Vocabulary/Reading lesson for Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities

Birgit Shipman, Riverbend High School/Spotsylvania County Schools, Teach ID/Severe

• Reading ASOL (Aligned Standards of Learning)
  High School
• Reporting Category: Use word analysis strategies and word reference materials.
  HSE-RW 1 – The student will
  c) determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words by using context.

• Reading component: Vocabulary
  Objective 1: By __________, the student will learn 5 new vocabulary words and demonstrate understanding of words by matching pictures to text with 80 % accuracy.
• Objective 2: By __________, the student will learn 8 multiple-meaning words and demonstrate understanding of multiple-meaning words by matching pictures to text with 80 % accuracy.

Depending on the needs of the student, this lesson may take from at least 90 minutes to several days.

• Individual picture cards representing words that have multiple meanings as well as words that may be unfamiliar to the student (use words from SMART board activity).
• SMART board activity “multiple meaning” retrievable fromhttp://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=45a72fcc-76c5-410a-ac1e-02bc740f8014
• yes/no communication switch/PECS and/or communication device (depending on the individual student’s communication profile)
• checklist (for easy recording of student answers)

vocabulary-lesson-data-sheet (.doc)

High School

• SMARTboard
• AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), such as two-choice communication switches, PECS, etc.
• SMART board activity “multiple meaning” retrievable fromhttp://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=45a72fcc-76c5-410a-ac1e-02bc740f8014 (requires FREE account)

Read “A Chocolate Moose for Dinner” by Fred Gwynne (which will soon become your students favorite book!). Talk about the multiple-meaning words within the story.

Introduction:Present vocabulary and multiple-meaning words to students (in written and picture format) and identify words that are currently unknown. Students will identify unknown words by answering yes/no questions or touching word/picture cards that are unfamiliar to them (focus on their individual form of communication). Explain the concept of multiple-meaning words by using word examples that are familiar to all students, such as “Autumn.” Autumn is a student in the classroom, but the word also represents one of the seasons (fall).

Activities: Group work – Present the SMART board activity “Multiple Meaning.” Read each sentence out loud and provide verbal descriptions of pictures for students with visual impairments. Find the matching picture and model how to match pictures to multiple meaning words. Think out loud as you are providing students with this example. Students will then take turns coming up to the SMART board and selecting the matching picture. Follow up with specific yes/no questions to measure understanding. Take notes or assign para to take notes using pre-made checklist. For those words that are unfamiliar to students, provide the student with a sentence that has meaning to him/her (link to prior knowledge/relate to context). Provide as little clues/prompts as possible and check for understanding frequently.

Assess throughout the activity. After completion of the group activity, break into individual instruction. Teacher/paras work with one student at a time. Ask students to match pictures to a description of a word. The student will then identify which picture represents the same word, but has a different meaning. Use yes/no questions to ensure understanding. For those students who use communication devices, pre-program the device to include required words. Take careful notes using pre-made checklists.

Modification: If the student continues to show little understanding of unknown words after providing clues and prompts, reduce the number of words. Provide one word at a time and relate to concrete objects that the student can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste (if possible). Relate back to this word in other lessons and different settings to check for generalization skills. Use structured and repetitive instruction to teach 2 words at a time.
(This lesson plan may require further modifications depending on the student’s needs.)

vocabulary-lesson-data-sheet (.doc)