Students with Significant
Cognitive Disabilities:
Story-Based Lessons
PowerPoint Slides
to be used in conjunction
with the
Facilitator’s Guide
Copyright © 2012, East Carolina University.
Recommended citation:
Lee, A. & Henderson, K. (2012). Students with significant
cognitive disabilities: story- based lessons – A
PowerPoint presentation for professional development.
Modules Addressing Special Education and Teacher
Education (MAST). Greenville, NC: East Carolina
University.
This resource includes contributions from the module
developer and MAST Module Project colleagues (in
alphabetical order) Kelly Henderson (Facilitator Guide
Editor), Tanner Jones (Web Designer), Diane Kester
(Editor), Sue Byrd Steinweg (Project Director), Bradley
Baggett (Graduate Assistant), and Sandra Hopfengardner
Warren (Principal Investigator).
Session Agenda
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Session Goal and Objectives
Background for Story Based Lessons
Ten Steps
Upper Grades
Session Agenda, continued
• Including Students with the Most
Significant Disabilities in a Literacy
Activity
• Differentiation
• Making Progress
• Summary
• Evaluation
Introduction- The Problem
• Only recently has literacy for students
with significant disabilities has become a
priority. There are still many teachers,
especially at the secondary level, who do
not provide literacy instruction.
• Many teachers don’t know how to provide
access to grade-appropriate literature
students with significant disabilities;
Others do not see it as a priority.
Introduction, continued
• So, why teach literacy?
– To allow students with significant disabilities
access to age & grade-appropriate reading
materials;
– To systematically engage these students in
meaningful literacy activities;
– To allow students the opportunity to experience
some of the same rich reading experiences as
their typically developing peers;
– LITERACY IS A FUNCTIONAL SKILL!
Activity - Introduction
• Share about connections you have made
with books and literature in your life.
– How has a particular piece of literature
connected you with others?
– What common understandings do persons in a
culture share as a result of a piece of
literature?
– How might those understandings be pertinent
to students with significant cognitive
disabilities?
Session Goal and Objectives
• The goal of this session is to provide
detailed instructions on how to teach the
10 steps of a story based lesson while also
differentiating for varying student needs.
Session Objectives, continued
Session ObjectivesParticipants will be able to:
1. Identify the benefits of story based
lessons.
2. Identify the 10 steps of a story based
lesson.
3. Recognize what steps may be needed to
make a story based lesson more
concrete.
Session Objectives, continued
4. Recognize what steps may be needed
to make a story based lesson more
challenging.
5. Identify how story based lessons
change at the secondary level.
6. Select components to create story
based lessons across content areas.
Background for Story Based
Lessons
• Not all students will be able to gain access
to literature through reading.
– A conceptual foundation for literacy includes
two outcomes: enhanced quality of life through
shared literature (read alouds) and increased
independence as a reader (Browder et al., 2009).
– Shared stories can be used to promote literacy
skills such as comprehension, vocabulary, and
fluency in a meaningful context (Browder et al., 2006).
Background, continued
• Stories are beneficial in a number of
ways (King-DeBaun, 1999):
– They provide an opportunity for repetition.
Repetition is crucial for students who use
voice output devices as it allows them to
become familiar with the story and anticipate
story elements. Repetition within the story in
the form of a repeated line can be read by
the student with various levels of cues and
prompts or the use of a voice output device.
Background, continued
– New vocabulary can be taught in the context of
stories; the vocabulary can then be extended
into other activities.
– Language concepts are reinforced by linking
vocabulary to graphics or pictures in the story.
– Adding props or objects relating to the story’s
theme encourages active participation and
engagement, and is beneficial for students who
require concrete examples of story concepts in
order to glean meaning.
Background, continued
– Read alouds can promote skills such as
comprehension, vocabulary, and text
awareness in a meaningful context.
– The story based lesson combines the proven
success of read alouds (Justice & Ezell, 2002; Justice &
