Topic “Narrative/story-telling”  

Sheet of paper with 3 boxes drawn on them for yesterday, today and tomorrow.

A counter.

Optional: sets of symbol cards or pictures showing a variety of activities - including activities the student may have done.

You can create symbols cards using the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

1. Talk about each day, one at a time. Get the student to draw or write things they have done or will do in each box. Use the picture symbols if the student is having difficulty coming up with things.

2. When you have finished, explain that there is going to be a quiz. Describe an activity and the student must say if they did it yesterday, did it today or will do it tomorrow.

3. Have them step the counter over onto the right day.

Set of three pictures - one showing a picture of a child, one showing a picture (preferably of the same person!) at a similar age to the student and one a picture of an older person. These could be photographs or drawings.

Choose three ages which are appropriate/relevant for the student.

Large 'thought clouds ' on A3 or A4 paper:

Sticky tape

Pens

Picture symbol prompts if required.

You can create symbol prompts using the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

Calendar

Pens

Any activity or set of activities where the student might use a schedule or have a visual timetable.

You can create a visual timetable/schedule using the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

Camera to make the picture sequences (or alternatively you can draw them or use a commercial resource).

Resources as appropriate to carry out a simple sequence

Examples of sequences:

Clean teeth: get toothpaste, open lid, get brush, squeeze toothpaste onto brush, put lid back onto toothpaste, brush teeth, spit out, put brush under water, repeat, clean brush, put brush away.

Wash hands: turn on tap, rinse hands, put soap on hands, scrub hands, rinse under water, turn tap off, dry with towel.

Brush hair: get brush, brush hair, put brush away.

Deodorant: get deodorant, take off lid, spray at appropriate area, put lid back on, put away.

1. Carry out the sequence without the pictures;

2. Do it again, showing the relevant picture for each part of the activity as you do it;

3. Get the student to do the sequence, showing them a picture for each part of the sequence as they do it;

4. Get them to show you what to do by giving you a picture for each part of the sequence. Try to do exactly as the picture you are given indicates, for example if they give you a picture of scrubbing your hands before the tap is turned on/before you have the soap, try to do this - but appear confused when this doesn't work.

Optional - way of recording students responses - e.g. paper/pen, whiteboard/marker

1. Go round each student in turn asking what they have done today - e.g. "what did you do this morning": ideally one or two things each.
2. Write and/or sketch something (very roughly!!) under each student's name on the sheet of paper (you can use this as a prompt later).
3. After all students have said something, pretend to have "forotten" what they'd said - ask individual students to remind you, for example "Karen, what did Abdul do?" - use the prompt sheet if necessary.

Optional - way of recording students responses - e.g. paper/pen, whiteboard/marker

Soft ball or beanbag

Card with 3 boxes, for yesterday, today and tomorrow

A jumping frog (or any other toy animal that jumps!)

1. Talk about each day, one at a time. Have the child draw or write key things they have done or that they will do in each box.

2. When you have finished, explain that there is going to be a quiz. Describe an activity and the child must say if they did it yesterday, today or if they will do it tomorrow.

3. Have them jump the frog onto the right day.

Set of three toy animals - a small one, a medium sized one, and a large one - all the same colour - for example three plastic worms

Large 'thought clouds ' on A3 or A4 paper:

Sticky tape

Pens

Calendar

Pens

Any activity where you use a visual timetable

This activity is also suitable for working with children at lower levels: for example to develop communication about past present and future experiences (English Speaking P7), and sequence pictures of daily events (Maths Shape Space and Measures P8).

You can make a visual timetable with symbols using the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

Number action rhymes sheet

Follow the instructions on the number action rhymes sheet.

Letter tiles or letter cards, clear simple pictures

1. Stick the chosen picture into a book.

2. Draw short lines under the picture to stand for the letters of the picture.

3. Help the child select letter tiles or alphabet cards to put on the lines. Can you do some of the letters and the child finishes off the last letter?

4. Can the child copy the letter tiles to write about the picture?

5. As the child becomes familiar with the activity make 2 word descriptions of pictures etc

Photos of child engaged in clear actions e.g. going into dinner, playing outside, reading a book

1. Look at a photo with the child and encourage the child to talk about it. Write down 3 or 4 words about the photo using words the child is very familiar with.

2. Print out child's descriptive words in large type on computer.

3. Cut the printed words up. Can the child sequence the words to match the photo and stick the words under the photo.

4. Encourage the child to draw a picture of the photo and to copy the matching descriptive print.

5. Select a photo and encourage the child to talk about it. You start the writing to describe the photo e.g the first word. Can the child finish off the writing? It may help to draw dots for the child to write over to begin with.

Photo copies of some favourite pictures

Photo copies of the pictures' matching print

A black and white picture to colour.

Colouring pens

Letter tiles and alphabet cards

Play people, bricks, etc. as required

Can be done 1:1 or in a small group

Suggestions for stories:

1. dad, mum, baby, bike, bricks: dad: bye bye baby, bye, bye mum, etc., gets on bike, drives into bricks, falls off;

2. helicopter rescue: helicopter comes and rescues those on an island;

3. dog eats picnic when others aren't looking;

4. fire!: children spot a fire in a building - make a story about what they do next;

5. swim across crocodile infested river.

1. Show the child a story with the miniatures;

2. Get child to redo the story using the miniatures;

3. With the child make simple drawings for each key part of the story (the drawings do not need to be works of art);

4. Cut the pictures up and get the child to put them back in the right order;

5. Check if the story still works if you follow the sequence of pictures.

The stories can also be physically acted out.

For example:

1. getting materials required for an activity;

2. lining up;

3. making a drawing;

4. a simple game you play;

5. going to assembly;

6. turning on and listening to a tape recorder/CD/MP3 player;

7. Switching on a computer and doing something on it;

8. opening a pot of bubbles and blowing them;

9. making a sandwich;

10. (a little more complex): playground games such as 'had', 'hide and seek', 'football'

Materials as required.

1. Do the activity;

2. With the child make simple drawings for each key part of the activity (the drawings do not need to be works of art);

3. Cut the pictures up and get the child to put them back in the right order;

4. Try to follow the sequence of pictures to see if it works.

Familiar book

Photocopied pictures

Published sequencing cards (e.g. LDA cards)

Or worksheets with 3-4 picture sequences (Black Sheep have some ready made ones)

Photos of the child doing an everyday activity (i.e. a sequence of them)

Camera to make the picture sequences (or alternatively you can draw them or use a commercial resource).

Resources as appropriate to carry out a simple sequence

Examples of sequences (with suggested steps to make pictures for):

Putting on a jumper (get jumper, put head through, put arms through);

Drinking a drink (jug and cup, pour water into the cup, drink it)

Peeling and eating a piece of fruit (fruit, peel fruit, eat it)

Going to the door and lining up

Sitting down and eating dinner

Drawing a picture (pencil and paper, child drawing, finished picture)

Bubbles (unscrew lid, remove wand, blow bubbles)

Looking at a book (get it, open it, look at it)

1. Carry out the activity without the pictures;

2. Do it again, showing the relevant picture for each part of the activity as you do it;

3. Get the child to do the sequence, tell them what to do by showing them a picture for each part of the sequence;

4. Get them to show you what to do by giving you a picture for each part of the sequence. Try to do exactly as the picture you are given indicates, for example if they give you a picture of someone blowing bubbles without having given you the step for opening the bubbles container, try to blow the bubbles anyway (and act being disappointed when you don't get any bubbles).