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Mrs. Villasana’s Classroom Edit display name

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Teachers strive to have a classroom full of students who love to read. Unfortunately for many, especially those with special needs, reading is stressful, overwhelming and anything but fun. As a special education teacher, I am an expert at using visuals and images to help students create connections to people and places in the stories we read. My goal is to teach them how to create those mental images on their own. However, most of my students are often still confused. They lack understanding and have low comprehension with simple visual representations. Creating adapted books makes reading accessible to all learners! When my students have their comprehension pieces presented throughout their book with icons and visuals, comprehension increases dramatically. I have not only been able to introduce more stories but increase both fluency and comprehension. My students have a new joy of reading since introducing adapted materials. Adapting books is quick and easy with the right materials. I have been able to take books our general education peers are reading and adapt them so that our students in the inclusive environment have been able follow along where they otherwise may have read something different or not at all. My students feel pride when they know they are doing exactly what their peers are. I am filled with gratitude when I know my students are genuinely included and have an increased chance at success.

About my class

Teachers strive to have a classroom full of students who love to read. Unfortunately for many, especially those with special needs, reading is stressful, overwhelming and anything but fun. As a special education teacher, I am an expert at using visuals and images to help students create connections to people and places in the stories we read. My goal is to teach them how to create those mental images on their own. However, most of my students are often still confused. They lack understanding and have low comprehension with simple visual representations. Creating adapted books makes reading accessible to all learners! When my students have their comprehension pieces presented throughout their book with icons and visuals, comprehension increases dramatically. I have not only been able to introduce more stories but increase both fluency and comprehension. My students have a new joy of reading since introducing adapted materials. Adapting books is quick and easy with the right materials. I have been able to take books our general education peers are reading and adapt them so that our students in the inclusive environment have been able follow along where they otherwise may have read something different or not at all. My students feel pride when they know they are doing exactly what their peers are. I am filled with gratitude when I know my students are genuinely included and have an increased chance at success.

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About my class

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