Pullen, 2003; Mautte, 1990) with the proven strategies
of systematic instruction (Ault, et al., 1989).
– Students who would not otherwise be able to
access the text are able to have it read aloud
to them.
Background, continued
• In addition, students benefit from routine,
structured literacy instruction.
• Although not specifically covered in the steps
of a story based lesson, good teaching must
include a plan for prompting students and
correcting errors
Ten Steps
• Great! You have made the decision to
teach story based lessons in your class.
• First, select a grade appropriate book:
– Ask a general education teacher at your
school what her students are reading.
– Consult the reading curriculum guide that your
school district uses to teach reading.
– Ask a librarian.
– Search the Internet.
Ten Steps, continued
• Once a book is chosen:
– Select key vocabulary from the book.
• If using picture vocabulary pair picture with word
• Up to 5 vocabulary pictures/words per book
– Find repeated line or create one that tells main
idea of the book or chapter.
– Select at least 3 comprehension questions
with answers and distracters.
– Modify book as needed for student access.
• Then, follow the 10 steps...
Ten Steps, continued
Step 1: Use an anticipatory set.
• The anticipatory set is the presentation of
an object or concept that can be assessed
through any of the five senses.
Ten Steps, continued
• The anticipatory set may include:
– An object to be touched—(e.g., a stuffed
animal or toy car);
– A food that can be experienced through taste
or smell—(e.g., a lemon or a fortune cookie);
– An object that describes a concept—(e.g., an
ice cube or a heart);
– A recording that represents a part of the
story—(e.g., thunder or a mooing cow).
• Some examples:
Ten Steps, continued
– Shells are used for the
anticipatory set for the
book Tar Beach.
Another option would
be a piece of asphalt
from a road.
Ten Steps, continued
– A baseball is used
as the anticipatory
set for this book
about a boy who
loves baseball.
Record a crowd
cheering at a game.
Use Google® to
find sounds on the
Internet.
Ten Steps, continued
– A talking parrot
makes a great
object to represent
The Case of the
Sassy Parrot.
Ten Steps, continued
• Anticipatory sets
can be inexpensive
like these cotton
balls glued to
paper. Students
can also make their
own cloud.
Ten Steps, continued
Step 2: Read the title.
• Students need the opportunity to interact
with the book in a specific sequence.
When presenting the title page of the
book, use the word "title".
• "I am going to read the title of the book.
The title of this book is Earthdance. Show
me the title of the book."
Ten Steps, continued
• When reading the
title, sweep your
finger under the title,
to further emphasize
what is being read.
Though you will
always read the title
first, in time you may
not need to model
pointing to the title.
Adapted cover of the book:
Earthdance by Joanne Rider
Ten Steps, continued
Step 3: Read the author’s name.
• When presenting the title page of the book,
the teacher should use the word “author”
to describe the writer of the story.
• “I will point to the author’s name: Eric A.
Kimmel. The author is the person who
wrote this book. Show me the author of the
book.”
Ten Steps, continued
• Sweep your finger
under the author’s name
to further emphasize the
statement. The author
will be a more difficult
concept to understand.
You may want to find a
picture of the author to
reinforce that it is a
person.
Ten Steps, continued
• Watch the video at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/video01.html of the opening of a story
based lesson.
Ten Steps, continued
• As you saw in the video clip, this teacher
gave each student an opportunity to point
to the title and author. She moved at a
quick pace so that there was not a lot of
waiting for the students.
• Notice how she provided varying degrees
of support based on each student’s needs.
Ten Steps, continued
Step 4: Ask a prediction question.
• Students make a prediction about what
they think the story will be about or what
they think will happen next. The front
cover, anticipatory set, title, and pictures in
the story can provide context clues that
assist students in making a prediction.
Ten Steps, continued
• "What do you think
this book will be
about?”
• "A baseball or a frog?”
Cover of adapted book: Dewey
McGee Loves a Good Game
by Angel Lee
Ten Steps, continued
• There is no wrong answer; the student is
simply indicating what they THINK will
happen. Embed some math by making a
bar graph of the student’s predictions.
