PrAACtically Reading: Writing to Read with Karen Natoci

We are so pleased to have SLP Karen Natoci back with the second edition of PrAACtically Reading. You can see her first post here. I love that this lesson focuses on older students, providing an age respectful activity (who else loves Mad Libs?!) and a prAACtical way for students with lower verbal skills to develop their reading abilities.

Writing to Read: Mad Lib, Core Words, and Literacy Instruction

Core Vocabulary focus: like, dislike, uh-oh, again

Sometimes it is fun to just write our own BIG BOOK and this month, we decided to do that by using a simplified “mad libs” format. Honestly, I’m not sure who had more fun, the teachers, the student authors or myself!  I was inspired by the work of Gretchen Hanser.  I attended her workshop on writing at Oakland Schools (MI) in the fall of 2013.  She showed us that all students develop writing and experience it along a continuum.  For students with complex communication needs and who are just beginning to experience literacy, I decided to illustrate the information that she shared into this super simple “three tier” schematic.

We gathered large paper, the internet (Google) displayed on a promethean board, and every student had access to their communication means:  PODD, Go Talks, Symbol array, dynamic display devices, eye gaze boards.  An student author volunterred and came to the head of the class while we all watched.  Students who were watching were given opportunities to express their opinions using core vocabulary such as: LIKE, NOT LIKE, UH OH!, We made a GIANT CORE communication board which made it easy for classroom staff to use when modeling the target CORE words.

Students told us what words to write in the blanks by using their AAC system such as: PODD, a Flip ‘n Talk, individualized array choice boards, eye gaze boards, or this communication system (shown to us by Gretchen Hanser.)  Here are photos of one such modified system:

The Mad Libs read as follows:  (Person)  is going to (place).  (Pronoun) sees a(n) (animal).  It was (description).

Here he is choosing his image (which we were able to print right away.)

In second photo we are pointing to the text as he we share the reading moment and joy together.

Here is our student, Sam sharing his title page and Mad Libs story titled: Blue Dog, the finished product using a step by step device.  Everyone was so excited!

Click on the image below to download the lesson plan or visit the Downloads section of the AAC eToolbox.: