What strategies can I use to teach reading and writing to an individual with severe disabilities?
Effective instruction must provide a match between an individual’s profile of skills, (strengths and weaknesses in spoken and written language) and the instructional content. Careful and specific analyses of the tasks and skills needed in the development of reading are required. Children, for example, who can decode, but have difficulty with comprehending text, would have instruction tailored to their need. For individuals who communicate using graphic symbols on AAC systems, printed words can be incorporated into the symbol display. In turn, storybooks can be modified by inserting communication symbols into the text. Innovative applications of software have been developed for instruction in both reading and writing. They include interactive books in different media. All function to increase individuals’ experience with print. Families, teachers, and other professionals must collaborate to identify and design instructional plans that allow children to progress in their school’s literac
Effective instruction must provide a match between an individual’s profile of skills, (strengths and weaknesses in spoken and written language) and the instructional content. Careful and specific analyses of the tasks and skills needed in the development of reading are required. Children, for example, who can decode, but have difficulty with comprehending text, would have instruction tailored to their need. For individuals who communicate using graphic symbols on AAC systems, printed words can be incorporated into the symbol display. In turn, storybooks can be modified by inserting communication symbols into the text. Innovative applications of software have been developed for instruction in both reading and writing. They include interactive books in different media. All function to increase individuals’ experience with print. Families, teachers, and other professionals must collaborate to identify and design instructional plans that allow children to progress in their school’s literac
