Engaging Interactions: Writing to Read

for students who are deaf-blind or blind/VI with multiple disabilities

Megan Mogan, CCC-SLP

Getting in Touch With LiteracyAlbuquerque, New Mexico

November 20, 2015

© Mogan, 2015

Outcomes

• Identify ways in which to correspond early communication and literacy goals with functional daily classroom activities.

• Learn how to implement a lesson-planning framework that considers using the unique background experiences and intense interests of the deaf-blind early communicator as topics of engaging literacy and communication interactions.

• Observe video, photo, and hard-copy examples of accessible literacy materials used within activities for students with a range of early language and communication needs

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NTAC Outcomes and Performance Indicators (OPIs)

• Learn strategies for implementing appropriate receptive and expressive language and communication throughout the day.

(SP.07.e)• Learn strategies for providing opportunities for emergent

literacy learning throughout the classroom and throughout the day.

(SP.12.c)• Learn to provide opportunities for social interactions across a

variety of individuals and environments (e.g., classroom, cafeteria, school yard). (SP.15.h)

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Session Overview:Writing to Read

1. Expanding the Definition of “Writing”

2. Literacy Across the Day

3. Writing to Read– Activity Examples

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What do think of when you hear the word

“Writing?”

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“People hoping to enlarge literacy opportunities for people who are deaf-blind need to continue to invent ways to make literacy available. The possibilities are countless.” – Barbara Miles

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Christianson, K.

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Writing is the same as Sending

Student sends communication to another

person (Expressive)

Partner sends communication to another person (Expressive)

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Expressive Communication Forms

Unconventional Forms

Body MovementsHead turnsEye Gaze

Actions on people and objects

Conventional Forms

SignalsGestures and Pointing

Vocalizations

Conventional, Symbolic Forms

PicturesPhotos

DrawingsObjects

Partial ObjectsSign Language

SpeechBraillePrint

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Literacy Across the Day

For students in self-contained classrooms…Instructional time is frequently lost to other activities such as repairing technology, moving in and between classrooms, toileting, eating, and attending therapies. (Koppenhaver & Yoder, 1993)

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1) limited use of conventional

communication forms

2) limited instructional time for a student with

significant sensory, motor, and/or cognitive

needs?

Less time spent with meaningful

Literacy Materials he/she can understandand share with

others.

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Literacy Across the Day

“Good Kindergarten Teachers read from at least 12 different texts a day!” (Pressley et al, 2001)

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Where do I begin?

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Consider Minimizing the Importance of Communicative Form as a Goal (Hagood)

Many students who only know one form (such as speech or sign language) use them less for a restricted number of

• topics • purposes• partners

Literacy Across the Day

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Consider Minimizing the Importance of Communicative Form as a Goal (Hagood)

Less Abstract forms (gestures, objects, photos of real objects)

• more functional for many students

• more universally understood by partners

Literacy Across the Day

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Instead, listen……..

• To my hands

• To my movements

• To my touch

• To my pallor

• To my breathing

• For my laughterChristianson, K.

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Quick Activity (if time)Find your partner and choose a sender and a receiver.

Position yourselves so the receiver’s back is to the screen (if possible)

The Sender should be able to read the messages that will appear on the slides and then send those messages to the partner

The receiver will write down 1) the form(s) being used to send the message2) his/her best guess at the message

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Takeaways

We need to become skilled “listeners” to our student’s many communication forms.

Responding and Attaching meaning to the sender’s forms builds expressive communication…….and LITERACY!

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Let’s Shift our Focus…

Use a student’s current forms to increase

• the number of contexts across which she can communicate (expanding skills)

• the number of people with whom he can communicate (building interactions)

….The amount of texts and higher forms he/she will eventually have access to!

Literacy Across the Day

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Remember… We already have topics Chosen by the Student

Hands-on High-Interest

Experience-Based

We already have a learning medium Multiple, preferred forms, with special

attention to the sense of touch After a lot of INPUT and modeling in natural

contexts

Review

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Now Let’s get Writing!

Make your own Library of Reading Materials to access all day long!

– Student-centered– Age-appropriate– Familiar, Experience-Based– Written in understandable forms

(with opportunities to learn new forms)

– Opportunities for social interactions with others

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Making a Permanent Library

– Tactile books– Story Boxes/Bags– Anthology collections– Tape Recorder– Single-Button AAC

devices– Student-led

Performances– Regular in-class

readings (invite guest readers)

– Bulletin Board displays

“BURP! Excuse me.”

President Obama reading aloud in a library

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Helpful Book-Making Materials• Sharpies!• Glue Gun!• Post-It Notes• 3 ½ x 5 notecards• Magic Markers• Paper (Braille, Copy,

Lined, Cardstock, etc.)• Ziploc bags and containers• Pencils (for jotting quick

notes on pages)• Stapler• 3-hole punch

• Tape• Scissors• APH textured paper• APH braillable Label Sheets• Foam• Brailler, Laptop, keyboard• Recording Device• Velcro• Mini Photo Albums• Binders• File holders• Lo-Tech AAC devices

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Materials

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Where do I go?

