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Summer reading ideas for the whole family
Posted on June 05, 2013 in Families, Literacy
A big thank you to the sweet moms who have sent me these snaps of their kiddos enjoying my books!
I loved these great snaps of Cooper reading Pedro’s Whale to his bunny! A great shared reading experience always makes me smile. That is one lucky bunny.
My friend, Miriam, sent me this fantastic photo of…
Idea #17: Text me!
Posted on April 17, 2013 in Autism, Literacy
The next few suggestions are from the revised edition of “You’re Going to Love This Kid!”. I have selected ideas from several different chapters including those focused on classroom environment, teaching strategies, and communication.
If you have a reluctant writer on your hands, try using…
Idea #10: Writing workshop checklist
Posted on April 10, 2013 in Autism, Literacy
Checklists are a helpful tool for teaching new skills to any student, especially those on the spectrum who may feel especially comforted to know exactly what is required of any activity, assignment or task.
A checklist like this one can also help students…
Idea #9: Load up the libraries
Posted on April 09, 2013 in Autism, Literacy
Recommendations for classroom library sizes range from 600 to 1,500 books. I typically error on the side of higher numbers as this allows educators to not only provide a wide range of genres, but a range of levels and formats too. Imagine the differences in opportunities for learners who consistently have a classroom library of 1,000 books versus those who have a library half that size (or smaller)? A larger library may be even more important for learners who have unique learning profiles.
For students who have narrow interests, who struggle to find compelling materials, and for those who may need to review many titles before getting hooked on one, having…
Idea #7: Record a book
Posted on April 07, 2013 in Autism, Literacy
Recordable books are now available everywhere and on so many topics. These personalized texts are ideal for students with disabilities for many reasons. One of my favorite ways to use recordable books is to motivate learners to engage in repeated readings (so helpful to support students on reading fluency).
They can get the story “just perfect” by reading it a few times over, adding sound effects, and trying out different voices for each character. Recordable books are also ideal for learners who may not be…