students with significant disabilities  Having adapted books available in the classroom (e.g. printed versions and electronic)  When conferencing with the student, the teacher will ask “Show me your favorite page, the part where _____”  Partner reading

Working with Words: What it is and what it looks like in classrooms  Purpose is to help students learn high frequency words needed for fluent, successful reading with comprehension  Decoding and spelling skills are targeted for words students will use in reading and writing  Help students understand how words work

Working with Words: Examples for students with significant disabilities

Working with Words: Adapted Word Walls Working with words activities

Adapted Working with Words

Review  Can you explain why literacy skills are essential functional skills for students with complex communication needs?  Can you provide examples of how to target guided reading, self-selected reading, writing and working with words for ALL students on the learning continuum?

More Info Four Blocks Method blocks.html