Creating Experience Books and Story Boxes Literacy for

Creating Experience Books and Story Boxes: Literacy for Students Who Are Deafblind With Multiple Disabilities Julie Holland Teacher of the DHH August 3, 2016

Overview of Presentation • • • Where do we begin? Conversation Boxes Object Books Story Boxes Experience Books Journals Adapted Books My Top Ten Literacy Projects in 2015 -2016 Questions/Sharing/Book Browsing

Where do we begin? Critical Vision Assessments • Functional Vision Assessment (FVA) – includes information on: visual reflexes, appearance of the eyes, corrective lenses, reception and perception of visual stimuli (light), eye preference/behavior, field of vision, depth perception, figure-ground perception, light sensitivity, contrast sensitivity, acuity, visual-motor coordination, glare, lighting, color and contrast, visual clutter, info on the diagnosis • Learning Media Assessment (LMA) - Assessment for selecting the appropriate literacy media for students with visual impairments. "Literacy media" refers to the way in which students access the general education curriculum.

Hierarchy of Communication Graphic from “Literacy Adaptations for Students Who are Deafblind” webinar, www. perkinselearing. org

Determine What Kind of Literacy Symbol your student needs: Literacy Media Object symbols Partial object symbols Tactile symbols Picture symbols - line drawings, photographs, Pecs, bright-colored pictures • Braille • Print • • football Concrete Abstract

Determine which Literacy level your student is at by using: Literacy Skills Checklist • • Building a Foundation Early Emergent Expanding Literacy http: //nationaldb. org Type in “Literacy Checklist”

Definition of Literacy generally refers to the ability to read and write using symbol systems that allow people to receive and send information across distances of time and space.

Conversation/Experience Boxes • A box or container holding a collection of items related to a topic, theme, event or experience allowing a child with limited communication to “talk” about his activity • Tactiley explore items from box while providing conversation from the child’s perspective. Conversations printed on cards, put in the box. • Each object involved in the event is acted out with the child to help him recall and “tell” about his experience. • Learning objectives: increase communication skills and social interaction • Objects in box become topics of conversation to help student communicate with others about his experience

Steps to Make a Conversation Box Step 1: Start with a fun, shared experience with your student. For example, make toast! Sign the vocabulary through each step of the process. Observe the child to notice what he enjoys the most or finds interesting. These will be your “topics of conversation”. Step 2: Gather the things you used and put them in your Conversation Box: plate, napkin, plastic knife, jelly jar, toy toaster and toy toast. It’s best to use real objects when you can. Label with Braille. • Conversation cards using the child’s point of view can be printed and attached to the lid of the box.

Steps to Make a Conversation Box, continued Step 3: Take the conversation box and sit in a comfy spot to chat. Allow the child to open the box and feel the objects and examine the Braille labels. In the beginning, the teacher can say/sign the name of the object with the child and act out what they did with each object in sequence. Step 4: Repeat step 3 over and over. Eventually, see if he can anticipate some of the steps, name some of the objects, or know what to do with the objects on his own. Now he has something to chat about with a friend!

Ideas for Conversation Boxes • • • • Hair Care Brush Teeth Wash Face Snack Time Birthday Party Swimming Pool Field Trips Cooking Activities Special Olympics event Grandma and Grandpa’s Picnic My Walk Outside New Car Amusement Park

Resources for Conversation Boxes • “Conversation Boxes”, Charlotte@Perkins, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Creating Conversation Boxes”, Mary Ann Demchak, Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment Project, Tip Sheet, http: //unr. edu/ndsip/tipsheets/conversationboxes. p df • “Conversation Boxes for Children Who are Deafblind”, Liamsmom, “Making Toast: A Conversation Box”, www. pathstoliteracy. org

Object Books or Concept Books/Theme Boxes • Because written and Braille symbols are difficult for our students to understand, using objects as symbols they can “read” is the idea behind object books. • Collect familiar objects from the student’s daily routines or experiences, attach them to pages, add language and make a book! The student should be as actively involved in making the book as possible. • Object books are more general than experience books and are not usually about one specific activity. • They can be used to talk about routines (bath time, art time, lunch time), to explore counting, or to help teach concepts (big/little, shapes).

