Resources for Reading

 

This page offers evidence-based and inclusive reading resources for learners with complex and/or significant communication needs.

Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities

Using the Four Blocks framework, Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities is built on the work of Dr. Karen Erickson, Dr. David Koppenhaver, and Dr. Caroline Musselwhite.

Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities offers information, research-based instructional approaches, and effective instructional and learning strategies to support school leaders, teachers, and other specialists working to better meet the literacy and communication needs of students with significant disabilities. 

Digital libraries and book collections

  • πŸ”— Visit Monarch Reader

    Monarch Reader (previously Tar Heel Reader) is more than just a digital library; it’s a reading exploration platform designed to meet the needs of beginning readers of all ages and the adults who support them.

  • πŸ”— Visit RNIB Bookstore

    RNIB Bookstore UK education collection provides textbooks and materials to support the UK curriculum. They offer a range of accessible formats that can bar read electronically or adapted to suit the personal reading needs of learners. They have 781,315 titles with more being added all the time!

  • πŸ”— Visit Unite for Literacy

    Unite for Literacy is a collection of e books on a wide range of topics. These can be narrated and shared on a big screen in the classroom and shared with families via a free and easy to use app. Bringing joyful reading into your classroom and supporting learners & their families at home to build a daily habit of reading together and encourage language and literacy development.

  • πŸ”— Visit Oxford Owl

    Oxford Owl's free eBook library has been created to help children aged 3–11 to develop their reading skills at home. You’ll find books from Oxford’s most popular primary school brands including Oxford Reading Tree and Read Write Inc., as well as stories from the Read with Oxford range, all available for free.

  • πŸ”— Visit Access to Books

    Physical access to books can be a barrier for some students with significant disabilities. For some learners, physically holding a book and turning its pages may be difficult or impossible as might hearing and/or seeing books. Some learners may require page fluffers to turn pages, digital books on a device that allow the user to touch to turn the page or use a switch to turn pages…

  • πŸ”— Visit Shared Reading

    Shared reading is an evidence-based instructional approach. The focus during shared reading is on the interaction and meaning making that occurs when a child and adult look at or read a book together. Shared reading would benefit any emergent reader, regardless of their age, and can be done individually or in small groups…

  • πŸ”— Visit Guided Reading

    Guided reading is an evidence-based instructional approach that teaches students how to comprehend text. A main difference between shared vs. guided reading is that during shared reading, interactions are maximized. During guided reading, thinking is maximized…

  • πŸ”— Visit Self-Selected Reading

    Self Selected Reading is a time for students to explore and read books independently at their own level. The goal of self-directed reading is to create authentic opportunities for students to see themselves as competent and engaged readers…

  • πŸ”— Visit Booking

    CALL Scotland have worked with Scottish Book Trust, the authors and publishers to create Accessible Copies of these books so that learners with print disabilities can read and participate in the Book Prize.

    Professionals working in schools in Scotland can create a free account and download these books for their learners with print disabilities.

    Print disabilities can include people with physical, sensory or learning difficulties.

  • πŸ”— Visit BookTrust

    Enjoy storytime with a selection of free online books.

  • πŸ”— Visit Calibre Audio

    Calibre Audio is a national charity lending free audiobooks to anyone who is print disabled.

    They believe that everyone deserves to lose themselves in a good book and their audiobook services can be accessed to suit every individual's needs.

  • πŸ”— Visit Book Creator

    Book Creator is an inclusive, digital, interactive book creation app which can be used collaboratively in the classroom. Each teacher can create one library and up to 40 books at no cost (upgrades are available). WIth over 100 accessibility features it is a really useful resources for the SEND classroom.

  • πŸ”— Visit Phonic Books

    Phonic Books is a collection of books and resources for beginner and catch-up readers. Written by three teachers, the books are designed to engage and enthuse beginner and reluctant readers. The site also holds free resources for teachers and parents.


  • πŸ”— Visit Every Cherry Books

    Easier Classic written in a consistent layout with simplified text, dyslexia friendly font, glossary definitions, embossed sensory elements on every cover, illustrations on every spread and a free audio book with each title.

Shared reading for early emergent literacy learners

Teaching students with cognitive challenges to read with Judy O’Halloran

Diagram showing the interconnected strands of skilled reading and word recognition, illustrating the progression from background knowledge and vocabulary to fluent text comprehension through increasingly strategic and automatic processes.

Teaching The Reading Rope, Phonic Books

Sensory book based activities for pupils with additional support and complex needs