Ten Steps, continued
• During the story continue to ask students
what will happen next. Higher level
prediction requires that the student use his
own current knowledge as well as what he
has already learned from the book.
• Watch the video of step 4 at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/video02.html
Ten Steps, continued
• In the video, the teacher presented
response options for the students to
choose from.
– The object that used for the anticipatory set
can be paired with a distracter object.
– Because these students have heard this book
before the teacher was seeking the correct
prediction. Since they did not predict correctly,
she modeled the correct prediction and why it
was the correct choice.
Ten Steps, continued
• Before beginning
reading, review the preselected vocabulary
words and the repeated
story line.
• This can be carried out
before or after the
students make a
prediction.
Ten Steps, continued
• Display vocabulary words and repeated
story line on a felt or magnetic board.
• "There are some special words in our story
today. One of the words is baseball, the
other word is run. Be sure to listen for
these words. There is also a line that I will
need your help with. The line is 'My favorite
thing to do is play baseball.' When I start
that line I want you to finish it."
Ten Steps, continued
• Watch the video about introducing
vocabulary at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/video03.html.
Ten Steps, continued
• Watch the video about introducing
vocabulary using a voice output device at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/video04.html.
Ten Steps, continued
• In this video you saw the teacher review
the vocabulary word “friends”.
• Notice how she had every student touch
the word and then asked them to say the
word.
• She then provided a voice output device
for a student who is non-verbal to use to
say the repeated story line.
Ten Steps, continued
Step 5: Model opening the book
• Students with significant disabilities may not
have had experiences "handling" books.
– Show students the front, back, top, and bottom
of the book; model how to open it. Next,
present the closed book to student.
– Avoid directly telling the student to open the
book. Instead say: "What do we need to do to
get our story started?”
Ten Steps, continued
• Here is an example
of how you might
make the book
easier to open by
adding a handle.
Ten Steps, continued
• Once students understand how to open the
book and assuming the needed motor
skills, students need to understand how to
orient the book. Give students the book
upside down and ask, "Can you get our
book ready to read?"
– For students without physical limitation this is
a relatively easy skill. For students with
physical limitations, adaptations will need to
be made to the book.
Ten Steps, continued
• Watch the video of
step 5 at
http://mast.ecu.edu/m
odules/sscd_sbl/lib/me
dia/video05.html.
• Note how the teacher handed the book to
the student backwards and upside down
so that the student had to do more than
just open the book.
Ten Steps, continued
Step 6: Text pointing
• Text pointing teaches the concept that the
words on the page are correlated to the
pictures in the book and story. It also
reinforces the concept of reading from left
to right and from top to bottom.
• Model text pointing as you read. When the
student text points, read at the same pace
as the student points from word to word.
Ten Steps, continued
• For students with
physical limitations,
put text on a sentence
strip for easier access
or for eye gazing.
• Text can also be put
on a voice output
device.
"It’s your turn to help me read. Point to
the words as I read them."
Ten Steps, continued
• Watch the video of text pointing at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/video06.html
Ten Steps, continued
• The video shows the students text pointing
to one line.
• When learning to text point, students
should only be expected to point to one
line.
• As they get proficient at one line, add a
second and third. Students may need to be
shown where to start.
Ten Steps, continued
Step 7: Identify vocabulary words
• The vocabulary you select for your story
should include words that students must
know in order to communicate effectively,
i.e., words that can be generalized to
other settings such as "play" or "game."
Ten Steps, continued
• Your list should also include words that
allow us to understand what is happening
in the story.
– For example, the word “rumble” may not be
commonly known but needs to be taught to