Steps to Make & Use an Object Book Step 1: Have a meaningful experience with your student. • Example: At the beginning of the school year, explore her new backpack’s contents together. • See if she knows the sign and the function of each object. If not, demonstrate in a fun way. • The next day, let her feel in the backpack and take out 1 object at a time and have fun practicing the name of the object and its’ function for as long as she can attend. • Add more objects as tolerated until she has practiced about 5 or 6: pencil, eraser, scissors, markers, ruler, notebook.

Steps to Make and Use an Object Book Step 2: When the student is familiar with the objects, review one concept per lesson as the two of you attach an object to a page. • Cardboard or railroad board pages support objects and pages are easier to turn. • Use Velcro to attach objects to page so students have the option of taking them on or off as needed. • Make labels using large print, sign language, and/or Braille. Read and attach to page. • Fluffers can also be added. • Hold pages together with metal rings or use a 3 -ring binder.

Steps to Make & Use an Object Book Step 3: On cover: add tactile object for title, a byline and date in large print/Braille. Step 4: Together, read book again and again. • Read vocabulary words in book hand-under-hand while taking object off each page and practicing its’ function. • Assess student regularly to see if she knows sign or function of objects on her own. Step 5: Store book in accessible place for student to find and read independently if she desires

Ideas for Object Books • Ideas for Object Books: My Favorite Things, My Family, My Class, My Backpack, Counting, ABC themes, Colors, Sizes, Shapes, Actions/Verbs, Adjectives, Over/Under or other spatial relationships, My Winter Clothes, seasonal unit vocabulary, body parts, clothing, food, furniture, kitchen utensils, tools, Bath Time, meal time, art class, gym class, trip to Mc. Donalds, candy book, spoon book

Ideas for Concept/Theme Boxes & Books • Signs of Fall/Winter/Spring/ Summer • Mom’s Purse • Dad Stuff • Doctor’s Bag • School Backpack • Fish Bowl and various pet cages • Christmas Tree Decorations • stuffed Christmas Stocking • • • Jewelry Box Duffel Bag of Clothes Green Items Bug Jar Picnic Basket Valentine Box Seeds Eggs Money

Concept/Theme Box Items for “Dad”

Resources for Object Books • “Making Object Books”, Mary Ann Demchak, Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment Project, Tip Sheet, http: //unr. edu/ndsip/tipsheets/conversationboxes. pdf • “Object Books”, www. pathstoliteracy. com • “Object Books”, Millie Smith, Stacy Shafer, Debra Sewell, www. tsbvi. edu • “A Tactile Book of Shapes for Students Who are Visually Impaired”, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Pegboard Books for Young Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired”, www. pathstoliteracy. org • *“Making Tactile Books with Braille and ASL for a Preschool Child Who is Deafblind”, Liamsmom, www. pathstoliteracy. org, includes shape book, counting book, face book, I like___ Book

Resources for Object Books cont. • “Life Science is Literacy Too: Creating Nonfiction Tactile Books for Students with Visual Impairments”, Liamsmom, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Christmas Tactile Books for Students who are Visually Impaired”, Liamsmom, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Creating Books to Support IEP Goals”, Liamsmom, www. pathstoliteracy. org • *“Making Tactile Books with Braille and ASL for a Preschool Child Who is Deafblind”, Liamsmom, www. pathstoliteracy. org, includes shape book, counting book, face book, I like___. Book • “DIY Theme Boxes”, Charlotte@Perkins, www. pathstoliteracy. org, includes bathroom, mealtime, car theme boxes

Story Boxes • Story Boxes- a collection of objects mentioned in a story, stored in a box or bag, that allow the student to touch and feel the characters or events that are taking place in the book as the teacher tells the story. • Fun, interactive way to get student involved in books and literacy • The words/signs used by teachers telling a story are just symbols representing concepts and have little meaning to our kids. This hands-on approach to literacy helps the student connect the concept to the object with something concrete and tangible and then the story begins to have meaning. • “It takes more time to figure out what an object or shape is through tactual exploration than through vision. ” The student has to feel all the parts and put them together as a whole, so it’s very important to allow student extra time to examine each object before continuing with the story. They are “taking in information, building concepts, and trying to understand their world”. – Barbara Miles

Steps to Make & Use a Story Box Step 1: Choose a book about something familiar, or start with a favorite daily routine to make a story, no need for a book, like “My Bath Time”. Step 2: Gather objects highlighted in the story. Start with one object per page, put in shoe box. • “Bath Time” objects: washcloth, soap, shampoo, bath toys, towel. • “Three Little Pigs” objects: hay, sticks, bricks, pigs, wolf • Attach a tactile marker such as a rubber duck or 3 pig snouts to the end of the box as a title for that story box.

