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Storybox: Adaptation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears

This storybox is a great way to introduce young children who are blind or visually impaired or deafblind to early literacy concepts.

I adapted Goldilocks and the Three Bears for my 4-year-old son who is deaf-blind.

2 Bears:

I wanted to create a story box for my son that was based off of a classic children’s story.  My son is beginning to learn ASL. I chose the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and I simplified it so that I could tell the story in a way my son Liam could understand and then also eventually retell and read on his own.  I created a book called The Two Bears.  Two seemed like a good place to begin, so that he could compare “big” and “little” more easily.

Target ASL vocabulary words:
bear, little, big, chair, sit, happy

Materials

Story box contents:

  • Story with tactile illustrations and braille
  • Little bear, big bear (from Hobby Lobby)
  • Little chair, big chair (I just glued pre cut pieces of wood together to make chairs)
  • Instruction sheet to help foster consistency when different people are reading with Liam.
  • Braille label and tactile label for the front of the box.
A young boy reaches into the story box
A young boy reaches into the story box

Procedure

Ideas on how to use this story box:  (I am sure there are many ways that work well to use a story box, but this is what works best for my son and me.)

  • Day one: I allow Liam to explore the outside of the story box first and then I teach him the sign ‘story box’.  I allow him to ‘free play’ with the items in the story box and ‘read’ the book on his own. I may teach him the sign of a few of the items if he seems interested.
Label storybox
Story box with braille and tactile labels
Storybox with two bears
Story box contents with book, two bears, and wooden furniture
  • Day two: Again, I allow Liam to explore the outside of the box first, sign story box, and then explore the items inside.  I then teach the sign for ‘more’ of the items. I may then show the first page of the book and have him feel the tactile picture for bear and then feel the real bear.  I will also then have him sign bear.

(Repeat this the next few times you explore the story box.)

Little bear on little chair
“Little bear, little chair” in print and braille
Big bear on big chair
“Big bear, big chair”
  • When he is ready: when I feel Liam is ready, I then act out every page of the story.  I allow him to feel the first page, find the correct objects and sign/act out what is on the page.  I continue with the rest of the pages.
ASL signs for Bears on a Chair
Procedure for “Bears on a Chair” story with ASL signs
Exploring the storybox
Exploring the story box

Extension:

  • Eventually, I would like Liam to be able to retell the story or read the book on his own.  
  • I could ask Liam to find a certain object in the box and have him give it to me.
Storybox for Beginning Literacy Collage

 

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