NOVICE
READING / PRINT
AWARENESS
xv
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates awareness of letters.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
1. The student will recognize some letters.
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
The activities written for this objective are
based on the assumption that the teacher will
use a thematic approach which includes
teaching a letter every one to two weeks. This
assumes that the teacher will review letters
previously taught and will assist students to
make familiar words with letters that are
learned.
1. Using magnetic letters, the student will
locate letters in his/her first name, words
found in the environment, familiar logos,
etc.
2. Using commercially purchased or teachermade bingo game, students will play
alphabet bingo.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Magnetic letters
Alphabet bingo cards
For students who are not working at a
recognition level, these activities can be
modified so that students match the letter
instead of identify the letter.
Novice E-1
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student imitates the special language in storybook dialogue
and uses it in retellings and dramatic play (such as “once upon a time”).
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
2. The student will remember details from a 1. Identify several stories that have been class
favorites to become focus points. Initially,
familiar story and is very accurate in “reread a story for pleasure. On subsequent
reading” them to self or others.
readings, have students recall the characters
in the story, the setting of the story, the
main problem in the story, and how the
problem was solved. Assist students in
recalling other significant events in the
story and the ending of the story. As
students become familiar with the story, let
them retell the story on a flannel board
using prompts that are provided by the
teacher. Put prompts with book to make a
storytelling kit. Items to include in the kit
include the book, objects named in the
book, clothesline props, flannel board
props, puppets, masks, etc. Store all in a
plastic bag or in a box near a flannel board.
2. After several readings of a familiar
repeated-line or predictable line story, such
as The Wheels on the Bus, Brown Bear
Brown Bear, The Very Hungry Caterpillar,
introduce a symbolized song which is based
on a specific story. (A symbolized song is
a song that uses symbols to represent key
words in the song.) Provide opportunities
to sing the song as a group activity. A good
reference is Sing to Read: Songs for
Favorite Children’s Book (Musselwhite,
1996).
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Flannel board and props
Story props
Plastic bags
Familiar books
Song boards
Provide adapted props such as characters
attached with Velcro to a knitted glove, etc.
• Program story lines into voice output
devices to allow the student to retell a
familiar story.
• Ideas for adapted props may be found in
Emergent Literacy Success (Musselwhite
and King-DeBaun, 1997).
Novice E-2
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates emerging knowledge of abstract
concepts, including pictures and print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
3. The student will verbally “read” what 1. Have students illustrate a familiar story or
he/she writes.
an event and add a caption to the
illustration.
2. Allow students to assist in compiling a
grocery list for a class cooking project.
Allow students to manage the grocery list at
the grocery store.
3. Assist students in developing and writing a
social story addressing specific social
behaviors. Students then take turns reading
the entire social story or a portion of the
social story. The social story can be added
to the classroom library for reference by the
students.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Crayons
Markers
Construction paper
Chart paper
Adaptations:
•
•
Journals of classroom activities
Speech output devices may be used to
record story lines for use in re-reading
stories.
Novice E-3
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates emerging knowledge of concepts of
print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
4. The student will understand that print runs
from left to right and top to bottom and
understand some basic print conventions
(e.g., the concept that letters are grouped to
form words and that words are separated by
spaces).
1. Use sentence strips to write a series of story
lines. Cut strips into phrases or story
chunks. Give out phrases/story chunks.
Have students put phrases/story chunks in
correct order so that the storyline makes
sense.
2. On large chart write and illustrate the
Pledge of Allegiance. Divide the pledge
where a division would naturally fall:
(page 1) “I pledge allegiance to the flag of
the United States of America;” (page 2) “
And to the republic for which it stands;”
(page 3) “One nation, under God;” (page 4)
“Indivisible;” (page 5) “with liberty and
justice for all.” Put the (pages together to
form a book. On a daily basis have
students read and recite the Pledge. To
assure that students understand the left to
right progression of words and the turning
of pages, provide a pointer. Let students
take turns from day to day pointing to the
words as the pledge is recited.
VARIATIONS: Use big books of familiar
children’s stories.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Sentence strips
Markers
Pointer
Big books
Class-made big books
Picture symbols
•
•
•
Add picture symbols to sentence strips
containing phrases/story chunks.
