EARLY LITERACY FOR STUDENTS WITH
MULTIPLE DISABILITIES OR
DEAFBLINDNESS
Perkins Webcast
Deirdre Leech, M.Ed.
I. Introduction
Overview
• Challenges
• Early Literacy
• Adapting Books
What is Literacy?
Old definition:
“ability to read and write”
New Definition:
“Proficiency in understanding and using written as
well as spoken language as a reader, writer,
speaker, and listener.”
• Integrated process which develops gradually from
birth
• Built upon learning from broad experiences
• Linking language with the development of concepts
• Providing exposure to the written word in a variety
of meaningful contexts”
(Wright, 1997)
Goals of Reading & Writing
Reading: for the reader to obtain meaning from
text and apply it to the world and oneself.
Writing: to communicate an individual’s
understanding of the world and themselves
through written text.
(Koppenhaver, 2000)
II. Challenges
to Achieving Positive
Outcomes
Lack of Early Literacy
Experiences
• Limited opportunities for incidental learning
– Child may not see parents and/or siblings reading
newspapers, writing out grocery lists, and reading books
– May not hear language in stories being read aloud
– For medically fragile children, medical interventions often
take precedence over other learning opportunities,
including literacy
Lack of Early Literacy
Experiences
Delayed concept development due to:
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motor impairments
visual impairments
hearing impairments
health issues
behavioral issues
Lack of Exposure to Stories
Read Aloud
• Limited opportunity for reading time
• Limited access to accessible print materials
• Access to dual media books
(Braille/Print/auditory/tactile)
• Limited sign language capabilities to
communicate the story
• Communication strategies
• Understanding the value of auditory input
Lack of Motivation
• Child
– See no value in books or reading
– Consider music, sounds, flip-ups, tactile
components, movement
• Parents
– May not get enough feedback or response from
child
– May not think child is enjoying story time
• Teachers
– Time consuming to make materials
Motivating Books
III. Early Literacy
• Early on, children need to participate in
as many literacy activities in any way
possible
Modifications to the
Environment
Exposure, exposure, exposure!
• Visual, tactile, and sign language Alphabets
• Label the environment
• Use of Bulletin boards
– Thematic Unit vocabulary, display favorite books
• Accessibility to materials
• Name symbols (labeling, attendance cards)
Book Handling Skills
Important to asses child’s awareness of and
ability to following terms and concepts:
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Top and bottom of book
Touch and feel books
Page turning
Front and back of book
Read print or Braille left to right, top to bottom
Title and author
Book Handling Skills
Experience Stories
• Stories written by teachers and students that
incorporate real life experiences.
• Students participate in activities then write a
story based on the experience.
• Experience stories can be written using
objects, pictures, print or any combination
Daily Journals or
“Home Books”
• Each child has their own book to write in
daily. Writing may consist of objects,
pictures, line drawings, print, and voice output
devices.
• Journals develop memory skills as earlier
activities in the day and/or previous days
entries are reviewed.
Story Boxes & Literacy Kits
• Props related to the
story
• Adapted book(s)
– appropriate for each
student
• Switches
• Story box
• Communication
boards
• Switches
• Extension activities
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Worksheets
Games
Electronic activities
Assessment
Story Boxes
Objects
only
Concrete
Repetitive
line picture
book with
objects
and
materials
Story
books with
materials
Curriculum
books with
materials
Abstract
Story Boxes/Literacy Kits
• Real objects, puppets, felt cut outs
representing concepts in the book.
• Choose books with experiences familiar to
student.
• Use real objects with meaning to student as
much as possible.
Making own books
• Fun and engaging activity
• Promotes language skills
• Teaches books come in different shapes, sizes,
have different parts (pages, cover, etc.), contain
pictures and writing, read left to right, and that
books are written by a person (author) with a
message to share
(Swenson, 1999, p.27)
Homemade Concept Books
• Create own books that describe abstract
ideas and concepts
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Actions
Colors
Shapes
Sizes
Spatial relationships
IV. Adapting Books
Adapting Books
• Modifications to the
TEXT
• Modifications to the
PICTURES
• Modifications to the
BOOK
Modifications to the TEXT
• Make text accessible by adding Braille
• Make text accessible by replacing smaller
print with enlarged print
• Provide contrast
• Simplify the content
– If student is not reading print or Braille at the level
of the text in the book
• Support print with picture or tactile symbols
Modifications to the PICTURE
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Simplify the background
Make accessible for student with CVI
Highlight the main idea of the picture
Provide tactile enhancement to the picture
Modifications to the BOOK
• Use cardboard to make pages thicker to
make them easier to manipulate and more
durable
• Add “page fluffers”
• Rebind the book so it stays open more easily
• Take pages out and put into protective sheets
• Laminate pages
• Tactile enhancements
Modifications to the BOOK
• Books that are on tape or CD can be adapted
with a switch so that a student can continue
to read the story by activating the switch
• Create an electronic version of the book
– Tape, CD, MP3
– PPT or other software
– Can be made accessible using a switch or touchscreen
V. Summary
Positive Outcomes
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Discover that books are fun
Foster a desire to read
Awareness that symbols represent meaning
Understand that stories come from print
Awareness of the structure of a story
Differentiate “book language” vs. “conversational
language”
• Develop vocabulary
• Learn book handling skills
(Stratton, 1996; Newbold, 2002)
Assessment Strategies
• Use meaningful activities
• Find ways to increase independence
– Assistive tech
– Design of the activity
• Teaching time vs. assessment time
• Purposely change things and observe
– Invert letters, text, pictures, sentences
“Every Child is a Potential
Reader”