Everyone learn reading and writing skills! Literacy is important for our AAC users so they can learn to spell words that might not be in their device. Even spending 10-15 minutes each afternoon on one or more of the below activities can help your child grow in literacy.
Make it real! Make it fun! Here are some excellent tips on incorporating reading and writing into your daily routines in a natural way!
This website contains TONS of helpful videos about supporting literacy at home, including:
And more!!
Shared Reading
Reading enjoyable books together is always a great idea. We can use the CAR strategy to encourage literacy skills while reading together.
Comment and wait
Ask for participation and wait
Respond by adding a little more
Support Reading and Writing at Home
Check out Reading & Writing 4 All for an amazing resource to support emergent readers with disabilities!
Supporting Emergent Writing at Home
Here are some ways to encourage writing at home:
Appreciate all writing attempts and celebrate! Don't ask them to correct their attempt or copy from a guide. Some children have a fear of writing because they are discouraged by their imperfections.
Ask your child to read aloud what they have written
Give them specific compliments about what they wrote
Encourage them to write more about the topic
Talk to your child while you write something
Write a list together. It could be a shopping list, a wish list, or a to-do list!
While you write, point out that you write top to bottom, left to right.
Point out capital letters
Look for opportunities to have your child write their name
On artwork
To label personal belongings
To choose or reserve an item
Alternative Pencils
"Writing" means so much more than using a pencil and paper. Some children will have the most success with writing by typing and using a keyboard. If the keyboard is too small, we can use a larger keyboard. Some children will need to write with the assistance of a partner. Check out this demonstration video to see how we can help our students with complex bodies write.
If you have questions about an alternative pencil for your student, please reach out to the AT team or your child's OT if they receive OT services.
Alphabet Knowledge and Phonological Awareness
Check out this Explicit Alphabet Knowledge Instruction Routine handout for more information.
Be sure to reach out to your child's teacher to see how you can support alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness at home, or give some of these activities a try:
Focus on one letter every day (it's better to focus on the letter for one day and cycle through the letters more frequently than to spend an entire week on one letter)
Start with the letters found in your child's name
Look at the upper and lowercase forms of the letter
Talk about the sound the letter makes. Look for your child's favorite things that have the sound.
Look for the letter in environmental text (on food packages, around town, on signs, etc.)
Show how to write the letter and practice writing it together.
Independent Reading and Writing
Give your child unstructured time with books and writing tools to explore and play. Find books on topics that are interesting to your child. Some children are motivated by:
Wordless picture books and graphic novels
Online books that are read aloud (watch out for digital books with lots of games and animations. These are distracting from the words and don't facilitate literacy. Highlighting the print as the book is read is fine!)
Listening to someone else read a book out loud
Having closed captions turned on videos