1. Writing Resources

2. AAC and Literacy Resources

3. Software-based word building and reading programs

4. Further reading

 

Accessing Documents: 

If you do not have Microsoft Word, download Microsoft Viewer. This allows you to open, view, and print Word forms.

 

If you do not already have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your machine to view PDF formats, download it for free.

 

 

Writing Resources for:

 

Stories

BBC: Dialogue tips  

Primary Resources: Story Writing Tips & Guides:

Seton Hall: Short Stories: 10 Tips for Novice Creative Writers

Short Story Group: Short Story Tips

Story Writing Tips for Kids

WikiHow: How to Write a Children's Story

 

Essays

Guide to Writing a Basic Essay (simple steps from deciding on a topic to adding the finishing touches)

Writing Tips:  Essay Builder WritingDEN (parts of an essay, how to write an essay, types of essays)

General Essay Writing Tips (advanced) 

 

Poetry

Instant Poetry Forms: information on how to get started with poetry writing.  It has Instant Poetry Forms and samples.   

Writing with Writers:  Poetry writing: A site that focuses on grades 1-8 and that includes poets reading their poems is here

Writing Poetry:  Approaches Tips for more advanced poetry writers can be found here: 

 

 

AAC and Literacy Resources

 

The AAC Literacy Ramp (pdf) Shirley McNaughton
An instructional ramp that provides access to higher literacy levels for AAC users, emphasizing that knowledge of phonological structure and phonological recoding are critical factors in successfully learning to read and write alphabetic languages. 

 

Advancing Literacy for AAC Users’ Rose-Marie Gallagher
Discusses how “Children must master five skill areas if they are to develop strong reading skills: Phonemic awareness (understanding the sounds that make up words), Phonics (letter-sound relationships), Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension.”

 

The Beginning Literacy Framework (pdf) Erickson, Musselwhite, & Ziolkowski in partnership with Don Johnston Inc., 2002. Describes the three types of text that are necessary for moving readers with disabilities past the emergent literacy level - Enrichment, Transitional and Conventional.  

 

The Center for Literacy and Disability Studies

Comprehensive Literacy Instruction for Older Students By Karen Erickson, David Koppenhaver, Penny Hatch, ISAAC 2006 Preconference

 

Fostering Emergent Literacy for Children Who Require AAC (pdf) Light, J. C., & Kent-Walsh, J. (2003, May 27). The ASHA Leader, 8, pp. 4-5, 28-29.

 

LITERACY 101:  Getting Started with Literacy for Your AAC Students Caroline Musselwhite. Identifies literacy materials for children with CCN who are emergent readers and includes basic strategies for literacy instruction.

 

Literacy for Children Who Use AAC Part 1;

Literacy for Children Who Use AAC Part 2: Reading Independently and Writing: The Other Part of Literacy by Robin Hurd Click on ‘Current Column’ or ‘Archives’ to read more articles. 

 

Literacy in Ireland Smith, M. (2007, Aug. 14). Literacy in  Ireland . The ASHA Leader, 12(10), 14-15. Martine Smith, respected author of Literacy and Augmentative and Alternative Communication, published this article in the ASHA Leader. Smith provides a strong perspective on people who use AAC and literacy skills.

 

Maximizing the Literacy Skills of Individuals who Require AAC by Janice Light, Ph.D., Penn State University. Discusses effective evidence-based practices to maximize the literacy skills of people who use AAC. Illustrates effective interventions to help students who require AAC: (a) acquire phonological awareness skills, (b) learn to read words, (c) participate in shared reading activities with personalized books, and (d) write their own stories.

 

Rhyme, Rhythm & Repetition
Information on how to use those transitional story features (and when NOT to), to support emergent readers.

 

The Research Foundations of the Start to Finish Library, Don Johnston Inc (pdf)

 

Stories in a New York Minute Includes useful writing tips

 

Teaching Strategies to Support Inclusive Instruction in Reading and Language Arts By Karen Erickson & Pati King DeBaun The document was developed to support the inclusion of children with severe physical and/or communication impairments general education classrooms.  The strategies are meant to suggest one way to support students in an inclusive reading and language arts program.

 

Using AAC to Build Literacy in the Home Pam Harris

 

Software-based word building and reading programmes:

Free resources:

Here are some links to free resources for interactive online word building found  at “Read Strong: Website for Students':

Magnetic Word Board (interactive) - students can make words using an online "magnetic" board. One of the boards is blank and customisable. You can not save your changes, but you can see and manipulate chunks of words onscreen.

Starfall Make-a-Word - Emerging readers select a word family and use picture cues to build words. They can also read online books that correspond to each word family.

Word Build -- Students build words after selecting a word family. Students can print out the words that they build and use the printout to make a word sort.

Word family sort: interactive activity for kids (short vowels)

Commercial resources referenced in the articles above

Classroom Suite 4 from IntelliTools

Don Johnston Incorporated (Including Start to Finish Literacy Starters and Word Builder)

Literacy Through Unity from PRI

MeVille to WeVille from AbleNet, Inc.  

Further reading: