Adapting Literacy Learning Practices for Young Children with Disabilities

Carl J. Dunst, Ph.D. Carol M. Trivette, Ph.D. Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute

Asheville and Morganton, NC

Presentation made at the 2008 OSEP National Early Childhood Conference, Washington DC, December 8, 2008

The Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) is a collaboration among the:

• Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute

Asheville and Morganton, NC• American Institutes for Research

Washington, DC• PACER Center

Bloomington, MN• UCONN Center for Excellence in Disabilities

Farmington, CT

CELL Aims

• Synthesize research evidence to identify effective early literacy learning practices and interventions

• Develop evidence-based practices from the findings of the research syntheses

• Implement and evaluate the use of evidence-based practice guides

• Conduct general and specialized technical assistance promoting the adoption and use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices

Purposes of Presentation

To describe the CELL:

• The domains of preliteracy learning

• Key components of the CELL early literacy learning intervention model

• CELL universal practice guides

• Adaptation model for developing early literacy practice guides

• Provide examples of practice guides with adaptations

Conceptualization

• Define the domains of pre-literacy, emergent literacy, and early literacy development constituting the focus of CELL

• Define the key components of the CELL early literacy learning intervention model

Domains of Early Literacy Learningaa

Speech Processing Skills• Oral Language• Phonological Awareness• Listening Comprehension

Print-Related Skills• Print Awareness• Written Language• Alphabet Knowledge• Text Comprehension

Adapted from A. van Kleeck (1998). Pre-literacy domains and stages.Journal of Children’s Communication Development, 20, 33-51.

a

Everyday Literacy

Activities

Responsive

Teaching

Early Literacy

Learning

Outcomes

Components of CELL Early Literacy Learning Model

Literacy-Rich Environments

Child Interests

Child Interests

• All children, with and without disabilities, have interests and preferences that are the foundations for learning.

• A child’s interests-based learning forms the basis of CELL early literacy practices.

Interest-Based Learning

Two types of interests influence early literacy learning and development:

• Personal interests• Situational interests

Interest-Based Mastery Cycle

Exploration and

Mastery

Interests

Engagement

Competence

Literacy LearningActivities

Everyday Literacy Activities

Everyday literacy activities provide young children the experiences and opportunities that are the contexts for meaningful and functional child early literacy learning and development, and mutually beneficial parent/child interactions, strengthening both child and parent competence and confidence.

Examples of Everyday Literacy Learning Activities

• Playing with alphabet stamps• Writing with chalk on the sidewalk• Listening to bedtime stories• Playing lap games• Saying nursery rhymes• Pretend telephone conversations• Making a shopping list• Singing songs• Looking at store flyers

Responsive Teaching Strategy

• Engage the child in interest-based everyday literacy learning activities

• Respond to child literacy behavior to maintain engagement in the activities

• Support child behavior and elaborate on child responses

Evidence-Based Practice Guides

CELL practices (paper, DVD’s, PPP, etc.) are prepared in a manner that provides end-users (practitioners and parents) information about four elements of practice:

• What is the practice?• What does the practice look like?• How do you do the practice?• How do you know the practice worked?

Practice Guide Hierarchy

• Universal Practice Guides

• Practice Guides with Adaptations

• Specialized Practice Guides

CELL Practice Guides

All CELL practice guides include four “how to” elements and “real life” examples of the practices being implemented by parents or practitioners.

Examples of Universal Practice Guides

Linguistic Processing SkillsPhonological Awareness• Finger Plays and Action

Rhymes• Sound AdviceOral Language• Babble On• Talk is FunListening Comprehension• Time to Rhyme• Hear This

Print-Related SkillsPrint Awareness• One for the Books• First ABC BooksWritten Language• Scribble Scribble• Get Write on It!Alphabet Knowledge• Stamps of Approval• Exploring Magazines and

CatalogsText Comprehension• Read It Again!• Tuning Into Tales

Practice Guides with Adaptations

Adaptations ensure that children with disabilities:

• Can engage in interest-based early literacy learning activities

• Can master early literacy learning skills

• Can become competent in early literacy behaviors

Adaptations offer just enough assistance so that children with disabilities participate in literacy learning activities in order to master new skills and behaviors as do children without disabilities.

Adaptation Continuum

• Adapt Environment

• Adapt Activity

• Adapt Materials

• Adapt Instruction

• Provide Assistance

Source: Cara’s Kit, Milbourne & Campbell, 2007

Adaptations

Adaptations include adjustments, changes, or modifications to the environment, activities, materials, or interactions that support or enhance children’s participation in everyday early literacy learning activities.

Environmental Adaptations

Changes or modifications to the physical environment or the addition of selected equipment.

Examples• Rearrange furniture for easy wheelchair access to the

book shelf• Make a quiet place to support a child who is trying to

focus on his/her favorite book• Provide a child a slant board when he/she is coloring

Adaptations to Activities

Changes or modifications to the learning activity to enhance the child’s participation.

Examples• Let the child use his finger to paint instead of using a

paint brush that is hard for him to hold• Let the child use finger puppets as part of telling a story• Tape paper to the table to provide more stability while

the child is coloring• Let a restless child pick a book she likes to read even if it

is in the middle of another story

Adaptations to Materials

Changes or modifications to the materials used in an activity to enhance children’s participation.

Examples• Use foam to thicken pencils to make them easier to hold• Provide visual cues on a recipe so the child can follow

the steps even if she cannot “read”• Provide a switch interface so the child can turn a tape

recorder on and off to listen to songs or stories• Place knobs on an alphabetical puzzle to help a child

place the pieces in or out

Instructional Adaptations

Changes or modifications to the instructions or requirements of the activity to support the child’s participation.

Examples• Shorten the length of time a child participates in drawing so

he doesn’t lose interest• Allow a child to stand instead of sit while listening to a story• Allow a child to use a picture board to answer questions

about the story• Provide extra time for a child with some mild fine motor

challenges to finish “writing” her name

Providing Assistance

Adult provides the child direct assistance to accomplish the activity.

Examples• Adult guides the child’s hand when drawing a picture• Adult takes the child’s hand to point to the object the

child is trying to identify

Practice Guideswith

Adaptations

All…WritePractice Guide

forScribbling and Writing

All…Write Vignette

Practice Guideswith

Adaptations

Do…TellPractice Guide

forBook Reading and

Storytelling

Do…Tell Vignette

Next Steps

• Have Practice Guides with Adaptations reviewed by experts in early childhood special education and related fields

• Gather feedback from parents and practitioners who have used the Practice Guides with Adaptations

• Make modifications to Practice Guides with Adaptations based on feedback from experts, practitioners, and parents

• Develop Specialized Practice Guides

For more information and Practice Guides go to the

Center for Early Literacy Learning

www.earlyliteracylearning.org