EARLY LITERACY EXPERIENCES

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​Updated October 28, 2017

The selection of picture books to read to students who have little or no useful vision is very important and particularly for students with additional disabilities. When selecting children's books, poems or songs, choose ones that relate  to the unit or to familiar experiences or books that suggest new  experiences the class will be encountering. You will also want to consider if the book depends on the pictures. The best way to tell whether or not a story depends  on the pictures for meaning is to cover the pictures and read the story  yourself or read it to another person.  Select stories that do not  depend on visual experiences or pictures. Choose short stories, poems or  songs that are related to the topic and  can be read in one sitting.  Vary the selections, particularly for older  students as picture books  are not always age appropriate.  Encourage the  students to listen to,  retell, and act out stories.  Make the story  come to life by reading  with plenty of expression, especially the  dialog. ​

​Carefully Select Reading Materials

Select reading materials that encourage the reader to make sounds or be extra expressive and that encourage participation (hold objects related to the story, imitate animal sounds in the story, say the repeated parts). Encourage other teachers, aids or therapists to add their own sound effects or voices. Talk about new or interesting words in the story, relate the story to familiar experiences or suggest new experiences to try.

When selecting books, select those with clear pictures and good visual contrast. Books should be colorful with simple pictures rather than pictures that are visually cluttered. If the book uses photographs, try to select books with a matted finish instead of glossy to reduce glare. Also look for books where the print is not written across the pictures, but instead, is placed on a solid background.
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​Select books that fit the level of understanding and attention span. For younger students or those with short attention spans, use Mother Goose rhymes, repetitive stories, and simple songs. These stimulate a young child’s curiosity and attention. You might include finger plays to actively engage your student in the event. You may need to provide hand under hand assistance for students with little or no vision. For example, if you are singing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” you might show your student how to use the index and middle finger of one of her hands to “crawl” on her other hand. 

Keep in mind that nursery rhymes and many picture books are not appropriate for older students. You will need to select reading materials that are developmentally and age appropriate. This can be challenging, but for older students, it is more appropriate to select short poems, lyrics from songs, information from a kids almanac or similar materials to incorporate reading concepts.

Early Literacy Experiences

Read to the student frequently and provide a literacy rich environment. As you read books with the student, help them develop an enjoyment in listening to the stories by reading with inflection and varying your voice. Encourage the student to pretend to read braille stories and explore objects related to the stories. Consider creating a book bag with objects related to the story that the student can explore as the story is read. For younger students, be sure to include books with objects, raised lines and textures or create your own. As with all children, practice proper care of the books and help the student develop "book sense" (e.g. locate front/back, top/bottom, right/left, middle/center; turn pages, etc.) and examine the writing and tactual graphics on each page. ​
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​Exposing children to literacy experiences at early ages is important for all students, whether they will be print or braille readers. Don’t hold off on providing exposure to braille until the student is ready for formal instruction. Think of the many opportunities sighted children have to print in their world. Students who are blind need the same exposure and experiences but it will need to be more intentional and less incidental.

Language Arts in Early Childhood Setting

The Language Arts Station, in an early childhood setting, should have a wide variety of games, pictures and puzzles that are adapted for students with visual impairments. Incorporate rhymes, word games, and other fun activities to increase phonological awareness, reading acquisition and to practice concepts and listening skills. Also incorporate MP3/Ipod/CD/tape players with headphones or ear buds with a collection of stories on tape/CD/digital.

Literacy is used almost constantly throughout the home, school and community environment, and the students need to know this. The book area should provide a variety of reading materials that would be found in these settings, including telephone books, restaurant menus (print and/or Braille), magazines, newspapers, cookbooks, signs, brochures, post cards, greeting cards, posters, pictures, charts, music lyrics, and church bulletins. Incorporate homemade picture books.

Pair Objects with Books

For younger students and those with learning disabilities, provide objects related to the story whenever possible, in order to actively involve the student and make it a concrete experience. Create book bags or book boxes to accompany stories and books. Fill the bags or boxes with some of the items from the story. When you have a current braille or a future braille reader, select Twin-Vision books (Books with both print and braille.), braille versions of the book to accompany the book, or request that the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments braille passages or key sentences/words from the book. Be sure to provide the TVI with time to prepare the adapted book.

​Environmental Reading Skills

Students need to learn how to correctly respond to informational signs/sounds in the environment (telephone, elevator, etc.). Provide students with ongoing opportunities to read/identify environmental signs through direct instruction in the classroom as well as natural exposure during field trips.

Toys for Early Exposure to Braille

The following are just some commercially available toys that help students explore and learn braille. You will have more variety, of course if you adapt toys by adding braille. Simply locate toys with shapes, numbers and letters and create braille labels  either manually using clear labels with a slate and stylus or braillewriter or use a braille label maker. Although braille label makers only produce Grade 1 braille, they are very helpful when you need to quickly label and are still learning the braille code and how to produce it.