understand what is happening in the story,
The Outsiders.
– One way to teach vocabulary words and their
meaning is through time delay.
Ten Steps, continued
– Review words and their meaning prior to
reading. Remind students what the word
means in the context of the story. For example,
in The Outsiders, “rumble” is a vocabulary
word that has been reviewed.
– While reading the text "Dally thinks the rumble
is a bad idea.", add the definition by saying:
"Remember, a rumble is a big fight between
two groups." Or, you might say, "Who can
remember what a rumble is?"
Ten Steps, continued
– Visual cues may need to be added to the text.
You may choose to highlight, enlarge, or add
pictures to the vocabulary words. You may
also use voice output devices, if needed.
– Provide the following teacher directions: "I see
one of our vocabulary words. Find the word
‘run’."
Ten Steps, continued
• In the photo “run” may
be a vocabulary word.
“Hat” may also be a
vocabulary word.
Having an actual hat
allows a student with
visual impairments to
select vocabulary
words also.
Ten Steps, continued
• To promote generalization, repeat
exposure to vocabulary words in various
contexts as often as possible.
• Watch the video of step 7 at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/video07.html
Ten Steps, continued
• In this video clip the student did not point
to the correct word. The teacher modeled
pointing to the word and then asked the
student to point again.
• This teacher was using a least to most
prompting hierarchy in which a model is
her first level prompt.
Ten Steps, continued
Step 8: Read the repeated story line
• Some elementary books will have a line
that is repeated that describes the main
idea of the story. If not, create one that
emphasizes a central theme throughout
the story or chapter.
Ten Steps, continued
• A repeated story line
increases student
engagement. Begin
reading the line then allow
the student(s) to complete
the line. Use a voice
output device for students
who are nonverbal.
• "Let’s do the earth _____."
Ten Steps, continued
• Watch the video of step 8 at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/video08.html
Ten Steps, continued
– In this clip the repeated story line was
recorded onto a voice output device. Often
students with significant disabilities do not
have the verbal skills to read the repeated line.
– Voice output devices are a great way to
remove that barrier. If possible, the voice
output device should be left where the student
can reach it and not just presented at the
exact time that the student needs to complete
the line.
Ten Steps, continued
Step 9: Turn the page
• Turning the page after the teacher has
stopped reading helps make the connection
between printed text and hearing the story.
• Indirectly ask the student to turn the page:
"What do we need to do to keep our story
going?" The request is implied to prevent
the student from simply following the
teacher’s direct command.
Ten Steps, continued
• For a student with physical limitations try:
– Pieces of sponge
glued to separate
the pages;
Ten Steps, continued
– Pipe cleaners or craft
sticks glued to the
pages to create
handles;
Ten Steps, continued
– A voice output device programmed to say “turn
the page". Play the video of step 9 at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/media/
video09.html
Ten Steps, continued
Step 10. Comprehension
• Comprehension questions can be kept
very basic or can provide students with
opportunities for higher level thinking.
Construct comprehension questions with
Bloom’s Taxonomy in mind.
Ten Steps, continued
• Watch the slide show about step 10 and
Bloom’s Taxonomy at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/slides01/SlideShow.html or on t he
following slides.
Step 10: Comprehension Questions
• Comprehension questions can be asked immediately after
reading the line in which the answer appears or after reading
the book.
• The following slides provide examples for comprehension
questions on all of the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy,
• Support student responding with
– Varying the number and types of distracters.
– Voice output devices, pair pictures with words, eye gaze
board ect.
Example: “Matthew and Tilly were friends.
Noah, who was Matthew’s friend?”
65
Literal recall
Level
Abstract Symbolic
Concrete Symbolic
Early Symbolic
Knowledge: Answers
Point to title, author
“Who is the story
“Who else is in the
can be “pulled from
Point to picture of…
about?”
story?” (supporting
the page” (Literal)
Immediate recall: “Jill
“What did they put in
characters)