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What should we consider our goals for “Writing” with students who are blind/Deaf-blind with additional disabilities?

• The student should be able to share (READ) his/her finished work at his/her highest level of independence with different people, at different times

• Someone who was not present for the writing activity/experience should be able to understand the student’s finished work

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Writing to Read

Examples of Original Works

• Poetry/Chants/Melodies• Experience Books• Journaling• Adapted Adapted Literature• Literacy Skill Builders

Years from Now

"Although I cannot see your face As you flip these poems awhile,

Somewhere from some far-off placeI hear you laughing-and I smile."

Shel Silverstein

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Poetry, Chants, and Melodies

• Promotes Movement

• Crosses Cultures!

• Repetitive, Patterned

• Can use short phrases, single words, nonsense sounds, or just actions/movements

• Can “recycle” existing melodies and poems

Caption: Student uses his body as an instrument during a movement-based chant

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Poetry/Chants/Rhythms

Video and Audio examples

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Poetry/Chants/Rhythms

Using Patterned Texthttp://www.pathstoliteracy.org/create-original-patterned-text

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Experience Books (Hagood, Pathstoliteracy.org)

• Acknowledges/Confirms student’s thoughts and ideas

• Connects and organizes people and events

• Builds relationships through writing together

• Establishes perspective needed to read and hear other peoples’ stories

• Develop identity (cultural or other) through creation of artifacts

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Experience Books (how to)

1) Have accessible, book-making materials available

2) Participate in a motivating student-centered experience

3) Observe your student and identify the parts of the experience that were important to him/her

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Experience Books (how to)

4) Collect artifacts or objects that remind the student of his/her favorite parts of the experience

5) Record the student’s favorite parts of the experience with the student, using his/her preferred mode of communication

6) Label the page(s) of the Experience book in permanent forms (print, braille)

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Experience Books (how to)

7) Read the book with your student (many times!)

8) Model how to share the book with others (include hints in the book for others to read in order to indicate how the student prefers to share his/her Experience Book)

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Experience Books

Video and/or Audio Example

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Journaling• Use a single word, piece of an

object (with a print/braille label), an object in a plastic zip-baggie, an iPad app, a photo, a black and white line drawing

• Can bridge communication between school and home

• Makes you a little more creative and hands-on, so your student has something to journal about!

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Journaling

Some Resources:

School-Home Journalshttp://www.pathstoliteracy.org/school-home-journalsOrientation and Mobility “Route” Journalshttp://www.pathstoliteracy.org/o-and-m-literacy-routes-journals

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Adapted Adapted Literature

Take the concepts, ideas, and formats from stories, fables, and poems in the curriculum and re-write them with your students by using:

– The students as the characters– The immediate classroom environment as the setting – Recent experiences and daily routines as the plot– Quality Learning Media to represent vocabulary and

concepts from students’ own experiences.

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Adapted Adapted Literature

Video and/or Audio Example

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Adapted Adapted Literature

Reader’s Theatre

Bark, GeorgeBy Jules Feiffer

I Ain’t Gonna Paint no MoreBy Karen Beaumont

Stone SoupTraditional folktale

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Making your own “tools” to develop tactile (or other) literacy skills

• Alphabet Bookshttp://www.pathstoliteracy.org/strategies/motivating-older-adolescents-who-are-emerging-readers

• Tactile Alphabet Wallhttp://www.pathstoliteracy.org/accessible-communication-and-literacy-building-tactile-alphabet-charts

• Tracking Sheetshttp://www.pathstoliteracy.org/its-not-silly-me-literacy-and-communication-activities-students-visual-impairment-and-autism

© Mogan, 2015

Remember Writing= Sending:

Use your student’s current communication forms to WRITE original works she can share/read

• with different people• at different times

at her highest level of independence

© Mogan, 2015

ReferencesBloom, L.,& Lahey, M. (1978). Language development and language disorders. New York: Wiley.

Christianson, Karen. “Intentional Communication.” Powerpoint Presentation, 2011.

Hagood, Linda. Communication: A Guide for Teaching Students with Visual and Multiple Impairments. Austin, TX: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 1997. Print.

Hagood, Linda. “Paths to Literacy.” Writing CAN be Child’s Play: A Collaborative Writing Program for Children with Disabilities. Web. 17 June 2015)

Miles, B. (2003 October). Talking the Language of the Hands to the Hands. Monmouth, OR: DB-LINK, The National Information Clearinghouse on Children Who Are Deaf-Blind.

Musselwhite, C. (2001). AAC and Topic-Setting: Getting the Most Bang for your Buck. AACintervention.com. Retrieved from: http://aacintervention.com/home/180009852/180009852/tips/2001/08aug2001/topic%20setting.pdf