Braille Alphabet and Number Blocks
Braille alphabet and number blocks by Uncle Goose are a fun way for students to explore braille.

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Braille alphabet magnets
These braille alphabet magnets by Playskool are so versatile and can be used with numerous activities.

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Miniland Activity Buttons Each button features both a print and braille number. The kit includes activity worksheets plus long laces. Buttons are brightly colored and can be used for sequencing and sorting activities. 

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Shape & Sound puzzle with braille labels
This puzzle, by Melissa & Doug, is a fun way for students to learn their shapes and it's already adapted with braille and sound!

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Reach & Match Learning Kit
This educational kit includes braille and print forms and is designed for children with visual impairments and their sighted peers to develop literacy as well as cognitive, motor, social and communication skills. 

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TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired
The TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC is a digital pdf available for download. It is designed specifically for fellow itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI’s), and consists of over 400 activities and topic areas of discussion for instructing students in the Expanded Core Curriculum. The activities are age-neutral and multi-sensory and therefore can meet the needs of the broad range of students served on an itinerant caseload serving. The activities can be individualized to the students various learning modalities and scaffold in order to challenge students but ensure success. Select those activities that align with the student’s learning objects based on the student’s unique visual needs and academic and developmental level. In addition to the core activity areas, each of the 32 Thematic Units incorporates additional unique ECC concepts and skills providing you with a years’ worth of activities. These units are cyclical and can be used repeatedly to help students build on prior knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Each unit includes suggestions for activity adaptation associated with the unit. These include lists of objects, possible community-based experiences, environmental print, poems, children & young reader books, children's songs, pop culture songs, movies, and websites.


In addition to the book, the following two supplements are included:
·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Concept Checklist
·      TVI’s Guide to the ECC Activities Checklist


For complete product details and additional images, visit the TVI's Guide product page.


TVI's Guide to the ECC Product details
·      Digital pdf download: 346 pages (11 pt font)
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets: TVI's Guide to the ECC Grab and Go Supplements
The Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheets is a Grab and Go supplement to the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC. This workbook is a pdf download that can be printed on demand for use with students. It contains five different types of worksheets for developing visual motor skills and near magnifier fluency skills particularly with the use of a video magnifier. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to each of the 32 ECC Thematic units. The worksheets, along with a list of environmental print for each thematic unit, are designed to help students refine their visual motor skills while reinforcing ECC concepts presented in the thematic units.  


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Product Page.


Visual Efficiency & Near Magnifier Fluency Worksheet Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 210 pages
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Worksheets: A TVI’s Guide to Teaching the ECC Grab & go Supplement
The Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency and Maintenance Grab and Go ECC worksheet packet is a print on demand workbook that contains worksheets in print and simulated braille to use for data collection. Present the student with a hard braille copy and use the worksheets to document accuracy and fluency in reading braille. As a companion to the TVI’s Guide to the ECC, the worksheets correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. These word lists and sentences will help the student refine their keyboarding or braille reading skills while bridging ECC concepts presented in the thematic units. Although the lists and passages can be produced using a manual braillewriter, you may also copy and paste the passages into any braille translation software for quick production on an embosser. They may also be entered into a typing program such as APH’s Talking Typer to build keyboarding fluency.


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency & Maintenance Product Page


Thematic Keyboarding & Braille Fluency Worksheet Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 338-page print and simulated braille worksheets
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists: Grab & Go ECC Supplement
The Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Grab and Go ECC supplement is a 446 page pdf downloadable print on demand workbook that includes 2940 vocabulary card on 3 1/2" x 2" templates divided by each of the 32 Thematic Units along with a checklist of each unit words in print and simulated braille. As a companion to the TVI's Guide to the ECC, the vocabulary cards correspond to the ECC Thematic activities presented in the curriculum guide. 


Additional Use:
Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments can have a extremely varied caseloads. It is possible to go several years without having a student on your caseload who requires braille instruction. Like other skills, if you do not practice your braille regularly, it is easy to lose those skills. Use these checklists and cards to maintain your braille skills. Fold the checklist along the line dividing the print from the braille. Choose to either read the print and produce the word in braille using a braillewriter or read the simulated braille and decode it. Finally, these vocabulary cards and checklists may be used with family members or peers who are interested in learning and practicing the braille code.


For complete product details and additional images, visit the Thematic Vocabulary Cards & Checklists Product Page


Thematic Vocabulary Cards and Checklists Details:
·      Digital pdf download: 446-page print on demand resource
·      Publisher: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
·      Author: Carmen Willings
·      Language: English


BONUS!
Lotto Cards
The LOTTO Cards Grab and Go Supplement includes 37 theme related unit cards along with activity suggestions that support activities within the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC.


On My Way File Folder Cards
Print and use these cards to represent locations the student may visit that are related to the current thematic unit. Use these with the On My Way File Folder Game outlined in the TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC p. 27.

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