Steps to Make and Use a Story Box, cont. Step 3: Help the child find the new story box on the bookshelf by feeling the tactile “title” on the end of box • Together, set book on easel and set box across your laps. • Touching the tactile “title”, use voice, sign language, tactile sign to discuss title, parts of the story in sequential order • Another empty box on the floor can be used to place the finished objects. Step 4: One by one, turn pages together, explore corresponding objects from the box, and use simple, meaningful words to convey the story. • Allow the student plenty of time to explore the whole object. • Use the object to help act out the story. • Repeat key vocabulary as tolerated. • Feel the Braille in the book or point to the words as you read them. Laugh! Have fun!.

Steps to Make and Use a Story Box, cont. Step 5: At end of book, say/sign “finished” and put all objects and book back in the original box, reviewing words for each object as they are put away. • Also, allow time for the student to feel objects in the box and have a conversation about any she wants to explore again. • Students with short attention spans may be able to do only a few pages in the beginning. Step 6: Together, put the Story Box back in its spot on the nearby shelf so she can learn to access it independently in the future.

Ideas for Story Boxes • • • • • Daily routines/familiar activities Field trips Cooking Experiences Jobs/Responsibilities The Very Hungry Caterpillar Five Little Monkeys The Three Little Pigs The Three Bears The Three Little Kittens If You Take a Mouse to School The Jacket I Wear In the Snow The Foot Book Blueberries for Sal Good Night Moon Dear Zoo Little Bear Gets Dressed All You Need for a Snowman

Resources for Story Boxes • “Story Boxes: A Hands-On Literacy Experience”, Norma Drissel, Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment Project, Tip Sheet, http: //unr. edu/ndsip/tipsheets/conversationboxes. pdf • “Creating Story Boxes for Children Who are Deafblind”, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Story Box Ideas for Holiday Stories for Students Who are Deafblind”, Jbrown blog, pathstoliteracy. org • “Making a Story Box”, Norma Drissel, pathstoliteracy. org • “Suggested List of Story Boxes for Young Children”, Norma Drissel, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Winter Story Box for Children with Visual Impairments or Multiple Disabilities”, Charlotte@Perkins, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Friendship and Fun: Story Boxes and Activities for Preschool Students who are Visually Impaired”, Jbrown, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Beginning Story Box for Students With Visual Impairments: Little Rabbit’s Bedtime”, kimberlyd 415, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Story Box Activity: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything”, kimberlyd 415, www. pathstoliteracy

Experience Books • Short stories of a child’s reallife experiences written by the student(s) and teacher. • Tactile objects and/or pictures are collected during the event to use to write about the story. • Each page has a sentence(s) written in large print, in Braille, and/or ASL. • The stories can be read again and again to review skills.

Steps to Make and Use an Experience Book Step 1: A field trip, cooking experience, sporting event, or classroom project is planned. • As the event happens, pictures are taken and/or tactile objects are collected and set aside to use later to help recall what happened during the event. Step 2: As soon as possible, the tactile objects and/or pictures are put into sequential order to tell a story, then attached by Velcro or glue dots to the pages of a blank book. • Smaller items are zip-locked into a plastic bag or envelope and stapled onto the page.

Steps to Make and Use an Experience Book Step 3: While touching the objects or looking at the photographs, students tell about the experience on each page. • The teacher uses their language and rephrases it into an English sentence. (Repetitive sentences are an option. Ex: Zoo Trip- I saw a tiger. I saw an elephant. ) • Sentences are typed, written or typed in Braille and glued onto each page. • Signs can be found on Boardmaker, in sign language dictionaries, or added using photographs. Step 4: Add a cover with meaningful title, picture, tactile symbol, and byline, date. Step 5: Read the new book again and again! Store in a place that the students can find it independently.

