1. Gillian Pilcher gepilcher@fcps.edu gillian.pilcher@gmail.com
Can We Do Oreo Reading Now? Teaching Braille to Students with Multiple Disabilities
Gillian Pilcher

2. I-M-ABLE
I-M-ABLE begins with the expectation that all students who are blind or visually impaired and have additional disabilities are able to learn to read if reading is taught to them in a way that allows them to see it as meaningful to them.

3. Adapted Project Based Learning
a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge.

4. Introducing the Project Idea - Motivation
Build on student interests
Choose a project that is possible in the school or local community setting

5. Building the word list
Build words by accessing the student’s prior knowledge
Add the little words as needed, whole word contractions, single letter contractions, etc.

6. Material Prep Start by creating the final project (recipe)
Sometimes it is easy to forget the little words the student needs to “read” the final project
Create word cards for the new words
Create books that introduce 1 – 2 key words at a time.
New words should not be similar

7. More About Key Word Books Paths to Literacy Oreo Key Word Book Article
Each book contains many repetitions of the key word along with mastered words
Key word books should contain textured pictures or symbols. Keep them simple.
Write words above braille or provide a separate copy for the classroom teacher
Use sticky numbers to number pages
Make at least 3 copies

8. Key Word Book

9. My materials are ready. Now what? The Lesson
Word cards
Activities
Key Word Books/Reading Passages
Writing

10. Word Cards/Word Tiles Student reads words as quickly as possible
Take data
Turn this into a game or create sentences until all of the words have been read.

11. Activities
Making words
Making sentences
Word sort by beginning sound

12. Word Tiles How-To Cut plastic sheets into one inch strips.
Braille words onto braille labels or sheets.
Cut the plastic strips after the word.
Note: The tiles will be different sizes.

13. Making Words

14. Making Sentences Paths to Literacy Making Sentences Activity

15. Word Sort

16. Word Wall

17. Key Word Books/Passages
If the student has difficulty with a word or two after a weekend or break, use the key word books/passages that contain the difficult word.
Use predictable sentence structure.
Combining textures to make more complicated pictures.

18. Writing If possible use a talking brailler
Use the making words or sentences tiles to create the word and help the student “copy”
Always have the student go back to read what she wrote.

19. Reading in Math?

20. Adapting the Environment

21. The Recipes

22. The Recipes cont.

23. Moving On

24. Materials Extra Plastic Pages from Symbols and Meaning Kit
Felt Board (available from APH)
Brailler
Carousel of Textures
Braille stick-on labels/sheets
Wilson Reading System Instructional Materials, Print-Braille Magnetic Tiles And Journal
Braille Paper
Tri-fold Board (available from APH)
Velcro