Special Needs Literacy

Posted by Lynn Moore Feb 21, 2007

Here are some ways to use Dr. Seuss’s ABC with special needs readers:

1. Read the book for letter recognition. Each page shows the uppercase and lowercase of one letter.
2. Read the book for letter searches. Count how many words begin with the targeted letter of the alphabet. For example, there are eleven letter Ts or words that begin with T on the page about turtles.
3. Read the book for practice with alphabetical order. Before turning the page, ask which letter will be next.
4. Read the book for vocabulary development. Seuss offers multiple words for each letter of the alphabet.
5. Read the book for silly fun. As your child sees you enjoy the fun of Seuss rhymes and antics, he will be drawn into a love of reading.
6. Read the book for memory skills. Can your child tell you what the page says? He may not necessarily be reading it, but remembering words or ideas on a page is an important pre-reading skill.
7. Read the book for repetition. Teachers know that a book that is read again and again builds reading fluency and comprehension.

Dr. Seuss’s ABC provides much more than fun. It is a book that promotes literacy and reading development for the child with special needs.

Has your child sent The Cat in the Hat a birthday card yet? For each ecard sent from this site by May 1, 2007, Random House will donate a new book to First Book for a needy child.