From Article to Action: Creating Literacy-Rich Environments

OPEN IN VIEWER

“Literacy-Rich Environments for Young Students With Significant Developmental Disabilities” is an excellent exploration of evidence-based and universal design practices that support early literacy development for children with significant developmental disabilities. Authors Jennifer P. Stone, Christopher J. Rivera, and Stacy L. Weiss have provided practical strategies using the classroom environment, technology, and writing activities to enhance literacy. Here are some additional ideas for ways to extend the use of this valuable article.

Do You Work Directly With Young Children With Disabilities Who Are Also Dual Language Learners?

Using the categories set out by the authors (e.g., Creating a Classroom Library), consider which of the authors’ strategies might also be appropriate for children who are dual language learners. For example: What might you do differently in creating a classroom library? How might you incorporate environmental print in more than one language? How might you support writing activities? Note: For a great resource on this topic, consider YEC Monograph 14: Supporting Young Children Who Are Dual Language Learners With or At-Risk for Disabilities.

Do You Provide Professional Development as an Instructor or Faculty Member?

The authors have provided a great list of resources for creating a literacy-rich environment (Table 1). As an instructor, this would be an excellent resource for supporting students to simultaneously learn about literacy, universal design for learning, and ways in which to individualize. For example, ask students to read the article, then develop a comparable list of resources for children who are dual language learners, are racially and ethnically diverse, and have had little prior experience with books. Ask students to consider which of the resources in Table 1 would still be appropriate, and which new resources they would need to identify. Encourage students to work together to create a chart or matrix that illustrates the different resources they’ve identified and the specific audiences for which they would be effective resources.