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.