Program voice output devices with the
storylines so that students may re-read
them while placing students in order.
Place mini chip clip holders or plastic
clothespins on edge of page for easier
turning of pages.
Record lines from the Pledge of Allegiance
into a sequencing voice output device.
Novice E-4
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates expanding knowledge of concepts of
print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
5. The student will understand that print is 1. Prepare a variety of types of bingo games
using environmental print. Prepare a set
used for different functions by recognizing
that has store names from the local mall, a
labels, signs, and other print forms in the
set that contains a variety of survival signs,
environment (e.g., lists for shopping,
a set that contains a variety of outdoor
recipes for cooking, letters and notes for
signs. Assist students in playing bingo
interpersonal communication).
using the appropriate bingo cards.
2. Play a relay game using toys in the
classroom, clothes from the dress-up center,
books found in the classroom, etc. Put
these objects in a box. Make flashcards
with the names of items in the box. Divide
the group into two teams. Have each team
number choose a word, run to the box, get
the object and take it back to the next
student.
3. Bring literacy into play activities by
creating a dramatic-play-with-print center
in the classroom. Display objects which
can be used to pretend-play shopping mall,
pharmacy, post office, etc. In addition to
the object props, include a variety of print
props associated with a specific topic (e.g.,
checkbooks and play money, sales slips,
pads to write shopping lists, tags to make
price tags, bags with store logos, credit
cards, paper bags for prescriptions,
envelopes, etc.). Model and assist students
in using items in pretend-play activities in
the center.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Laminated labels from a variety of cereals
Bingo games
Classroom center items
Flashcards
Dramatic play-with-print center
•
Use an All-Turn-It Spinner (AbleNet) to
allow students with physical difficulties to
be the letter caller for bingo games.
The All-Turn-It Spinner may also be used
to select the item that other students need to
get out of the box in activity 2.
Novice E-5
T.E.K.S. (K.5) The student demonstrates knowledge of concepts of print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
6. The student will recognize that print 1. Play “Simon Says” using flashcards with a
represents spoken language and conveys
printed action word and associated picture
meaning, such as his/her own name, and
or symbol (e.g., jump hop, march, laugh).
signs (e.g., Exit and Danger).
Play the game by holding up the flashcards
with word and symbol. As students begin
to recognize the words and symbols
consistently, fade the symbols and use the
flashcards with printed words only.
2. Using flashcards with survival words such
as “step,” “restroom,” “exit,” etc., make
another set of flashcards with the associated
symbol for each word. Hide the words
around the classroom. Give students a
symbol and ask him/her to find the
corresponding word.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Word and symbol flashcards
Use an All-Turn-It Spinner (AbleNet) with
the action words for “Simon Says” on the
overlay so that students with physical
difficulties can call out the action word for
the other students.
Novice E-6
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates expanding knowledge of
concepts of print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
7. The student will begin to associate the 1. Prepare game board with letters written on
names of letters with their shapes and can
flashcards in random order. When the
identify 10 or more printed letters of the
student lands on a “draw a card” space,
alphabet.
he/she draws a card with a letter on it. The
student names the letter drawn in order to
take his/her next turn.
VARIATION: Using the flashcards, play
concentration by having students name
letters as they are matched.
2. Create an alphabet “Twister” game. Divide
a portion of an old sheet into 12 sections.
Choosing 6 letters, write one capital or
lowercase letter in each section. Make a
spinner using the 6 letters. Two students
can play. The first spins. The other student
puts one foot on a capital letter and the
other on a lowercase letter. Students take
turns stepping on the letters until one falls
and the other is declared the winner.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Spinner
Bed sheet
Letter strips
•
Bed sheet (vary number of letters: 4 to 6)
to match student’s ability level.
Use an All-Turn-It Spinner to allow
students with physical difficulties to call
the letters in alphabet “Twister” game.
Novice E-7
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates awareness of letters.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
1. The student will recognize some letters.
1. Play “Names, Names, Names” (Quick Tech
Activities for Literacy (McNarin and
Shioleno).
