The Giver Project
Designing Inclusive Sensory Storytimes and Library Lessons
Resources for Designing Storytimes
If you are interested in reading more about my research, me presentation from the IASL Conference can be found here.
Bag Books and Tactile Stories
When creating storytimes, Jackie puts together items that have interesting tactile elements, but are also realistic to the the experience a child may have in that situation or to the point of the story if re-telling an existing story. The subject matter should be a topic that will speak to the pupil and the creation of a narrative.
The props are attached to cards to offer a sturdy surface upon which the pupil can interact, as well as a way to move the story along and put control in the storyteller's hands.
Some things to consider:
*Set up of the room. Jackie likes to put the students in a semi circle in chairs so that eye contact can be established- and to keep all students on the same level.
*Tone and pitch of voice. Think about your audience and what is appropriate for their needs and age.
*Go to the students if this works better for them! They are still getting the benefit of the story.
Structure of Storytime and Resources for Storytelling
Most of my storytimes for elementary school students that I give at the Public Library go in this order:
See this doc for examples.
- Welcome Song
- Introduction Song
- Book (introducing a theme that weaves through)
- Song
- Storytelling (Tactile Story)
- Song/Movement Activity
- Book
- Bubbles
- Good-bye Song
My storytimes for my High School students go like this:
- Book (chosen from stack by students)
- Discussion about topic
- Tactile Story
- Book (chosen from stack by students)
Learn to Move, Move to Learn! by Jenny Clark Brack
Early Literacy Storytimes @ your library: Partnering with Caregivers for Success by Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting and Pamela Martin-Diaz
Others that I have on my list to check out:
Programming for Children and Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Barbara Kipper
REMEMBER: Read things that YOU find informative, fun, interesting. This translates to a better storytime.
Social Stories and Stories to Create a Bond
Click here for a PDF of one I wrote for visiting the Iowa City Public Library.
Click here for one I put together with two of my high school students. I brought down the pages with just the photos, and we wrote the story together. Then, we went up to the library and located all the places I had mentioned. This was very specific for their interests.
In my elementary practicum, I prepared a Smart Notebook document with an introduction to basic things in my life to create a bond between myself and the students. After reading the info sheets provided by the Special Education Classroom teachers, I made a mock-up of a page for each of the students. They each said “This is __________. He likes to eat ______________ (a picture of a cake, an apple, a cheese). He likes __________________ (and then three more picture options). When we did the lesson on the Smart Board, student who had the motor skills to write in their name did, and each of them worked to pick from the Photo options. I took their photo while they looked for books and added them to the story, and then I e-mailed it to each teacher. It really broke the ice and each of the students had a lot of fun and I was able to differentiate how much I did based upon the needs of each student.
See the Gray Center for more!