Support and outreach

For both young and adult readers alike, new literacy skills must be practised and reinforced in different contexts daily. So, it is essential that all people involved with the individual are aware of what the student is learning, and how they can help in the transfer of skills to other areas of that person’s life. Communication and co-operation between support networks and learners in the home, teaching and work environments can maximize “learning in context” opportunities. In fact, recent work by Beck and Hatt (1998) indicates that such support networks can be crucial in helping learners in “early literacy stages” advance to the point where they are prepared for entry into more mainstream literacy programming.

Koppenhaver and Erickson (1994) emphasize how important it is that learners with developmental disabilities have exposure to written materials, regardless of their current literacy levels, in their home or social environments. Keep pencils and paper at hand, and use the local library so learners can choose the books, videos or tapes they are interested in. Learners benefit from watching others use print materials, listening to others read and having opportunities to discuss books, re-tell the stories or ask and answer questions. Doing homework regularly and having someone to provide help when necessary can also be important in supplementing literacy instruction.

There are endless opportunities to reinforce literacy skills through day-to-day activities. Learners understand and retain more when words in their new vocabulary are directly related to their real-world activities. Some ideas include