My students need storytelling Kits to be able to express their understanding and comprehension of stories since they are unable to communicate verbally.
The RISE Program focuses on functional life skills instruction by teaching the Essential Elements of the Common Core Standards. These students have very low cognitive ability and are working on cause and effect interaction with materials, social skills, and life skills.
These students need opportunities and learn and practice pre-academic skills and routine.
Academics are more functional and practical application.
Students accessing the program demonstrate the need for intensive instructional strategies taught in small sequential steps with opportunities to practice and generalize skills. They require supports in all areas of development which may include the application of academic skills, self-care, daily living, leisure, safety, and community access. Most students in the Community Skills Program are assessed through alternate measures (MAP-A) reflecting on their use of skills learned.
My Project
A struggle these students often face is being able to demonstrate their understanding of things due to their communication barriers. Storytelling kits allow for students to demonstrate their knowledge so that others can better understand their abilities. Students can answer questions about the stories by providing the correct pieces when asked about sequencing, matching pieces to pictures from the book, and even providing a specific piece when asked. This would align with benchmarks and goals outlined by multiple students' IEPs.
The use of storytelling kits allows for students to be able to express their understanding and comprehension of stories in a way that does not require verbal language.
Storytelling kits keep the students engaged in the activity as well as provides them with an opportunity to follow 1- or multi-step directions. Students can demonstrate that they are actively engaged by following directions such as "pick a piece". This would align with benchmarks and goals outlined by multiple students' IEPs.
The use of the felt board provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of prepositions. Students can do so by placing pictures over, under, or in other story telling pieces. This would provide students with an opportunity to continue working on their language concepts that align with benchmarks and goals outlined by multiple students' IEPs.
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