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Let’s ALL Read! Adapting Grade Level Text for Students with Extensive Support ​​Needs

By Kevin Wong posted 11 days ago

  

Let’s ALL Read! Adapting Grade Level Text for Students with Extensive Support ​​Needs

By Shawnee Wakeman, Holly Johnson, and Amy Clausen

Child reading a book in her classroom

When including students with extensive support needs (ESN), some students can engage with grade level text, but others may not in its original form. An adapted text may be needed. Don’t assign different texts to these students whenever possible. Instead, either ​​find or create accessible grade-level texts (see resource 1 and 2). 

When adapting books, consider not only potential barriers to the text itself (e.g., size of font, length and complexity of language, lack of images in chapter books, expectations for reading such as decoding text, sight word fluency needed to read, vocabulary), but also the potential physical barriers that exist for students with fine motor or visual limitations (e.g., students not being able to turn the pages, students potentially tearing pages, the need for visual or tactile cues added to text (​​Lee, 2010; see resource 3). 

There are two main types of adaptations to original text that teachers can create to make grade-level text more accessible for students with ESN in inclusive classrooms: physical and content adaptations.  

1. Physical adaptations to the book 

  • Physically altering a printed text  
    • Cut pages out and laminate them
    • Bind the book or put it in a three-ring binder 
  • Adding images or symbols the student will recognize and that do not require inference skills to interpret meaning
    • Add simple, age-appropriate and relevant pictures at the beginning of chapter summaries
    • Pair symbols or images with important keywords  Add tactile pieces for the student to track or follow along with the text
      • Covering the title in foam letters
      • Underlining important information in puff paint
      • Using pipe cleaners to frame important words or images 
  • Adding materials to make it easier for the student to turn the pages of the book
    • Add a handle with a pipe cleaner
    • Attach different color popsicle sticks or clothespins to pages      
    • Use foam stickers between pages to make the pages not stick together 

2. Adapting Content

As you make adaptations, consider what essential understandings all children should have after reading the text and what content is needed to answer the questions you will ask all readers (e.g., literal, inferential, recall, or summary). Adaptations include: 

  • Defining original vocabulary in a less complex way and including fringe vocabulary (i.e., low frequency vocabulary words that are specific to an activity, typically nouns)
    • Prepare AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices to include all vocabulary ahead of the lesson 
  • Shortening the text based on individual students' needs, leaving in as much detail as possible without making it too ​​long.

    The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

    Chapter 5- Back on This Side of the Door; Chapter 6- Into the Forest; Chapter 7- A Day with the Beavers; Chapter 8- What Happened After Dinner

    *Edmund and Lucy leave Narnia and return to Professor Kirke’s house, but Edmund lies to Petere and Susan about having been to Narnia, which hurts Lucy immensely. Peter and Susan seek advice from Professor Kirke, who tells them that Lucy may be telling the truth about finding a magical country. When Mrs. Macready gives a tour of the house, all four children hide in the wardrobe and are able to enter Narnia together. They find Mr. Tummus’ home empty and read a notice saying he’s been arrested for high treason against the White Witch. The children want to help Mr. Tummus, but a talking animal name Mr. beaver tells them they are in danger and must come with him to safety. At the Beavers’ dam, the children are told that Askan the Lion, the true king of Narnia, has been seen an that he will put a stop to the White Witch’s evil rule. The children also learn that they will paly a part in the Witch’s defeat because a prophecy says that when four humans sit in the throne at the castle of Cair Paravel, the Witch will die.

    1. Vocabulary- Look for the vocabulary words in the passage. Fill out the table below.

    Vocabulary Word

    Definition/Synonym

    Notes/Drawing

    extremely, very much

    personal opinion

    to betray; unfaithful

    law

    prediction

    a place of royalty

    https://www.pluggedin.com/book-reviews/lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

  • Rewriting the text as a summary. You can do this by pre-reading the text, summarizing each page or chapter to capture the main idea, and then rewriting the page or chapter using a summary statement. 
  • Reduce the Lexile Level closer to the student’s reading level (i.e., simplifying the language used within the text) while still maintaining the content from the grade-level text. 
  • Use a predictable structure or using repeated story ​​lines.

    Chapter 1

    In front of Lina was a boy named Doon. He was concentrating very hard. His hair was messy, like it had not been combed in a while. His hair was dark and thick. His eyebrows made him look serious and angry. His clothes were very old.

    The students sat in their seat until the mayor visited their classroom. He stressed how important every job was. Some jobs were good jobs. Greenhouse helper, or messenger were good jobs. Some years there were bad job. Pipework labor or trash sifter were bad jobs. The mayor asked who wanted to go first. Each student pulled a job from the back. Before Lina’s turn, two good jobs and two great jobs had already been picked. Lina pulled out her piece of paper and unfolded it. Written on the paper it said Pipeworks laborer. Lina just stared at her paper.

When considering whether or not to use an adapted text (i.e., Are there barriers that are alleviated by an adapted text?), decisions should be based upon student individual needs.  Adapted texts can increase accessibility of text for students with ESN to allow these students to potentially better interact with text. Before you adapt a text, be an investigator! There are numerous sites with different forms of adapted text ready for ​​use, but be prepared to evaluate whether the text is age appropriate and retains the necessary content for instruction (i.e., not OVERLY adapted or reduced in complexity; see resource 4).  

References 

Lee, Angel. 2010. Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities: Adapting Books. Modules Addressing Special Education and Teacher Education (MAST). East Carolina University. https://mast.ecu.edu/Students%20with%20Significant%20Intellectual%20Disabilities/Adapting%20Books/index.html  

Resources 

  1. This content is a summary of our TIPS Series document Creating Accessible Grade-level Texts for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms found at https://tiescenter.org/FoundationsofInclusion  
  2. For more information about making decisions about using an adapted text, see Considerations for Using Accessible Grade-level Texts in the Inclusive Classroom found at https://tiescenter.org/ Foundations of Inclusion
  3. For more information about making physical adaptations to books, see the MAST module on adapting books by Dr. Angel Lee.  https://mast.ecu.edu/Students%20with%20Significant%20Intellectual%20Disabilities/Adapting%20Books/index.html
  4. Some sites with adapted texts:  
  • Project IMPACT https://projectimpact.uncc.edu/ 
  • The Tar Heel Reader https://tarheelreader.org/
  • The Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities http://www.ric.edu/sherlockcenter/wwslist.html

Dr. Shawnee Wakeman is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Special Education and Child Development at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research interest includes access to the general curriculum including how it is enacted for students with extensive support needs in a variety of settings and teacher preparation. Dr. Wakeman has been the Principal Investigator or Co-PI on several federally funded (OSEP and IES) projects including Project IMPACT: Inclusion Made Practical for All Children and Teachers and The TIES Center: Increasing Time, Instructional Effectiveness, Engagement, and State Support for Inclusive Practices for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities. 

Dr. Holly Johnson is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education and Child Development at UNC Charlotte. Her research and teaching interests include multi-tiered interventions, applied behavior analysis, positive behavior interventions and support, teacher support through effective professional development and coaching, and student engagement.

Amy Clausen, PhD, is an assistant professor of special education at Winthrop University in South Carolina. A proud Kappa Delta Pi alumna, her research interests include access to the general curriculum for students with extensive support needs and preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms. 
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