<![CDATA[KATIE BRADY LCSW PLLC

<![CDATA[KATIE BRADY LCSW PLLC - Blog]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 17:56:54 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Adapted Books for Beginning Readers]]>Mon, 09 Sep 2024 19:55:14 GMThttps://www.katiebradylcsw.com/blog/adapted-books-for-beginning-readers

Adapted books aren't new - they're commonly used in the special education world. When students are not yet reading a book in the traditional way, teachers often adapt the book so the student can access the content. There's many ways a teacher might adapt a book. Here's a few of my favorites:

1. Teaching the method of reading a book - Some students are still learning the sequence of reading a book. The title page...turn pages one by one, engaging with each page...and the ending. This is a book I created on School Tools. The book has matching pictures already attached to each page. The student turns the pages one by one, pulling off a picture, and putting it into a slow. When the student reaches the end of the book and puts the last picture in, they are all done.

2. Increasing engagement and meaning - For students with emerging picture matching skills, teachers might adapt books in a variety of ways to increase engagement and meaning in literacy.

Student turns pages of book one by one, matching picture from left to right.

3. Supporting reading comprehension - Many autistic students struggle with reading comprehension - they can often "read" or decode written words at a level that exceeds their understanding of the content. By adapting books with visual supports, like this example that prompts "_________ dressed up as a _______," and interspersing the questions throughout the book, this teacher is using visual supports to help their student to comprehend the story and answer questions.

Student reads each page, finds the matching identical picture, and places on the page.

Student uses picture cards at bottom to demonstrate understanding.

There's many more ways to adapt books - what's your favorite method? Let me know in the comments! By the way, all these adapted books (and more!) are available in Katie Brady's Structured Teaching Shop on Teachers Pay Teachers.

]]><![CDATA[Preparing for Summer Camp]]>Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.katiebradylcsw.com/blog/testPreparing for sending a neurodivergent child to summer camp is more than remembering to pack the sunscreen and bug spray. Caregivers and camp staff alike can (and should!) work together to proactively set the ND child up for success.

I once worked with a child who was super into Ancient Egypt. His mom found a camp that was having a week focused on Ancient Egypt, and it seemed like all the stars had aligned. Alas, the child's expectations were that, literally, every single activity during the week would be related to Ancient Egypt, so when the counselors introduced a game or activity on the first day that was NOT related to Ancient Egypt...chaos ensued. Meltdowns occurred. The camp, in the end, did not work out.

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