Title
went up the hill. Who
the soup?”
“What was the barn

Author
went up the hill?” OR
“Where did they find
like?” (descriptors like

Characters
“The boy sat in the
the puppy?”
color, size)

Setting
wagon. What did the
“What did Wilbur do?”

Action
boy do?”

Descriptors
66
Comprehension
Level
Comprehension: Answers
Abstract Symbolic
Concrete Symbolic
Early Symbolic
“What happened last?”
“Put these events in order “Put these pictures in
can be inferred from what “What is this story going
as first, second, last”
is on page
“Why was the girl afraid?” happened in the story

Prediction

Sequencing


to be about?”
order to show what
(conflict)
(more than 3 pictures)”
“I see a cave. I feel
“What do you think will
“What problem did Carlos
Identifying conflict/
fur…What is in the cave?”
happen next?”
face as a young child?”
problem
(From Let’s Go on a Bear
“Why did the man get
(from a biography)
Identify ending
Hunt)
arrested?” (from a news
“How did the story end?”
story)
67
Application
Level
Abstract Symbolic
Concrete Symbolic
Early Symbolic
Application: Requires
“The bear is eating.
“Buck loved his home.
“This article is about
using student’s own
Are you eating?”
How do you feel about whales. Where do
background knowledge “Sara is a girl. Are you
your home?”
whales live? What else

Make connections
a girl?”
“The children had a
do you know about

Use material in a
“Point to a picture on
scavenger hunt. What
whales?”
new way
the page that we have
did you find on our
“Let’s act out what the
in our classroom.”
scavenger hunt?”
three pigs did.”
Draw a picture of this
story.
68
Analysis
Level
Abstract Symbolic
Concrete Symbolic
Early Symbolic
Analysis: Breaking the
“Let’s put these pictures
“Let’s make a picture
“When the girls laughed at
information into parts
into two columns- for what
diagram for what we know
Renee, how did the girls

Classify
Sara did in the story and
about each person in our
feel? How did Renee feel?”

Compare
what you do.”
story. ‘hunting’ Who went
“This article is about the

Contrast
“Put these pictures into
hunting?”
past. What is different in

Categorize
categories for the people
“Compare what is the
their day? How did the
and the actions”
same and different about
children get to school?
these two animals.”
How do you get to school?
Now you tell me something
else that was different.”
69
Synthesis
Level
Abstract Symbolic
Concrete Symbolic
Early Symbolic
Synthesis: combining
“Show me the picture
“What might be
“What will happen to
the parts into a whole
of what this story was
another title for this
people if they have no

Infer
about”
story?”
job?” (from a news

Determine main
“Why were the bears
“What effect did the
story)
idea
mad?”
hurricane have?”
“What are three things
Find cause and
“Retell the story in
“How does this poem
you learned from this
effect
your own words”
make you feel?”
article?”

70
Evaluation
Level
Abstract Symbolic
Concrete Symbolic
Early Symbolic
Evaluation: Making a
“Do pigs talk?”
“Did this really happen “Why did the author
judgment according to “What did you think
or is it fiction?”
write this?” (to
some standard
about this story?”
“What is a fact in this
persuade, entertain)

Real/not real
(states an opinion)
article?”
“Let’s list the facts vs.

Nonfiction/fic
“Which of these is a
“What is the author’s
opinions in this article”