A fun way to introduce
beginning sounds is to use what is most
familiar to students: their names. Begin by
writing each student’s name across the top
of a sheet of paper and drawing columns
between each letter with a marker. Provide
flashcards with pictures or symbols and the
printed word of objects that start with the
same letters as the letters in the students’
names. Display pictures so that all can be
seen.
Have the students indicate a
picture/word that begins with each letter in
his/her name. The student places the
picture under the correct letter in his/her
name.
VARIATION: Use the names of family
members, pets and friends.
2. Scatter letters that begin each student’s
name around the room. Use the letters for
lining up during the day. On some days the
“A” students may be first; on other days the
“T” students may be first in line.
3. Lay out a grid on the floor for alphabet
toss. Using masking tape, tape a letter or a
word and symbol in each square of the grid.
Students take turns tossing a beanbag to the
letter or word requested by the teacher.
Novice M-1
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
(Continued)
VARIATION: Students take turns tossing
the beanbag to a letter or word and naming
the letter or word where the beanbag lands.
4. Assist students as a group in identifying
one or two key words to represent each
letter of the alphabet. Use student names
(when they are clear examples of the
sound), favorite foods or favorite places
that are familiar to all students. For the
vowels choose two examples for each
sound of the vowel.
Adaptations:
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
•
Quick Tech Activities for Literacy (McNarin
and Shioleno, 1993)
Laminated letters
Masking tape
Bean bags
All-Turn-It Spinner (AbleNet) or multimessage voice output devices can be used
to indicate letter names, request letters or
indicate key words.
Novice M-1
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student imitates the special language in story books and
story dialogue, and uses it in retellings and dramatic play (suck as “Once Upon a Time).
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
2. The student will remember details from a 1. After several readings of a familiar
familiar story and is very accurate in “rerepeated-line or predictable-line story, such
reading” them to self or others.
as Reading Activities Projects for Older
Students (Musselwhite, 1993), introduce a
symbolized song which is based on that
particular story, using symbols to represent
key words as the song is sung. Provide
opportunities to sing the song as a group.
Refer to The RAPS Book and Symbol
Storybook: Older Students Sing Out!
(Musselwhite).
2. Prepare a copy of a story that includes print
and picture symbols for key words and
concepts. Stories should be brief and about
current events, sports, birthdays, weather,
jokes, etc., such as activities related to
current events in News-2-You: A Symbol
Based Newspaper Activity (Clark, 1996).
Initially read the story to the students,
having the students follow along. On
subsequent readings, allow students to read
the story using the picture symbols as cues.
After several readings of the story, provide
a sheet to check for comprehension, using
both written text and picture symbols.
Novice M-2
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
(Continued)
3. Using a symbol-based story similar to those
found in Social Skills Stories: Functional
Picture Stories for Readers and NonReaders K-12 (Johnson and Susnik, 1995)
and More Social Skills Stories: Very
Personal Stories for Readers and NonReaders K-12 (Johnson, 1996), assist
students in making an individual booklet
from the story. Have students put a cover
on the booklet, complete with their name
and appropriate decorations. Initially read
the story to the students and have them
follow along in their booklets.
On
subsequent readings allow students to read
the story. Ask questions about the story to
check for student’s understanding. Follow
with a worksheet to check for
comprehension, if desired.
Encourage
students to read the story to each other and
take it home to read to family members.
Adaptations:
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
•
RAPS Book and Symbol: Students Sing Out!
(Musselwhite, 1993)
Symbol-based stories
Symbol-based comprehension sheets
•
•
Use a voice output device to program song
phrases or choruses.
Prepare a communication grid with symbol
choices for Activity 2.
Program story lines into a voice output
device to allow students who do not speak a
way to read a story out loud.
Novice M-2
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates emerging knowledge of abstract
concepts, including pictures and print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
3. The student will verbally “read” what 1. Community Based Instruction by students
he/she writes.
and teachers. Mount photos on tag board.
Students, with teacher scripting story as
needed, create short captions for each photo
that tell what is happening in the photo.
