Emergent Literacy

Mindful Minutes Sound Play title with faded pictures of children with their familes
Posted by Lisha Yochimowitz
The National Center on Improving Literacy and Idaho's Department of Education have created a short, two and a half minute video to highlight the importance of playing with sounds and spoken words to develop strong listening and reading skills.  ...



Brown Bear, Brown Bear Book cove with a brown bear on it
Posted by Lisha Yochimowitz
Bill Martin was born on March 20, 1916 and has created many beloved books that have been a favorite for many of our children. Here are some great activities and resources you can use with children who are visually impaired. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom...



A boy holds a bowl while using tactile sign.
Posted by Liamsmom
Storyboxes are a great way to make stories come alive for our children with vision impairments.  Storyboxes are also a way to make pictures in a children's story accessible.  A story box is simply a way to use objects to represent parts of a...



Braille Box
Posted by TiffanyMoore
The Braille Box is an instructional tool that aids in concept development and emerging braille literacy. About Braille Box I discovered the Braille Box during a session at an AER international conference. It was recommended for emerging braille readers...



A young boy putting clothes into the washing machine
Posted by TinaK
Miha is a 6-year-old boy born with LCA (Leber congenital amaurosis)  and is legally blind with only light perception. He was included in an early intervention program from a very early age, which was a good thing, but also a challenge.  The TVI (...



Preschooler looking at Bedtime in a Box
Posted by Conchita Hernandez
Bedtime in a Box is an innovative project that gives families materials for a bedtime routine. This adorable project provides the following items in a box: a bedtime routine log, books, pajamas, soap, towel, alarm clock and many more items to get children and...



Young girl with flowers
Posted by Charlotte Cushman
Royal Dutch Visio, Centre of expertise for blind and partially sighted people offers a number of free publications, as well as assessment tools available for purchase, on the topic of tactual development for children who are blind or visually impaired...



Picture of items in a literacy kit, including books, blocks, and toys
Posted by Deirdre Leech
By Patricia Weismer and Deirdre Leech A literacy kit is a set of activities that are designed to allow a student to actively participate and communicate during book reading activities. The primary purpose is to support and enhance the curriculum with math...



Two boys hanging ornaments on Christmas tree
Posted by Liamsmom
I am a mother of two sweet boys.  My oldest, Liam, is 6 years old.  He is deafblind.  My youngest, Finn, is 3 years old.  He has typical vision and hearing.  I really look forward to the Christmas season.  I enjoy finding...



Pink background with yellow ducks
Posted by Adam Wilton
An animated PowerPoint story is designed to enhance the literacy experience by using movement and color to make a simple story more engaging for children who benefit from and qualify for alternate format literacy materials.  It takes some time and effort...



Big and small raised shaped
Posted by Allison Mello
I am a braillist, and this semester I have been working with a TVI in supporting pre-braille skills in a new preschool student. I am also at the end of my first year of grad school to become a TVI, so prior to this semester I had no experience teaching the...



1 Red Circle
Posted by Deborah Fenton
and Patrice Bucheli Goal We put together this PowerPoint for our students with CVI and it was used based on a student's CVI Range Score.  The goal was to provide 2-D images and concepts that allowed us to work on a variety of lessons to discuss...



A young boy explores tactile illustrations.
Posted by Kate Borg
Once upon a time, there lived a spleeth. This spleeth was the lipliest spleeth in all the land. One morning, the spleeth decided that he needed to haynder to see if he could get some rukyas. Sadly, the plupet did not have any rukyas, so the spleeth knew that...



Sample lightbox slide with house and stick figure
Posted by Adam Wilton
The lightbox is a tool to provide access to literacy materials for students with multiple disabilities, including those with cortical or cerebral visual impairments (CVI).  In the past, the lightbox has typically been used to promote sensory efficiency,...



Side view of child's shoe
Posted by Amy Flores
Some children rely on others to help with activities of daily living, due to motor limitations.  Nonetheless, we can help build understanding and anticipation which will allow the child to mentally prepare for having their personal space entered to...



Shirt from cover of "Summer Is Here"
Posted by Louise France
also by Trịnh Thu Thanh and Hang Nguyen We love braille and we want to have a library in Hanoi, Vietnam to lend tactile books to children with visual impairment. We hope our books will inspire a love of books and motivate children to want to learn...



Searching for object in bin of green rice
Posted by Regina Quaid
and Misty Epperson All children love to play hidden object games. Here is an activity that I found on Pinterest that students with vision impairments can participate in with a few minor accommodations. I Spy Tubes First make the “I Spy Christmas...



Experience tub with dirt and associated objects
Posted by Liz Eagan
A student of mine is what I call "tactually hesitant". She's not defensive, just hesitant with new textures and experiences.  She is in a life skills class and is learning braille, and recently she surprised me! It took me nearly a school...



Worksheet adapted for students with CVI
Posted by Charlotte Cushman
In their webinar Trust the Process: A Case Study in Literacy and CVI, TVIs (Teachers of the Visually Impaired) Amanda Whelan and Joy Wilson share tips and guidelines to adapt literacy materials for a Kindergarten student (Krish) with cortical visual...



Page from tactile book with 3 triangular shaped food items
Posted by Liz Eagan
As TVIs, therapists, special educators or family members, we never have enough time to create all of the books that we want to.  Happily APH came out with a cool new product called Tactile Book Builder Kit and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!  This...



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