Fact/opinion
story/ not a story?”
opinion about this

Author’s point of
movie?” (from a
view
review)
71
Ten Steps, continued
• Watch the video of step 10 at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/m
edia/video10.html
Ten Steps, continued
• In this video clip you saw a variety of
questions from literal recall to inferential.
The teacher also went back to the
prediction and asked a summary question,
"What was the book about?"
• This organizer may help you remember the
steps and plan your lesson:
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/d
ocuments/story_based_jazzy_TA.pdf
Activity - Ten Steps
• Using the organizer and a selection of
story books plan and share story-based
lesson.
• Structure your lesson around a specific
age/grade and developmental level.
Upper Grades
• Once students are in middle and high
school…
– Story based lessons should not just come
from stories…
– Students will use a range of literature.
Upper Grades, continued
Nonfiction
• Newspapers and
magazines
• Autobiographies and
biographies
• Nonfiction books
• Social studies summaries
• Science summaries
www.pdclipart.org
Upper Grades, continued
Fiction
• Novels
• Short stories
• Drama
• Poetry
www.pdclipart.org
Upper Grades, continued
• Watch the slide show following to learn
more about story-based lessons at the
secondary level.
• They are also available at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/
media/slides02/SlideShow.html
Story based lessons at the
secondary level
79
Newspaper and current events
The daily newspaper can serve as a basis
for a story based lesson. They are generally
free in the school library. Newspaper
articles are typically written on a second
grade level.
Image SBL sec 8 www.clipart.com
Current events such as the Olympics are
great to follow since they are in the paper
most every day. Chart how many medals
USA has won. Research different countries
and the sports they are known for.
Image SBL sec 7 www.clipart.com
80
Famous people
Image SBL sec 6 www.clipart.com
• There are a number of
historical figures that are
routinely covered in middle
and high school. Students
begin learning about Martin
Luther King Jr. in elementary
school. Consult with a
history teacher to see what
historical figures are taught
and in which grades.
81
Social Studies
Use story based lessons to teach
about different cultures…
and historical events
South African drum and
flag.
Image: SBL sec 9 & 10
www.clipart.com
Man’s first trip to the moon.
Image SBL sec 11
www.clipart .com
82
Science
Use Wonder stories to teach
about chemistry…
Image SBL sec 12
www.clipart.com
and biology
Image SBL sec 13
www.clipart.com
83
Stories come from a novel
Typical middle school novel
Image: SBL sec 1
Typical high school novel
Image SBL sec 2
84
Drama is introduced in the form of
plays
• You may choose to use a play
already written such as
Shakespeare or use a familiar
book and turn it into a play.
• Plays give great opportunities for
inclusion with peers.
• Use voice output devices for
students who are non verbal to
say their lines.
• The lesson should focus on
comprehension and students
understanding the setting and
mai8n characters.
85
Poetry
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven
Teaching story based lessons using
poetry can be rewarding. Most
middle school students will read
poetry by Edgar Allen Poe. You might
also choose more modern poetry like
that of Maya Angelou. Poetry is great
because you do not have top shorten
it. You will still include vocabulary,
comprehension, and possible a
repeated storyline. You may also add
some new components to your lesson
and teach similes and metaphors.
86
Adapted books have chapters
This is a sample
page from the
adapted
version of
Number the
Stars.
87
Pictures or symbols are age
appropriate
Pictures like this:
Not this:
Both images from www.clipart.org
88
Students sit at desks; not in reading circles.
Students will also have their own books
Image from Microsoft clip art, search term : teacher
89
Themes are age appropriate
• In middle school themes like:
– Social justice
– Colonial days
– The environment
• In high school themes like:
– Current world events
– Classics such as Shakespeare
– Topics relating to personal interest such as sports
90
Including Students with the Most
Significant Disabilities in a Literacy
Activity
• Adapt the book in the following ways:
– Shorten length of book.
– Shorten text.
– Incorporate student’s name throughout the
book; use Velcro to change names.
– Create a repeated story line for each page.
– Find objects to represent nouns or events in
the book.
Including Students, continued
• Things to remember:
• Use age appropriate books. It can be
tempting to use books such as those by
Eric Carle, which are preschool books,
because they have bright pictures and
simple text, but students must be provided
access to grade level content regardless of
their disability.
Including Students, continued
• Remember to use the earlier suggestions
of ways to select age appropriate books.
• In adapted books, use simple objects to
represent items in the book and use them
for comprehension.
• Laminate your books.
• The following is a task analysis that can be
used to teach a story-based lesson to
students with significant disabilities.
What teacher will do
What student will do
Present two books.
“Which book would you like to read?”
Student will select one book to read.
Present selected book.
“Good! You chose Anansi. Look at the book Anansi.”
Student will look at selected book.
Present sensory material to introduce story.
“Anansi is a spider. Here is a toy spider like Anansi. Look at the
spider.”
Student will look at sensory material.
Present two novel items for student to make a prediction.
“What do you think this book will be about, a spider or a baseball?”
Student will make a prediction.
Read student’s name in story at least 3 times.
“He is so lazy!” said Lewis.
Student will react to their name in story.
Introduce repeated story line and allow student the opportunity to
complete it at least 3 times.
“Anansi is a lazy spider. This is the repeated storyline. I will say it
again and you help me read by pushing the switch.”
Student will finish repeated story line.
Present at least 3 different objects from text.
“Feel the stick; this is what I will be reading about.”
Student will look at objects from book.
Present a surprise element during story. Spray a water bottle in the air
while reading:
“The magic stick kept watering, watering, watering.”
Student will react to surprise element.
Present items (same two from prediction question) and ask what story
was about.
“What was the story about? A baseball or a spider?”
Student will correctly identify object that the
story was about.
Present option to read again or be finished.
“You did a great job! Would you like to be finished or hear the story
again?”
Student will select more or finished.
Including Students, continued
• Things to consider for each individual
student (Universal Design for Learning
components: representation, expression,
and engagement):
– Representation-how can I modify materials to
make them more accessible?
• Adapting your book, enlarging the text, adding
objects to support the concepts, using a light box
Including Students, continued
– Expression-what can I provide to allow
students to show what they know?
• Assistive technology including voice output devices
and computer programs, eye gaze boards
– Engagement-how can I increase opportunities
for the student to engage and increase
motivation?
• Use systematic instructional procedure to use a
balance of novel and familiar content
Including Students, continued
• View slides that follow for examples of
books adapted for students with the most
significant disabilities. They are also
available at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/lib/
media/slides03/SlideShow.html
Story Based Lessons for Students with the
Most Significant Disabilities
• Here are some helpful ideas for students who
need more concrete representations.
• These ideas are also helpful when working
with students who have visual impairments
98
Add objects that represent the pictures in the book
99
Using objects that the student can feel, taste, smell,
hear increases engagement.
100
101
Add texture to pages in the book.
Patches of different textured material
are added to this cover.
Felt stars are added to the sky
102
Sand paper added to page to
represent the text “deserts of golden
sand.”
A “coat” added onto the fish to represent
the text “A fish in a coat.”
103
Use assistive technology
Students can use the objects on
a voice output device to answer
comprehension questions.
Students who are non verbal will need to
“read” the repeated story line using a voice
output device.
104
For students with limited movement
use an eye gaze board.
• For instructions on how to make an eye gaze board go to the following
site: http://www.ehow.com/how_5782665_make-eye-gaze-board.html
105
Activity - Including Students
• Select an individual book to adapt.
Incorporate at least two of the strategies or
techniques discussed in this session in
adapting the book.
• If materials are available and time allows,
make the adaptations; otherwise, share
and discuss what adaptations you would
make.
Differentiation
• Why make your story-based lessons more
challenging?
– If your students already have some emerging
literacy skills, even some sight words, the 10
steps may not provide enough challenge.
– Following repeated readings of a book,
students are now familiar with the characters
and the main ideas in the story…they are
ready for some more difficult questions!
Differentiation, continued
• The first thing to look at it is the level of
questions.
• Look at Bloom's Taxonomy. We move
from lower level questions asking for
literal facts in the story toward higher level
thinking.
• The next table provides examples of
questions that might be used to target
higher level thinking.
Bloom’s
Taxonomy
Actions
Sample question from Little Red
Riding Hood
Evaluation
Real, not real/ fact or fiction
Can a wolf really talk?
Synthesis
Main idea; cause and effect
Was it a good or a bad thing that
the lumber jack came along?
Why?
Analysis
Categorizing/classifying and
compare/contrast
How were the wolf and the
grandmother different and the
same?
Application
Making connections to the
text
How do you think Little Red
Riding Hood felt when she
realized that the wolf wanted to
eat her?
Comprehension Questions that identify,
clarify, or sequence
Who was Little Red Riding Hood
going to see?
Knowledge
What color was the little girl’s
hood?
Question that involves basic
recall skills
Differentiation, continued
• Examples of application questions from
the book Jamaica’s Find.
Jamaica is in her bedroom.
Are you in your bedroom right
now?
Jamaica ran to the park
house. Are you running?
Differentiation, continued
• Following is an example of a synthesis
question from Jamaica’s Find.
“What was
this story
about?”
Making Progress
• Monitor your student’s progress• Continually evaluate the student’s ability to
move toward reading words.
• Begin with objects. These will be gradually
paired with photos, then symbols, then
finally words.
Making Progress, continued
• Begin with the
object labeled with
the word.
• Gradually use a
labeled photo…
Making Progress, continued
• …then move to a
labeled symbol.
Summary
• Story-based lessons can provide
teachers with very powerful strategies for
teaching literacy skills.
• They also allow the student to experience
things that they normally would not.
• For example, students with disabilities
may not get to visit the ocean but with a
well planned story-based lesson they can
experience the breeze, the water, the
sand.
Summary, continued
• Planning is the key to getting the most
from your story-based lessons. Just a
few final tips:
– When reviewing a book to decide which
elements to focus on, make sure you have a
balance of ideas or experiences that are
familiar to the students as well as ideas that
are novel and interesting.
Summary, continued
– Choose simple stories first, stories with only a
few characters and 1 main event or problem.
Beginning stories should have simple text.
– If a book seems too complex, for example in
Lemonade for Sale there are several
underlying themes: math, calendar (days of the
week), and teamwork, adapt the book so that
the focus is only on one theme. Tape together
pages that you don’t need to read. Simplify
pages that are long and detailed.
Summary, continued
– The first and possibly the second reading of a
book should be considered a “teaching
phase”. As you read the book, label any
unfamiliar words, pic syms or pictures that will
later be used for vocabulary or
comprehension questions.
– It will be easier for students to process
information if it is presented through a variety
of modalities.
Summary, continued
– When possible, provide an activity to go along
with the story that is meaningful. For example,
if reading the book Lemonade for Sale, make
some lemonade with your students. Make
sure that everyone has an active role in
making the lemonade. If you will be reading
the story multiple times take photos of the
activity so that you can review. Try to keep a
sample such as a cup of lemonade to use for
your anticipatory set.
Summary, continued
– If necessary, keep the vocabulary simple,
focusing on one or two main words.
– Even at the elementary level, many books
will have too much text. Reading the books
as written may be over stimulating and may
deliver too many details at one time. When
there is too much text pick out the most
important sentences and either cover
unneeded sentences or retype the page to
include only the sentences you need.
Summary, continued
– If working with a small group, do a picture
walk before reading.
– Plan literal comprehension questions and
stop to ask the questions as soon as the
answer is provided in the text. Questions
that are inferential can take more of a
discussion format.
– Add some variety by asking questions where
there is no correct answer such as: Did you
like the story? Or: Who was your favorite
character?
Focus and Reflection Questions
1. We’ve discussed some benefits of story
based lesson. Can you name some
stories with science or math content
that would be appropriate for an
elementary age students.
2. When and why is the technique of
pointing or touching the book
appropriate?
Focus and Reflection Questions Continued
3. Teaching story based lessons takes
time for preparation. Discuss ways to
build a library of books after following
the 10 steps.
Application and Extension Activities
1. Using a book of your choice, develop a
questions or activity for each level of
Blooms Taxonomy. These examples
will be based on the book: Little Red
Riding Hood:
•
Knowledge: Who did Little Red Riding Hood
want to go visit?
Application and Extension
Activities, continued
• Comprehension: Put these events in the
order that they occurred in the story:
– Little Red Riding Hood knocked on her
grandmother’s door.
– Little Red Riding Hood’s mother told her to go
straight to her grandmother’s house.
– A wolf asked Little Red Riding Hood what
she was doing.
Application and Extension
Activities, continued
• Application: When Little Red Riding Hood
realized that it was not her grandmother in the
bed but a hungry wolf, she ran and shouted
“help”. What would you do if that happened to
you?
• Analysis: What are two things that are the
same about grandma and the wolf? What are
two things that are different about grandma
and the wolf?
Application and Extension
Activities, continued
• Synthesis: What do you think will happen
when Little Red Riding Hood gets to
grandma’s house?
• Evaluation: Could a wolf really talk to
someone?
Self-Assessment
• A self-assessment with response
feedback is available at
http://mast.ecu.edu/modules/sscd_sbl/q
uiz/.
• Participants may take this assessment
online to evaluate their learning about
content presented in this module.
Session Evaluation
• A form for participants to evaluate the
session is available or in the Facilitator’s
Guide.