Ideas for Experience Books • • • • • • field trips a walk on campus Special Olympics social activity a favorite routine cooking planting a seed making a snowman making a jack-o-lantern daily or weekly schedule going swimming making water balloons going to Mc. Donalds school jobs or responsibilities fixing hair my birthday brushing teeth going to the grocery store doctor visit making pizza my new cane a city bus ride

Resources for Experience Books • “Tactile Experience Books”, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Creating and Using Tactile Experience Books for Young Children with Visual Impairments”, Dr. Sandra Lewis and Joan Tolla, tsbvi. org or www. cec. sped. org • “Supermarket Tactile Book with Ira Padhye”, Ira Padhye, Perkins Teachable Moments videos, www. perkinselearning. org and www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Play-Based Experience Stories”, Linda Hagood, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Brushing Teeth with Ira Padhye”, Ira Padhye, Perkins Teachable Moment, www. perkinselearning. org www. pathstoliteracy. org

Journals There are several options when it comes to journaling: 1. Memorable Event Journals- Each time a child has a memorable experience, she can document them into a journal using tactile objects saved from that event. • A piece of rope and a blue ribbon can help her recall the Special Olympics track meet. • A corn cob and sheep’s wool can help her remember the farm trip. • The empty cake mix package and muffin cup help her remember making cupcakes.

Journals cont. 2. Daily Journals- Journals can be written in at the end of each school day. • Parents can read about what happened at school with their child, then write about an evening activity to read be at school the next day. 3. Academic Lesson Journals- “Journals can also be used in conjunction with science, math, literature or social studies to reinforce learning and to make writing experiences relevant to each child’s unique experiences, ” Barbara Miles reminds us in her article “Literacy for Persons Who are Deafblind”.

Resources for Journals • “Writing in a Daily Journal”, Charlotte@Perkins, www. pathstoliteracy. org • Tactile Journals”, Rocky@Perkins, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Counting in Tactile Journals”, Rocky@Perkins, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “School-Home Journals: Increasing Communication Opportunities for Children with Multiple Disabilities”, Megan Mogan, www. pathstoliteracy. org

Adapted Books • According to Deirdre Leech at the Perkins School for the Blind, there are 3 ways to adapt books for our kids who are deafblind with multiple disabilities: 1. Modify the text 2. Modify the pictures 3. Modify the actual book

#1 Modify the Text Think: What is the student getting out of the text? • • use Braille replace print with larger print use contrast between the print and the background use tactile symbols

#2 Modify the Pictures Important for CVI and Low Vision Kids • simplify the background • highlight the main idea • cut out the picture and put onto a black background • outline key parts of picture with black marker • outline picture with orange tape or Wikki Stix for kids with CVI • add tactile parts to a picture

#3 Modify the Book • • Think of the child’s physical and fine motor needs. use cardboard for thicker pages so child can turn pages on his own use page fluffers such as foam tabs, paper clips, etc. rebind book so it stays open for easier signing put pages in plastic protective sheets or laminate add tactile cues make book accessible using a switch or touch screen put book on a tape, CD, or i. Pad put book into Power Point (adds movement component to capture attn)

Resources for Making Adapted Books • “Power Point E-Books”, Deirdre Walsh, pathstoliteracy. org, step by step directions to make a Power Point E-Book and Power Point Book Templates from the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, Univ. of North Carolina • “Modifying Books for Children with CVI”, by Charlotte@Perkins, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Adapted Book on Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? ” by Eric Carle with Marguerite Bilms, Perkins Teachable Moments video, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Literacy Adaptations for Students Who are Deafblind”, Perkins e. Learning Webinar, Christa Hulburt, Ira Padhye, Megan Connaughton, Marguerite Bilms, www. perkins. org/resources, contains presentations on: Story Boxes, CVI Adaptations, Adaptations for Total Deafblindness, Teaching Strategies for Moving Toward a More Traditional