The pages of the book are laminated with
the captions on them, sequenced by the
students and bound together. The teacher
reads the story to students, noting important
details and asking questions about the
pictures. Students can take turns re-reading
the story to others in the classroom or other
areas in the school and check it out to take
home to share with parents. Books should
be added to the classroom library of
experience books. (Be sure to make a copy
of the book to add to appropriate
portfolios.)
2. Assist students in making a shopping list of
food items needed for an upcoming
cooking activity. Encourage students to
write the names of items independently
without spelling assistance. Allow students
to supplement their lists with picture
symbols when needed.
3. Students use newspaper advertisements to
make a list of Christmas, Valentine or
Mother’s Day gifts, supplementing the
written list with picture symbols. On
Community Based Instruction have
students use their lists to purchase gifts for
family members or friends
Novice M-3
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
(Continued)
VARIATION: If a student is not at the level
of writing or reading letters in words, ask
parents to send a list of nonperishable
grocery items needed in the home along
with the money to purchase items. Students
read list with help from the teacher, locate
picture symbols to go with each item, then
“reads” the list on community based
instruction in order to purchase items
needed from the grocery story.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Photos
Tag board
Glue
Binding material
Paper
Pencils
Picture symbols
•
•
Use page fluffers to assist students in
turning pages. (Reading/Print Awareness E2 Adaptations.)
Use an adapted keyboard with larger keys
for students to access computer for making
lists.
A voice output device can be programmed
with the written lines of a story or list in
order to read them to others.
Novice M-3
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates expanding knowledge of concepts of
print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
4. The student will understand that print runs
from left to right and top to bottom and
understand some basic print conventions
(e.g., the concept that letters are grouped to
form words and that words are separated by
spaces).
When teaching students basic concepts about
print, the teacher assists students to understand
the purpose and the process of a sequence.
Being able to follow a sequence is the
beginning point in teaching students the skill of
tracking print. Teaching students to follow
sequences teaches them that ideas, which may
be made up of symbols, words and individual
letters, are inter-related and not independent of
each other.
Routines are a predictable chain of related
events used to structure an activity. Instruction
in any activity can be designed as a routine, by
having a recognizable beginning, a specific
number of steps (usually 5 to 10), and a
recognizable ending. While routines are in the
acquisition stage, being learned, they are done
at the same time, in the same place, with the
same people using the same materials and in the
same order. Some activities appropriate for
teaching sequences and routines as well as
focusing on concepts about print, are listed
below.
1. Teaching students to use a calendar box or
calendar strip to structure their daily
schedule is one way to teach sequencing.
Daily activities may be represented by an
object or picture symbol along with the
associated printed word. Concepts about
directionality, beginning, ending, words,
etc. should be stressed as students learn to
use the calendar systems to move through
their daily schedules.
Novice M-4
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
(Continued)
2. There are numerous daily activities in
which routines can be embedded (i.e., self
help activities such as dressing, grooming,
preparing meals and leisure activities such
as playing games, listening to music, etc.)
In order to associate concepts about print
with these routines, ideas/steps within the
routines should be represented visually with
picture symbols and printed text. Pages
representing the steps within a routine can
be bound together to make an activity book
(i.e., washing dishes, making toast, etc.)
Adaptations:
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
•
Calendar systems such as calendar boxes, calendar
strips
Picture symbols
Activity books
Program the names of calendar box or
calendar strip activities or steps within an
activity routine into multi-location voice
output devices.
Novice M-4
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates expanding knowledge of concepts of
print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
5. The student will understand that print is
used for different functions by recognizing
labels, signs, and other print forms in the
environment (e.g., lists for shopping,
recipes for cooking, letters and notes for
interpersonal communication).
By the time students are in middle school/junior
high, they should be asking questions to gain
information. The questions they ask about
letters and words should be to gain practical
information used for a specific purpose (i.e.,
where is the sugar, show me the elevator, etc.)
1. Students, with assistance from teachers,
develop a grocery list including items
needed for a classroom cooking activity.
The list may be made by using
environmental print or logos. Students
use the grocery list to locate items in the
grocery story.
2. Students will follow a recipe containing
words and picture symbols to prepare a
snack or simple meal such as those in I Can
Cook Too.
There are many other
commercially available sources or teachers
can use picture symbols to make recipes
easier for students to understand and to use.
