Learning to read words that occur often (known as “high frequency” words) is an important skill for beginning readers. This post demonstrates how to adapt this lesson for students who are blind or visually impaired.
Original Lesson Plan
Materials
Between five and eight high-frequency words, written on individual cards: the, and, a, said, to
Procedure
Display a word card.
Point to each letter in the word as the children sound-talk the letters (as far as is possible with tricky words) and read the word.
Say a sentence using the word, slightly emphasizing the word.
Repeat 1–3 with each word card.
Display each word again, and repeat the procedure more quickly but without giving a sentence.
Repeat once more, asking the children to say the word without sounding it out.
Adapted Lesson Plan
Materials
Between five and eight high-frequency words, including de-codable and tricky words, written on individual cards in braille.
Word board with Velcro to attach word cards too.
Word sheets with the same word written out three times, e.g. the the the, and and and, a a a, said said said, to to to
Procedure
Display a word card on word board.
Ask child to sound talk the letters and read the word
Say a sentence using the word, slightly emphasizing the word.
Repeat above with each word card.
Ask child to read a line of the specific high frequency word, sounding the word out e.g. the the the
Ask the child to say the words without sounding out.