My Top 10 2015 -2016 Literacy Additions • Use of Literacy Skills Checklist • Kayla’s Daily Journal • Izzy’s Verb Book • Labeling using Personal Identifiers • Letter of the Week Routine: ABC Wall Concept Box Writing/Constructing Letters ABC Object Book *Johnathan’s Concept Sensory Bar *Izzy’s Songs/Poems *Izzy’s Cooking Journal/5 -Step Recipes *Friday Friends and Social Communication *Writing Practice Bucket

Johnathan’s Concept Sensory Bar Christmas Concepts Dr. Seuss Week Fall Name

Izzy’s Cook Book and 5 -Step Recipe

Positive Outcomes: Our Kids CAN & ARE Learning Literacy • By becoming aware that symbols have meaning • By developing concepts and vocabulary • By developing book handling skills • By becoming aware that stories come from print • By becoming aware of book language vs. conversational language • By becoming aware that stories have structure- a beginning, middle and end • By becoming motivated by story time and books • By becoming more independent readers

Resources for this Presentation The Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment Project has one-page tip sheets (also in Spanish) available at: http: //www. unr. edu/educ/ndsip/factsht. html • Creating Conversation Boxes • Making Object Books • Story Boxes: A Hands-On Literacy Experience • Using Story Boxes with Older Children • Page Fluffers • Making and Using Page Turners “Early Literacy for Students with Multiple Disabilities or Deafblindness”, a Perkins School for the Blind webcast presented by Deirdre Leech, M. Ed. , www. perkinselearning. org “Experience Books and Boxes, Literacy for Students with Visual Impairments and Multiple Disabilities”, Cindy White-Botello, 2014 Summer Institute Presentation

Resources for This Presentation • “Literacy Adaptations for Students Who are Deafblind”, Perkins e. Learning Webinar, Christa Hulburt, Ira Padhye, Megan Connaughton, Marguerite Bilms, www. perkins. org/resources, contains presentations on: Story Boxes, CVI Adaptations, Adaptations for Total Deafblindness, Teaching Strategies for Moving Toward a More Traditional Approach to Literacy • “Literacy for Persons Who are Deafblind”, article by Barbara Miles, M. ED. from the National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness • “Emergent Literacy for Children Who are Deafblind”, article from Project SALUTE, www. projectsalute. net • “Early Literacy and Students with Multiple Disabilities”, Deirdre Leech, www. pathstoliteracy. org, includes challenges, multisensorybook examples, exposure to literacy ideas, name symbols, bookhandling ideas, experience stories • “Literacy Around Every Corner”, Patricia Weismer and Deirdre Leech, www. pathstoliteracy. org • “Creating and Using Tactile Experience Books for Young Children with Visual Impairments”, by Sandra Lewis and Joan Tolla, Teaching Exceptional Children, vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 22 -28, Jan/Feb 2003, Council for Exceptional Children, www. cec. sped. org

Questions? Look at Books Share Ideas

Early Literacy Ideas • Display accessible visual, tactile, sign language ABC’s, names, and number lines at desks or tables, on walls • Label (tactile/picture/Braille/large print) the environment at eye/hand level, starting with student names • Make sure displays and bulletin boards are accessible for seeing and/or touching • Organize your classroom so students know where to go to access thematic unit vocabulary • Use a name symbol for each child: pompom, feather, pop bottle lid, for attendance, labeling, group time

Early Literacy Ideas • Use calendar systems all day to practice language and symbols for objects, people, events and actions • Practice new vocabulary in routines and schemas in order to build concepts • Utilize recipes and shopping lists regularly • Learn that Story Time at the easel is a time to interact and have fun with the teacher • Have story boxes, object books, journals, Braille books and experience books in familiar places and easily accessible • Build in an independent reading time every day to practice skills and to develop self-determination

Early Literacy Ideas • Practice daily book handling skills: orientation, turning pages, left to right, top to bottom • Practice touching and feeling books and know they come in different sizes and shapes • Practice finding a book’s cover, title, author, pictures, words, beginning, middle and end • Practice saying or signing “finished” at the end of each book • Visit library with child and build a personal library for each student • Have a variety of writing tools easily accessible, including finger paints and play dough • Let students have access to a Brailler for exploration and practice

Reduce Distractions & Visual Clutter In Reading Area, On Reader, In Book Graphic from “Literacy Adaptations for Students Who are Deafblind” webinar, www. perkinselearing. org