3. Create an adapted phone book for use in the
classroom and during Community Based
Instruction. Use the cover from the local
telephone directory and laminate it. List
student’s
names
on
individual
alphabetically organized pages. Place the
pages inside clear sheet protectors and bind
together between covers.
Novice M-5
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
(Continued)
VARIATION: For students who need more
visual cues, create a telephone directory
using index cards. On each card mount a
picture of the student with his/her name and
telephone number. Clip these together on a
ring so that they are easy to carry on
Community Based Instruction and easy for
students to use.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
• A Step-by-Step (AbleNet) may be
I Can Cook, Too! (Mervines and Burton, 1997)
programmed with sequential steps for
Adapted telephone book
completing an activity.
Index cards
Student photos
Novice M-5
T.E.K.S. (K.5) The student demonstrates knowledge of concepts of print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
6. The student will recognize that print 1. Teacher presents targeted survival words
represents spoken language and conveys
and signs that are appropriate for students.
meaning, such as familiar names and signs,
Taking words one at a time, teacher
(e.g., Exit and Danger).
discusses situations where the sign would
be needed, using visual drawings to provide
added input. Students act out situations.
For a list of survival signs, one excellent
resource is Survival Signs Curriculum and
the Activity Cards.
2. During Community Based Instruction, the
teacher assists students in looking for
familiar survival words and signs that are of
current focus. Photos can be taken of the
students pointing to or carrying out the
directions indicated on the signs.
3. The photos from Activity 2 can be used to
make a book with students dictating written
text.
4. Labeling student’s personal items and
spaces provides numerous opportunities for
students to read classmate’s names in order
to replace items where they belong,
recognize job responsibilities and activity
partners, pass out materials to appropriate
persons, etc. Initially printed names may
need to be paired with the student’s
photograph. As students become familiar
with the printed names, fade the photos
away.
Adaptations:
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
•
Survival Signs Curriculum and Activity Cards
(Haugen 1998)
Students names with photos
Photos of students following directions given
by survival signs
An All-Turn-It Spinner (AbleNet) will
allow students with physical limitations to
be the caller of survival words for other
students to identify.
Novice M-6
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates expanding knowledge of concepts of
print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
7. The student will begin to associate the 1. Assist students in playing letter bingo using
names of letters with their shapes and can
letter cards and cereal with alphabet pieces.
identify 10 or more printed letters of the
Students can be encouraged to place the
alphabet.
cereal letter on the correct letter on the
bingo card. Cards should contain 10 or
more letters. Play black-out bingo to
ensure association with 10 or more letter in
use.
This activity may be found in
Teaching Reading to Children with Down
Syndrome-(Oelwein, P., 1995, pp. 118121).
2. Assist students in identifying the beginning
letter of each class member’s name. When
the beginning letters are located, assist
students in grouping class member’s names
by the same beginning letter. Use these
groups when assigning tasks or lining up
(e.g., “If your name begins with a (b) line
up first;” “All the students whose names
begin with a (g) will make the lemonade
today,” etc.)
3. On Community Based Instruction, divide
the shopping list by items that begin with
the same letter. Assign each student a letter
of the alphabet and assist him in locating
the associated items from the shopping list.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Teacher made “letter bingo” cards
Alphabet cereal
Index cards with student names
Shopping lists
Adaptations:
•
•
Use picture symbols with shopping lists.
An All-Turn-It Spinner (AbleNet) can be
used to allow a student with physical
limitations to be the letter caller during the
bingo game.
Novice M-7
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates awareness of letters.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
1. The student will recognize some letters.
1. Students will type simple words using a
computer when provided verbal prompts
for spelling. For example, if a student who
compiling a list of supplies needed for a
specific job site, can name each item
needed. An adult in the classroom can
verbally spell the items for the student as
he/she types the list on the computer.
Visual prompts are used only when a
student does not know the letter needed.
2. Make an adapted telephone directory for
use on Community Based Instruction or at
work sites. (Refer to Novice Reading/Print
Awareness M-5 for instructions to make an
adapted telephone directory.)
Assist
students to find
their names and a
telephone numbers by locating the letter of
the alphabet with which their last name
starts.
