Learning Objective: Engage with theories and practices related to Literacy for Everyone and AAC technology to promote literacy skills and self-expression in person and through digital mediums.
Literacy skills are essential for lifelong learning and provide students rich personal and academic growth opportunities. My experience with students with disabilities has shown me that effective instruction and experience can unlock their potential and help them develop literacy skills.
To create a foundation for literacy during the PANDA AAC Camp, I would utilize various strategies and techniques aligned with the principles of comprehensive literacy instruction and the whole-to-part (WTP) model of silent reading comprehension.
During the summer camp, I would focus on the three parts of WTP: word identification, language comprehension, and whole-text print processing. For word identification, I would provide students with opportunities for repetition and varied practice to build automatic word identification. Language comprehension would involve helping students understand text structures and connecting their knowledge and experiences to the text. I intend to encourage inner speech use, prosody, making print-to-meaning links, and developing effective eye movements in reading for whole-text print processing.
To address reading comprehension and vocabulary instruction, I intend to emphasize the importance of engaging with the text, connecting prior knowledge, interacting with peers, and reading interesting texts. The Anchor-Read-Apply framework would guide reading comprehension instruction, where students activate their existing knowledge, focus on text structures, and read texts at their level. Vocabulary instruction would involve: Connecting new words to known words, Teaching word usage, and Focusing on Tier 1 and Tier 2 words.
In self-directed reading, I would work to ensure that students have ample opportunities to read texts they can comprehend. I will encourage intrinsic motivation for reading by allowing students to choose age-appropriate and interest-based materials from pre-selected materials tied to daily themes. Creating an inviting reading environment, providing diverse reading materials, and using technology and digital resources will enhance their reading experiences. I would also employ strategies for providing “easy enough” texts, such as simplified or wordless texts, predictable texts, and implementing the rule of thumb for choosing books as needed individually and for each group’s pre-determined level.
Regarding writing, I intend to support students in their early writing development by allocating daily time for writing, offering various writing purposes, utilizing technology to enhance spelling accuracy, and modelling the writing process. I hope to create a community of writers where students can choose their topics of interest from those given, using photos and drawings to stimulate their writing and engaging in strategies like “Gimme 5,” “Can’t-Stop-Writing,” and “Tell Me More.” I would also encourage guided responses from group mates to foster a supportive writing environment. I will encourage students to write based on their thoughts and ideas and provide patient guidance and positive feedback.
By incorporating these strategies and techniques in the PANDA AAC Camp, I aim to provide a strong foundation for literacy development and empower students with significant disabilities.