Guided Learning at Home

Tips to Incorporate Shared Reading at Home:

• Build children’s motivation and interest by designating a reading area.
• Offer a wide selection of books based on the child’s interests.
• Include props, puppets, felt boards, and costumes to be used during reading time.
• Allow the child to choose their favorite book.

Tips to Incorporate Adapting Books at Home:

Simple Book Adaptation helps make all the difference when you notice

• There is a lack of response to questions asked about a book.
• There is difficulty paying attention to a story.

Integrate assistive technology for adapting books in these videos.

Considerations for Choosing Apps

• Is the app inviting to use, and does it inspire future use?
• Does the app open new ways to learn and let the child do things they haven’t been able to do before?
• Are the functions and designs of the app easy to use?
• Is the learning content appropriate?
• Strive to limit screen use to no more than 1 hour a day of high-quality programs/apps for preschoolers.
• Interactive engagement while using the app can help children integrate it with the world around them.
• Choose apps that are fun and support creativity, exploration, and play.

Using AAC In The Home: 

Learn how to use Communication Devices to help children engage in communication throughout the day. The use of communication devices allows children to:

• Ask questions.
• Share their wants and needs.

Watch the videos to learn how to integrate low-tech and high-tech devices into the home environment.

If your child has vision difficulties, you can use AT tools to:

• Adapt the home environment with room delineation by tactile area, reduce clutter on the floor and walls, use contrasts of simple colors and patterns, adjust lighting for the student.
• Adapt books and reading tasks with tactile books, raised-line or bold-line paper, or story boxes.
• Adapt writing tasks with textured papers, raised-line, or bold-line paper.
• Use iOS accessibility features and apps.

Improving Experimental Writing Skills: 

Experimental writing is an early literacy milestone and predictor of later reading and writing success. Through writing, children also learn:

• Print (alphabet knowledge).
• Letter Sounds (phonological awareness).
• Holding a book correctly.
• Understanding parts of a story.
• That words are read from right to left.

A child’s first writing attempts look like scribbles, but they usually know what they have “written”.

Techniques for Improving Communication Skills: 

Hearing difficulties can affect the ability to learn language and cause problems with early literacy development. Tips for improving communication include:

• Adapt the environment so it’s easier to listen to or follow a conversation.
• Use AAC and tools like assistive listening and personal hearing devices.
• Use iOS accessibility features and apps.
• Look directly at the child and face them while speaking.
• Say their name or get their attention in some way before speaking.
• Speak naturally and clearly and use facial expressions and gestures.
• Support social skills by teaching

View the videos to learn more about AT Tools that Support Hearing Difficulties and learn about how we can work with you for a similar device (opens in a new tab)..

Provide Opportunities  to Explore their Environment: 

Caregivers should provide help but resist the temptation to do everything for the child, allowing the child to build self-confidence and gain control of their surroundings. Suggested strategies include:

• Making objects steadier (ex: use of non-slip mats to secure paper or blocks to the floor).
• Secure paintbrushes in a glove or provide paintbrushes with large knobs.
• Use spray bottles to practice squeezing motion (for using scissors).
• Keep items contained (ex: play with blocks on a cookie sheet).
• Use of switch-adapted toys, where the child presses a switch to activate a toy.

Switches are extremely effective and available for different purposes (finger switches, foot or head switches, button switches, textural coverings (soft fabric, squishy, bumpy).

Help preschoolers build on successes with Positive Behavior Supports:

• Assist with transitions, like when it is time to eat dinner, take a bath, or go to bed.
• Maintain learning routines.
• Attract and hold a child’s attention.
• Increase their understanding of spoken words using visual symbols
• Enable a child to focus on a message or situation through social stories.