3. When shopping at a grocery store or large
discount store on Community Based
Instruction, have students use the markers
on grocery aisles to locate specific items on
the shopping list.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Computer
Adapted telephone directory
Use an alternate keyboard with an
alphabetical key arrangement for typing
Activity 1.
Novice H-1
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student imitates the special language in storybooks and
story dialogue, and uses it in retelling and dramatic play (such as “once upon a time…”).
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
2. The student will remember details from a 1. For a service learning project or as a work
familiar story and is very accurate in “resite, have students visit a daycare class.
reading” them to self or others.
Allow students to choose several simple
books that have repeatable, predictable
lines to take to the daycare class. Have
students take turns reading to a small group
of students in the class.
2. When discussing current events each week,
use a News-2-You story about a current
news topic. Read through the lead story
several times with the students. When
students are familiar with the story, allow
them to read the story. Assist students in
compiling a collection of similar stories
from the local newspaper.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Repeatable-line books
News-2-You newspaper (Clark)
•
Provide picture symbols for key content
words to assist students in recalling details
when “re-reading” stories to self and others.
Program multi-location voice output
devices with lines from a simple story.
Novice H-2
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates emerging knowledge of abstract
concepts, including pictures and print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
3. The student will verbally “read” what 1. Have each student keep a “Monday
he/she writes.
Journal” about weekend activities. As
students arrive on Monday morning or
during a planning/calendar session on
Monday, give students time to “write”
about their weekends. If students have
questions about specific words, encourage
them to use a picture dictionary that has
been developed by the class members, ask
adults in the classroom, or make the best
attempt possible. After students complete
their entries, allow them to illustrate the
activity about which they have written and
share the entry with the group. The
“Monday Journal” should be an ongoing
activity to which the students add each
week and put into their student portfolio at
the end of the year. Allow students to take
their journals home regularly to share with
parents, but return them to school the next
day.
2. Involve students in developing lists for a
variety of activities. For example, have
students develop a list of supplies that are
needed for their job site. After making the
list, have students illustrate the list by
finding pictures of each item in magazines,
catalogues or in a software program.
Encourage students to use the list they have
developed to remember supplies needed at
the work site.
Novice H-3
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
(Continued)
Lists can be developed for shopping, items
to take on a picnic, gifts to be distributed on
the campus, purchases to be delivered to
staff members, personal grooming to be
completed before leaving the campus, etc.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Monday Journals
Picture dictionary
Picture symbols
Writing/drawing materials
Magazines and catalogs
Clip art software
•
Allow students to use a computer or
portable word processor for writing.
Students who are physically unable to use a
standard computer keyboard, may use an
alternate keyboard such as IntelliKeys
(IntelliTools) with or without the
OverlayMaker software (IntelliTools).
Novice H-3
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates expanding knowledge of concepts of
print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
4. The student will understand that print runs 1. With the assistance of the students, create a
bulletin board in the classroom or another
from left to right and top to bottom and
appropriate location to feature a student
understand some basic print conventions
each month. Along with a photograph of
(e.g., the concept that letters are grouped to
the student, assist the student in listing
form words and that words are separated by
his/her favorite colors, food, music, sports
spaces).
teams, television shows, movie stars, etc.
Encourage the student to refer to the
information on the bulletin board as people
ask questions about him/her.
2. When developing any list, include the
student in the process. For example, assist
each student in developing a list with
information about his/her specific job site.
Help the student list the jobs that need to be
done in the sequence in which they are
done. For each job, have the students list
supplies that are needed.
VARIATION:
a) When for groceries
shopping or shopping at other locations,
assist students in listing job responsibilities
for each student in the group. b) When
going on a picnic or on other special
excursions, assist the student in listing
supplies that need to be packed. c) Before
a student goes on a trip, such as to the state
Special Olympics meet, camping or to
camp, assist the student in making a list of
clothing and personal supplies that should
be packed. d) When preparing for a special
speaker in the classroom, assist the student
in listing questions that are appropriate to
ask;
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Bulletin board
Photographs
Chart paper
Picture symbols
Talking switches such as BIGmack, OneStep, Step-by-Step (AbleNet) may be used
to record printed information such as lists
for job responsibilities, and the details in
Activity 1.
