Literacy Beyond Picture Books: Teaching Secondary Students With Moderate to Severe Disabilities

"I was rejuvenated by the opportunities for exciting and meaningful instruction. My creative thoughts ran rampant with how I could use these ideas with my novice teachers as well as within my classroom."
-Jayne Englert-Burns, Consulting Teacher, Special Education
Montgomery County Public Schools, Germantown, MD

"The authors have done a nice job of describing how to make teaching student-centered by focusing on individual student interests and learning styles and by making classroom instruction exciting and fun."
-Dennis H. Reid, Director
Carolina Behavior Analysis and Support Center

Engage students¿ interest and build foundational literacy skills!

Teaching literacy to middle school and high school students with significant disabilities can prove challenging when available reading materials often don¿t match students¿ reading levels and interests. This accessible, step-by-step guide shows teachers how to match students with appropriate texts and develop inventive themed units that encourage literacy learning.

Teachers can build whole units around a selected text and create hands-on activities that engage multiple senses. This valuable resource includes sample activities and lesson plans, ideas for adapting general education materials, and essential information on how to:

• Build vocabulary and use retelling and guided reading
• Teach functional skills on a daily basis
• Incorporate media and assistive technology
• Coordinate with general education teachers and involve parents
• Assess students¿ learning and meet IEP goals

Perfect for special education and inclusive classrooms, this resource features everything teachers need to motivate students with disabilities and help them develop literacy skills!

Dorothy Dendy Smith has taught in the field of special education for 26 years. She is currently the autism specialist for Buncombe County Schools. She was Special Educator of Excellence for Buncombe County Schools for the 2006-2007 school year, and Teacher of the Year for the Progressive Education Program in Buncombe County Schools for the year 2000-2001. Smith was the Teacher of the Year for Walnut Cove Primary School and first runner-up for Teacher of the Year in the Stokes County School District in North Carolina. She graduated from Western Carolina University in 1972 with a BS in special education. She received a master of arts in education, special education, severe disabilities from Western Carolina University in 2002. She has certifications in learning disabilities, mental retardation, and severe disabilities.

Jill Fisher DeMarco worked with adults with disabilities for 15 years before beginning her career in special education. She has taught high school students in the Occupational Course of Study and currently is in the seventh year of teaching at the Progressive Education Program at Valley Springs Middle School in Arden, NC. She was the 2005-2006 Teacher of the Year for the program. She has a bachelor of science degree in vocational rehabilitation from Appalachian State University and a master of arts in teaching degree and a master of science degree in human resources from Western Carolina University. She has certifications in mental retardation and learning disabilities.

Martha Worley has taught for 15 years in the public schools as a speech pathologist. She is currently a speech pathologist at the Progressive Education Program at Roberson High School in Asheville, NC. She also works with other schools in Buncombe County to provide access for students with mild to significant disabilities. She was the Special Education Teacher of Excellence for Buncombe County Schools in the 2001-2002 school year. She has a bachelor of arts from Baylor University and a master of science degree from Vanderbilt University.