Cheryl,

I am a librarian interested in developing a collection for adults with developmental disabilities. I've been told Adult ELL books are a good place to start. Do you have a background in ELL? Can I pick your brain?

Sherry

That sounds interesting! My background is in ELL, so I'm always looking for high interest books that have a more accessible reading level for learners to enjoy.

Gosh Cheryl, January flew by, didn't it?

I am applying for a grant, and I was specifically looking for books I could use in programming. Like when I have a program about romantic relationships, I can read a chapter from a book by a person with developmental disabilities (DD From here on out) about their experiences.

I am not sure any of these adults will be learning to read, if they don't already read. We have folks in our group who like to have children's books read to them, and folks who are reading Stephen King. What do you look for in an ELL book? Do you work with adults or children?

I have been searching for "own voices" books about (by) adults with developmental disabilities. So many books are about them, but written for a neurotypical audience. Can you think of any ELL books that feature a character with DD?

Thanks for your input,
Sherry

Interesting questions! I don't know if any ELL books like that off-hand, but I'll be watching for them now. I usually work with adult learners, and for them I look for interesting content first of all. If the content is engaging, it can go a long way to motivating learners and keeping them reading. Depending on their reading level, I look for young adult books that have won awards and have reviews from mainstream reviewers that highlight the story. I also look for cultural diversity of authors and characters to find more connections with readers. Often (but not always!) translated works are at an easier reading level. Other books would be well-known ones so readers would already have some knowledge of the story before getting into the English.

I don't know if those tips help (or if my response is too late!). I'd be interested if you come across any good suggestions as well!
Cheryl