Claire Hatcher-Smith
Much has been written about promoting reading for pleasure in mainstream settings, both at home and at school, but literacy skills and a love of books and reading plays an equally crucial role in SEND (Special Education Needs and Disabilities) provision, not only in terms of academic achievement, but also social, emotional, cognitive, and language development.
SEND settings obviously cover a wide range of skills and strengths and challenges but the general approaches to promoting reading for pleasure are very similar to those which can be adopted in more mainstream settings. The following ideas come from my experience as a mum, a speech and language therapist and a children's author. They are not set in stone and they are certainly not exhaustive. Feel free to play around and find which work best in your homes and classrooms with your children and students.
1) First and foremost, make books and reading fun:
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For most children, a love of reading begins with story time. And being read to doesn't need to end just because you can read to yourself. Shared reading is a very different experience from independent reading, involving relationship and connection and fulfilling social needs, as well as educational goals and entertainment. Read aloud often and use different voices, noises, props and costumes. And remember, many children with SEND will be able to process spoken language beyond their reading level and being read to, allows for consolidation and extension of vocabulary, concepts, syntax and speech sound processing.
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Arrange outings which link to the topics/themes/characters in the books you are reading as a class or family.
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Encourage the children to dress up as the different characters, pretend to be the characters and interview each other.
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Play audiobooks while children are painting, playing or eating.
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Model reading as a fun activity. Be caught reading when the kids come in from break of get home from school. Make a show of stopping and wanting to read just one more page. Then read it aloud to them. Make it a few pages, as a "special treat."
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Make a cosy reading space, with any available cushions and blankets. Arrange books at an accessible height, within easy reach and, if possible, with outward-facing covers.
2) Give children autonomy and choice:
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Offer a wide variety of diverse and inclusive books at all reading levels, so everyone has the chance to see themselves represented. And include all sorts of books in all genres. Non-fiction and fiction. Adventure books. Sad books. Funny books. Scary. Graphic novels and comics and magazines too.
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Make reading and chatting about books as accessible as possible. Encourage and use signing, symbols and AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) so all types of learners and communicators feel included.
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Let the children choose the books they want to read, regardless of age or reading level, and allow them to choose the same books over and over again. Familiarity and repetition can be very important for many children. In school settings, try to ensure continuity between different year groups, so children can continue with their favourites when they switch class. And build on familiar texts by offering different titles by the same authors.
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Keep up to date with individual children's interests, hobbies and life experiences and try to reflect these in the books on offer.
3) Explore different ways of reading together, both to promote reading for pleasure, but also a bridge to independent reading:
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You read a page, then the child read a page/sentence/word/names or comments on a picture.
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Talk about the pictures. There is no right way to enjoy a book. Nurture your children's love of leafing through the pages and pouring over the pictures. Let them move on and turn the page whenever they're ready, rather than insisting on reading all the text.
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Use signing, symbols and AAC so children can read the words out loud if they want to. But never force reading aloud when reading for pleasure.
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Explore digital resources, such as e-readers, apps, audiobooks and online libraries, which can provide access to a wider range of materials and support a greater range of diverse needs and strengths.
4) Silent reading can be intimidating or unrealistic for some children, so don't be afraid to make reading a social activity for anyone who needs it:
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Create opportunities for children to chat about what they're reading with you or with their peers.
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Chat can be informal or as part of a more structured book club.
5) Arrange author visits:
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Author visits are not just for mainstream schools. Many of us love working in SEND settings.
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Author visits really help to create a buzz around reading as a fun activity, not just as a subject which must be learned.
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Many authors also offer virtual visits, if these work better with your students' needs.
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Many author websites also offer videos and fun (as well as more formal) class activities which link to their particular books.
6) Some children will struggle to sit down with a book, so make reading active if needed:
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Act out chapters or scenes or whole stories (using puppets, if the children prefer).
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Read aloud to the children and let them draw characters and actions and scenery etc from the book.
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Let children move around while listening to audiobooks, or listening to you read aloud.
Claire has worked with children for thirty years and never met a kid she didn't like (even the sticky ones). She believes every child has the right to be seen and heard, even if, especially when, it makes other people uncomfortable. Originally from the UK, Claire now lives surrounded by sea on Vancouver Island, with her partner, their son and a Korean rescue dog. Her website is: Claire Hatcher-Smith | The Mizzy Mysteries