Identify Story Elements

After reading the story aloud, guide students in identifying key story components:
  • Characters: Who is in the story? What do we know about them?
  • Setting: Where and when does the story take place?
  • Events: What happened first, next, and last?
Use structured prompts and tactile supports when appropriate:
  • Provide tactile storyboards, character markers, or object symbols.
  • Encourage students to retell or re-enact the story using objects, puppets, or role-play to reinforce understanding.

Distinguish Fantasy vs. Reality

Help students determine whether the events could happen in real life or if they are make-believe.
  • Discuss elements that signal fantasy (talking animals, magical powers, imaginary places).
  • Connect realistic elements to personal experiences to build relevance and context.

Understand Plot and Problem-Solving

Support students in recognizing:
  • The main problem or conflict in the story.
  • The key incidents that move the plot forward.
  • How the problem is solved or resolved.
Encourage them to relate this to their own experiences:
  • “Has something like this ever happened to you?”
  • “How would you solve this problem?”

Retell and Sequence Events

Encourage students to:
  • Recall important details.
  • Retell the sequence of events orally or through tactile sequencing cards.
  • Create their own verbal or tactile timelines.
These activities build memory, organization, and expressive language skills.

Compare and Contrast Stories

Provide opportunities for students to:
  • Compare different versions of the same story.
  • Identify similarities and differences between characters, settings, or themes.
  • Connect the story to others they have read or listened to.
For VI learners, offer tactile or auditory comparisons such as:
  • Listening to two different recordings of a story.
  • Using tactile graphics, raised-line Venn diagrams, or concept maps.

Answering and Generating Questions

Use a range of question types to build comprehension:
  • “Wh” questions (who, what, where, when, why, how)
  • Literal and inferential questions
  • Prediction (“What do you think will happen next?”)
  • Connection (“Why did the character do that?”)
Support students by:
  • Providing scaffolds, such as sentence starters or multiple-choice options.
  • Reflecting on their responses and expanding ideas through conversation.
  • Encouraging students to generate their own questions about the story.

Build Understanding Through Visual and Tactile Supports

Even for nonvisual learners, supports such as:
  • Tactile graphics (characters, maps, diagrams)
  • 3D objects from the story (“story boxes”)
  • Raised-line illustrations
    help deepen comprehension by providing concrete reference points.
When using print books with the class, describe:
  • Title pages
  • Captions
  • Pictures
    …to support equal access to information.

Develop Vocabulary

Vocabulary instruction can be integrated naturally into listening comprehension. Strategies include:
  • Making lists of new or important vocabulary from readings, poems, or songs.
  • Using a braille or accessible digital dictionary to explore meanings.
  • Identifying synonyms and antonyms using an accessible thesaurus.
  • Discussing new words through real objects, tactile symbols, or experiential learning.

Compare Information Across Sources

Encourage students to examine stories or themes through:
  • Books
  • Magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Online accessible articles
  • Audio recordings
  • Tactile or auditory diagrams, charts, and graphs
Students can:
  • Create charts or graphs showing what they learned.
  • Build tactile maps or diagrams to summarize information.
  • Discuss how different sources present similar or different information.

Foster Critical Thinking Through Similarities & Differences

​Prompt students to examine how characters, events, settings, or themes:
  • Are alike
  • Differ
  • Connect to other books, authors, or lived experiences
Comparing and contrasting builds conceptual understanding and supports deeper comprehension across texts.

Resource Access

Instructional articles on this site are open access and do not require an account. Free Members may access select free resources and goal banks.
Downloadable printable resources, lesson plans, recorded presentations, and ECC instructional units are available to Premium Subscribers.

Full Article List

Guide: Start Here
Tools (VI Basics)
Plan: Referrals & Eligibility
Referral & Eligibility​ ​Medical Vision Information 
FVLMALow Vision Evaluations
Other Evaluations
Plan: IEP Planning
Plan: Collaboration & Accessibility
​Collaboration Accessible Materials ​Classroom Access Instructional Access Technology Access ​Additional Supports Service Delivery Models  ​
Teach: Compensatory Skills
Compensatory Skills
Concept Development ​Alternative Communication ​Emergent Literacy ​Braille Code
​Beginning Braille ​ Braille Fluency & Comprehension  Writing Braille ​​​Nemeth Code Instruction 
​​​Tactile Graphics ​Print Concepts ​​Abacus  ​​Organization Skills​ ​​Study Skills ​​Time Management
Teach: Sensory Efficiency Skills
​Auditory & Listening Skills ​​Visual Efficiency Skills ​​Optical Device Use ​Tactile Readiness
Teach: Assistive Technology 
AT Overview ​AT Use & Maintenance Braille AT ​iOS Instruction Audio Access​ ​Video Magnifiers ​​​Basic Computer Use Computer Access ​Productivity
Teach: Social Skills
Social Skill Basics​
Non-Verbal Skills​​​​ Verbal Communication Skills Cooperative Skills Identity & Self-Awareness ​Interactions & Relationships Managing Challenges & Safety
Teach: Self Determination
Teach: Independent Living Skills
Personal Care ​Hygiene & Grooming ​Personal Health Mealtime Skills ​​​ Food Preparation
Household Skills Clothing Management ​Money & Budget Shopping & Consumerism Phone Use ​Safety & Emergency Preparedness ​​Services & Community Resources
Teach: Orientation & Mobility
Teach: Recreation & Leisure
Teach: Career & Vocational
Printables
Free Resources​ Premium Resource Library 
Teaching Strategy Printables 
​Premium Program Printables
​Premium FVLMA Printables
​ECC PrintablesCompensatory Skills Printables
Sensory Efficiency Printables
Assistive Technology Printables
Social Skills Printables
Self Determination Printables
Independent Living Printables
Recreation & Leisure Printables
Career & Vocational Printables
Evelyn Jane Stories 
Learn: Teaching Strategies & Planning
Learn: ​ECC Units
Beginning of the Year Units ​​Fall UnitsWinter Units ​​Winter Units ​​Spring UnitsAnytime Units
Learn: ​Interactive Activities
Learn: Recorded Presentations
Learn: Complete Set Bonus ​
"All individuals, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, have the right to an opportunity to learn to read and write in order to increase and enhance their educational opportunities, vocational success, communicative competence, self-empowerment capabilities, and independence." ​- Center for Literacy and Disability Studies