The document discusses how Boardmaker Studio can be used to support literacy instruction based on the Four-Blocks model for students with disabilities. It describes how Boardmaker can be used during guided reading, self-selected reading, writing instruction, and word work to provide visual supports, modeling, interactive activities, and adaptations. Examples are given for how Boardmaker templates and tools can be used before, during and after reading, as well as for spelling and writing activities, to engage students and help them develop literacy skills.

1. Boardmaker Studio for Literacy Support

2. Jane Farrall Speech Pathologist AAC Support Services Manager

3. Literacy Learning

4. Four-Blocks Literacy Model Cunningham, Hall & Sigmon,1999. www.four-blocks.com

5. Four-Blocks and Students with Disabilities 4-Blocks method: is multi-method is multi-level lends itself well to adaptation has guidelines for adaptation (see Erickson & Koppenhaver, 2007)

6. Student Differences Communication Cognition Physical abilities Senses (vision & hearing) Affect Attention

7. Guided Reading Goals: Teach comprehension skills and strategies Develop background knowledge, meaningful vocabulary, and oral language Teach to read all types of literature Provide instructional level reading Maintain motivation and self confidence Set purpose for reading that encourages processing of whole text (Cunningham, Hall, Sigmon, 2008)

8. Guided Reading Time during the day when the teacher reads with a set purpose. Focus is comprehension Mini lessons with students to teach them how print and language conventions work in the world. Specifically important to children with disabilities

9. Guided Reading Before Reading: Teacher introduces; activation of prior knowledge, introduce key vocabulary, think-aloud, graphic organizers, etc. During Reading Supports for all student to read the text, may be in pairs, whole group, reading teams, etc. After Reading: Review purpose, strategies, complete a story map, acting out the story, completing a graphic organizer, etc. Example Adaptations (Cunningham, Hall, Sigmon, 2008)

10. Boardmaker Studio in the Guided Reading Block Before reading: Build background knowledge (Explore and Slideshow activities) Make connections (KWL Chart; Ogle, 1986) Take a “picture walk” with electronic book (no auto-read)

11. Boardmaker Studio in the Guided Reading Block (cont’d) During reading: Do group reading on interactive whiteboard Use symbols button as way of discussing book After reading: Use KWL Chart as part of discussion Story Paper template to write a response to reading

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13. Self-Selected Reading Goals: Introduce all types of literature Encourage students’ reading interests Provide instructional level reading Build intrinsic motivation (Cunningham, Hall, Sigmon, 2008)

14. Self-Selected Reading Opportunity to practice his/her skills and understanding across tasks, texts and environments. Students select books from wide range of topics and formats. Encouraged to read at own level Build love of reading!

15. Boardmaker Studio in the Self-Selected Reading Block Book Template to create a library of electronic books Turn off automatic reading to support independent student reading Use symbols button to support understanding of difficult/unfamiliar words Use Text to Speech as a read-aloud, before students read on own Can make-up published books or make custom books to activate/reinforce learning.

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17. Writing Goals: Help students view writing as a way of telling about things Develop fluent writing Use correct grammar and mechanics Teach particular word forms Allow student to read through writing Maintain the motivation and self confident of struggling writers. (Cunningham, Hall, Sigmon, 2008)

18. Writing Develop the skills to construct or build text for real purposes for real audiences. Embed writing instruction in meaningful contexts. Particularly important for children with disabilities

19. Writing Mini-lesson: Teacher models writing Children Write: Students start, continue or edit a piece of writing Teacher conferences with students Authors Chair: Students share their writing Other students ask questions or offer compliments Example adaptations (Cunningham, Hall, Sigmon, 2008)

20. Boardmaker Studio and the Writing Block Topic Writing Template: Talking word processor with adjustable symbol support Symbol word prediction Editing Tools Choice Writing Quick participation Context Writing Templates

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22. Working With Words Goals: Automaticity with accuracy Teach to read and spell high-frequency words Teach how to decode and spell other words using patterns from known words (Cunningham, Hall, Sigmon, 2008)

23. Working with Words Not only teaching children to read individual words but also to extrapolate to words they haven’t yet encountered Repetition with variety Teaching children what to do when they are having difficulty reading a word.

24. Working With Words Word Wall: Five words of focus each week Teacher calls out, students follow with a rhythmic chant spelling Students write the words Students check their writing “On-the-back” activities are introduced (when appropriate) Phonics and Spelling Activities: Making Words Word Sorting Reading/Writing Rhymes Guess the Covered Word Using Words You Know (Cunningham, Hall, Sigmon, 2008)

25. Word Wall Draw attention to letters and spelling patterns Activities focus on building automaticity and accuracy Activities include things like clapping, chanting, writing, making words, guessing words, rhymes

26. Bingo with Word Wall Words

27. Onset Rime

28. Making Words (Cunningham, 1995; Cunningham & Allington, 1999; Pinnell & Fountas, 1999)

29. References Cunningham, P., Hall, D., & Sigmon (2008). The Teacher’s Guide to the Four-Blocks Literacy Model Cunningham, P.M., Hall, D.P., Sigmon, C.M. (1999). The Teacher’s Guide to the Four Blocks. Cunningham, P. (1995). The Teacher’s Guide to the Four Blocks Cunningham, P. (1991). Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and Writing Cunningham, P. & Allington, R. (1999). Classrooms That Work: They Can All Read and Write (4th Edition) Donnelly, M. (2010). Supporting Literacy with Boardmaker Studio, Closing the Gap Conference. Erickson & Koppenhaver (1999). Children with Disabilities: Reading and Writing the Four-Blocks Way Ogle, D.M. (1986). K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository text. Reading Teacher, 39, 564-570. Pinnell & Fountas (1999). Phonics & Spelling Active Word Study in the Reading/Writing Classroom