Young boy at table playing with small game pieces.
Language/Literacy growth begins as soon as a child begins to explore and make sense of the surrounding world. 

Literacy can be defined broadly to include all forms of communication whether conveyed through reading, writing, visual media, speaking, listening, or alternative forms of communication such as sign language. 

Quote image "All student should have the opportunity to receive literacy instruction in a way that is meaningful for them."-Keefe & Copeland

Let’s Play: Building Language and Literacy into Every Day…

is a Language/Literacy Resource Guide that will help parents know what to look for so they can see the beginning stages of language and literacy development in their young children, both with or without disabilities. Parents will learn how to balance an interest in the young child’s speech with opportunities to develop, use and strengthen the other language systems to support the expansion of early speech efforts.

An overwhelming amount of research now demonstrates that all language systems develop together (“Concurrent Model of Language/Literacy Development”). We cannot separate the literacy community from the social community. This packet of information shows how language, symbols and thinking or cognition develop in interaction. We regret that hard copies of the packet are no longer available however, all of the resources, in Spanish and in English, can be downloaded for free, by clicking on the links provided.

If you are interested in a copy, email [email protected].

Samples of CELL Practice guides:

Talking/Listening (PDFs): Babble On, Who’s Listening?, Listen Up

Reading/Stories (PDFs): Tell Me, Read Again, Being a Storyteller

Drawing/Writing (PDFs): Instant Finger Drawing, Write Right, Art of Writing

Rhymes/Sounds: Diaper Ch-Ch-Changes, Fun Finger Games, Movin’ and Groovin’ Nursery Rhymes

Gestures/Signing (PDFs): Infant Signing Dictionary, Sign a Song, Sign Me Up

This packet was produced with funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education through the State Personnel Development Grant, CDF 84.323A, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
Let play , building literacy and language into every day cover image
Contents:

DVDs of Tiny Fingers to Tiny Voices: Sign Language for Beginners

Building Blocks for Literacy and Language by Christopher Kliewer, Ph.D., University of Northern Iowa

Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology, Sections 1 & 2: Family Center on Technology and Disability

Family Information Guide to Assistive Technology (Spanish version)

Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL): CellCasts, CellVideos

Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL): Spanish Practice Guides

Meaningful Participation in Literacy Instruction Across the Curriculum: How to Make it Happen

All students can and do benefit from literacy instruction when the instruction is appropriate for their learning needs and when they are provided the supports they require to learn. Participants at this conference learned to differentiate the basic components of effective literacy instruction across the curriculum to meet the individual needs of students. Strategies for learners with the full range of disabilities, including those with extensive needs for support, were addressed through discussion, demonstration, and hands-on learning activities.

Handouts from the conference included:

PDF “What is Literacy? The Power of a Definition” by L. Keefe & S. Copeland

PDF  “What is Literacy? The Power of a Definition” Article Summary

PDF  “Reading, Writing, and Friendship: Adult Implications of Effective Literacy Instruction for Students with Intellectual Disability” by A. Forts & R. Luckasson

PDF  “Meaningful Participation in Literacy Instruction Across the Curriculum: How to Make it Happen”

PDF  “Personal Literacy Action Plan”

PDF  “Wordless Picture Books” List

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