Access Language Arts

TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC
​by Carmen Willings
Creating a literacy-rich environment for students with visual impairments is necessary for their academic and personal development. Review the following strategies and considerations with the team.
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  • Selection of Reading Materials: Choose stories, poems, and songs that do not heavily rely on visual elements for meaning. Opt for texts that are rich in descriptive language and sensory imagery, allowing students to engage fully through auditory and tactile experiences.
  • Accessibility of Materials: Ensure that all reading materials are accessible in multiple formats, such as print, braille, audio recordings, and digital formats. Utilize assistive technologies like MP3 players, iPods, CDs, and digital audio players to provide access to a diverse range of stories and texts.
  • Incorporation of Multisensory Activities: Integrate rhymes, word games, puzzles, and other interactive activities to enhance phonological awareness and reading acquisition. Use tactile materials, such as textured letters and braille books, to engage students in hands-on learning experiences.
  • Development of Auditory Skills: While auditory skills are essential, students should also be encouraged to develop proficiency in reading print and/or braille. The Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) plays a critical role in determining the student's primary reading mode and providing appropriate instruction and support.
  • Diverse Reading Materials: Stock the Language Arts Station with a wide variety of adapted games, puzzles, pictures, and reading materials that reflect real-world contexts, including telephone books, menus, magazines, newspapers, and more. Incorporate homemade picture books and materials relevant to the students' interests and experiences.
  • Integration with Home and Community Environment: Help students recognize the importance of literacy in everyday life by incorporating materials and activities that reflect their home, school, and community environments. Encourage exploration and engagement with reading materials found in various settings, such as signs, brochures, postcards, and church bulletins.

By implementing these strategies and considerations, the team can create an inclusive and supportive literacy environment that empowers students with visual impairments to develop essential reading skills and thrive academically and socially.

ECC Instruction

Teaching the ECC
Thematic units
Compensatory Skills
Concept Development Functional Skills
Alternative Communication Emergent Literacy Braille Slate & Stylus
Tactile Graphics Nemeth Braille Code
Access Classes Cranmer Abacus Organization & Study Skills Time Management Listening Skills Instruction 
VI Assistive Technology
Social Skills
Self Determination
Sensory Efficiency
Independent Living
Orientation & Mobility
Recreation & Leisure
Career & Vocational