Novice H-4
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates expanding knowledge of concepts of
print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
5. The student will understand that print is 1. In order to help students become aware that
print has many important functions, call
used for different functions by recognizing
attention to information with which the
labels, signs, and other print forms in the
students come into contact on a regular
environment (e.g., lists for shopping,
basis. Examples include lists of all kinds,
recipes for cooking, letters and notes for
warning labels, labels on cans, prescription
interpersonal communication).
labels, restaurant menus, informational
signs, bank checks, etc.
2. Set up a time for students to work in the
school office at different times of the day
with a peer assisting the student. The
student should be responsible for delivering
messages to teachers, putting mail in
teacher mailboxes, or picking up attendance
slips at individual classrooms.
3. As a service learning project have students
apply mailing labels to bulk mailouts. The
student must be aware of the placement of
the label on the envelope or brochure.
Students with the ability to sort by
numerals can sort bulk mail by zip code so
that it is ready for mailing. Students who
are not applying mailing labels or sorting
by zip code can stamp the return address on
the mailout. The student must be aware of
the location and placement of the stamped
address.
Adaptations:
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Print examples that have various functions such
as restaurant menus, note pads, mailing labels,
lists, recipes, etc.
•
Provide picture symbols along with printed
information to assist with understanding of
information.
Novice H-5
T.E.K.S. (K.5) The student demonstrates knowledge of concepts of print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
6. The student will recognize that print 1. On a daily basis have students use the
represents spoken language and conveys
calendar of the current month. On the
meaning, such as familiar names, and signs
calendar have students locate the name of
(e.g. Exit and Danger).
the month, the current day, the previous
day, the next day. Have student locate
specific days such as school days, weekend
days, holidays and dates of special events.
Have students locate the previous month
and its holidays, as well as the next month
and its holidays.
2. Assist students in any opportunity to vote
that takes place in the school. Make
students aware of the need to look carefully
at each choice and to carefully mark each
choice.
3. Along with an adapted classroom telephone
directory, maintain a Rolodex with names
listed in it.
When appropriate, have
students look up their name, their parent’s
names and their telephone number. Add
any relevant names to the class Rolodex.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Calendar
Adapted telephone directory
Rolodex
Use picture symbols paired with the printed
word on Activities 1-3. Photographs may
also be used to assist students with voting
and telephone directories.
Novice H-6
Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines: The student demonstrates expanding knowledge of concepts of
print.
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
7. The student will begin to associate the 1. Since students have used an adapted
names of letters with their shapes and can
telephone directory many times, assist them
identify 10 or more printed letters of the
in transferring that information to the
alphabet.
regular telephone directory. Have the
students locate sections that are organized
with specific letter headings, the yellow
pages, the index, emergency information,
etc.
2. As different foods are prepared during the
year, assist students in developing a recipe
file. Toward the end of the school year,
students should transfer this information to
a classroom cookbook that they can take
home.
3. Assist students in learning to file specific
information according to the first letter in
the word. Students can keep a file of sight
words they are learning, a file of student
names and telephone numbers, a file of
student papers for their portfolio, etc.
4. In preparation for Community Based
Instruction, students should have many
opportunities to listen to a variety of types
of music. Students identify their favorite
type of music (country, rock, rap, jazz,
etc.). Teacher assistance may be required.
During Community Based Instruction to a
music/video store, students find signs
identifying the area where their favorite
music type is.
Novice H-7
Area: Novice Reading/Print Awareness
OBJECTIVE
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
(Continued)
Students can find the first letter of a favorite
artist’s last name and locate the artist’s
CD’s. If store policy permits, students may
then listen to a selection from the CD.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Adaptations:
•
Recipe files/cookbooks
Adapted telephone directory
Telephone directory
Variety of music types
•
•
Use mini chip clips or large paper clips to
assist students in turning pages.
A PowerLink (AbleNet) enables a tape
recorder/hand mixer to be operated with a
switch.
For students who access a switch but
cannot hold a hand mixer or manipulate
buttons on a tape recorder, connect the
piece of equipment to a PowerLink
(AbleNet).
Novice H-7