Literacy for Visual Learners

by Adele Devine, Quentin Devine (Illustrations)

This book takes a fresh look at approaches to teaching reading, writing and communication skills. It presents a wealth of innovative ideas specifically designed to support visual learners, including those with autism spectrum conditions and special educational needs. Some children are more responsive to visual stimulation than spoken words, and this book shows how to engage these children in literacy lessons by using strategies that cover everything from the latest assistive technology to getting creative on a limited budget. There are tips for sharing stories with children who find it hard to sit still, supporting reluctant writers, enabling the pre-verbal child to answer questions and helping the child who never stops talking to develop listening skills. The strategies are supported by practical resources, examples and case studies, to show how to instil in children the confidence to create and share their thoughts. This is a must-have resource for special education teachers and coordinators, as well as speech and language therapists, looking for new strategies for teaching literacy.

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2015

Reviews

[Mairéad · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5/5 Found this quite a slog in parts, very repetitive and a little preachy, it really missed the mark for me. Had been hoping for lots of practical suggestions and new information but, aside from the specific digital resource created by the author which I haven't previously heard of, everything mentioned is pretty common knowledge for literacy teachers today.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very accessible and inspiring. Ms Devine must be a wonderful teacher although I imagine she might be a little irritating to other staff, and I'm glad she's aware that some children with autism don't enjoy over-the-top praise and enthusiasm. I like the way she refers to children who cannot speak as "pre-verbal" (rather than nonverbal) - a simple example of her overwhelmingly can-do attitude.

This is a great introduction-to-everything which briefly covers Montessori, Intensive Interaction, Makaton, music therapy, eye gaze technology (which I hadn't heard of before) and many other topics, and is the most comprehensive and up-to-date basic resource I have come across. The case studies are excellent. Some slight repetition could have been removed by more ruthless editing, particularly in regard to handwriting no longer being so vitally necessary - she convinced me the first time.

There is an index and bibliography for those interested in researching any of the topics further.

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plenty of heart but would have benefited from a ghost writer. I didn't feel the book was as concise, well laid out, or as well researched as other books that I've been reading recently. Aside from a helpful suggestion of an iPad app, I didn't find the book particularly useful.