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Teaching Literacy to Students with Significant Disabilities: Strategies for the K-12 Inclusive Classroom

This book offers tips and practical strategies to provide meaningful literacy experiences to students with multiple disabilities.

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Teaching Literacy to Students with Significant Disabilities: Strategies for the K-12 Inclusive Classroom by June Downing (2005) offers tips and practical strategies to provide meaningful literacy experiences to students with multiple disabilities.  Each section includes key concepts, a summary, and frequently asked questions.

Table of Contents:

  1. Literacy and a Free Appropriate Public Education

    • Key Concepts
    • What is Literacy?
    • Literacy and Federal Mandates in Education
    • Barriers to Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities

      • Attitudinal Barriers
      • Low Expectations
      • Limited Opportunities
      • Limited Means of Accessing Literacy
      • Limted Time
      • The Age Factor
    • Literacy and Quality-of-Life Issues

      • Self-Esteem
      • Self-Determination
      • Independence
      • Information Gathering
      • Organization
      • Learning
      • Entertainment
    • Why Teach Reading to Students with Severe Disabilities? 
  1. Literacy and Communication

    • Key Concepts
    • The Relationship Between Communication and Literacy
    • Building Relationships

      • Reading Together
      • The Benefits of Play Interactions
    • Emergent Literacy for Students of All Ages
    • Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices
    • Building Shared Experiences for Literacy Development

      • Documentation of Shared Experiences

        • Drawings
        • Photograph Books
        • Tactile Books
    • Summary
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Planning Literacy Activities

    • ​Key Concepts
    • General Considerations

      • Literacy Rich Environments
    • Benefits of Learning in a General Education Classroom

      • Access to the Core Curriculum
      • Not Just Physical Presence
    • Identifying Literacy Goals

      • What are the Literacy Goals of the Individual and the Family?
      • Determining Present Literacy Skills

        • Analyzing the Environment and the Need for Literacy Skills
    • Identifying When Literacy Skills Can Be Taught Throughout the Day

      • Creating Literacy-Learning Opportunities for All Ages
    • Developing Literacy Materials for Individual Students

      • Age Appropriateness
      • Individual Considerations

        • Physical Considerations
        • Visual Considerations
        • Cultural Considerations
      • Interesting Materials
      • High Quality
      • Assistive Technology

        • Computer Access
    • Summary
    • Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. Teaching Literacy Skills
  2. Evaluating Progress: Next Steps
  3. The Future for Literacy Access and Instruction