Dr. Caroline Musselwhite is an assistive technology specialist with more than 30 years of experience working with children and adolescents with severe disabilities, in a variety of settings, including Head Start, developmental day programs, and the public schools. She has also taught courses at several universities, including West Virginia University, and Western Carolina University.
Dr. Musselwhite has authored a number of textbooks and “how-to” books on a range of topics, including Emergent Literacy Success, Communication Programming for Persons with Severe Handicaps, and Reading Activities Project for Older Students (R.A.P.S.). She has also authored a number of software programs (Write to Talk, Social Scripts) and books (Learning to Work) for youth with disabilities. She has presented thousands of workshops throughout the world, and is a founding member of the Board of Directors for the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
Learning Opportunities
The Balanced Literacy Overview for Students with Significant Disabilities ? Apps Included!
Presented By
Caroline MusselwhiteSession Details
| Date | Time |
|---|---|
| October 30, 2015 | 9:00 am to 3:30 pm |
Location
Grade Levels
AllThe prospect of teaching students with significant disabilities to read with comprehension and write generatively may seem daunting. This presentation will review a Balanced Literacy Club approach, working as a team to support all teachers, instructional leaders, therapists and aides. This project included: a full-day presentation, short monthly presentations including make-it projects, in-class modeling and coaching, and team celebration of successes. So far, the clubs have spanned a dozen school districts and 100 + classrooms, and includes a range of students with cognitive impairments, autism spectrum disorders, physical impairments, and using AAC devices.
In this session, Caroline will share assessment ideas, videos, data, specific strategies for all parts of balanced literacy (word study, guided reading, writing, and self-selected reading), and tips for getting EVERYONE onboard and excited about pushing for quality, research-based literacy instruction. For each area, you will see several apps and how to use those apps interactively.
AGENDA TOPICS:
Introduction:
- What Is the Balanced Literacy Club?
- Assessment to Support Literacy
Guided Reading
- Before / During / After Approach
- Supporting Reading Comprehension
Writing
- Vocabulary to Support Writing
- Writing Tips and Tricks
Self-selected Reading
- Choosing Age-Respectful Texts
- Finding Accessible Texts
Phonics
- Research
- Word Walls
- Making Words
Summary
Target Audience
Teachers, Educational Assistants, Instructional Leaders and Therapists of Students with Significant Disabilities