Parents of deaf children are focused on empowering their child to talk and later to read. How do pattern books assist in the development of reading skills?
This technique is appropriate for children with hearing loss (deaf, hard of hearing, and those with a cochlear implant). Other special needs children (autistic, developmentally delayed, LD, ADD, ADHD) also benefit from books with repeating text. In fact, using books with repetition is a typical step in teaching all children to read.
What is a pattern book? Pattern books (sometimes called repeat or predictable books) use the same phrase or sentence with one changing word on each page. For example:
- Page 1: The dog saw a boy.
- Page 2: The dog saw a bone.
- Page 3: The dog saw a shoe.
- etc.
Why are pattern books helpful for deaf children learning to read?
- Repetition of words / phrases allow the child to focus on one changing word.
- Patterns in books build reading fluency. (Fluency is how smoothly something is read.)
- Predictability of the words builds confidence in reading skills.
- The ease of reading a pattern book takes some of the pressure off. Children approach reading as an enjoyable activity.
How to Use a Pattern Book with a Struggling Reader
- Parent reads the book aloud with feeling, making it fun.
- Parent reads the book again (maybe at a different time), encouraging the child to join in repeating parts.
- The child begins to feel comfortable "reading" the book and begins to read it on his own to the parent.
- Encourage the child to read the book to family members, stuffed animals and toys, and even to the family pet.
Is this really reading?
Pattern books teach these beginning skills:
- Looking for familiar words and phrases
- Understanding that books can be fun
- Building confidence
- Knowing that books follow a sequence
- Reading words from left to right
- Practice turning pages
No one picked up a novel or the newspaper and immediately began reading. Enjoy this step in your child's reading development!
Pattern Books
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. ISBN: 0805047905
- Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann ISBN: 0399230033
- Good Night, Moon by Margaret Wise Brown ISBN: 0694003611
- Have You Seen My Cat? by Eric Carle ISBN: 0689817312
- Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr. ISBN: 0805053883
- Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Annie Kubler ISBN: 0859537986
My next article:
Teaching Reading to the Deaf: Make a Pattern Book
The copyright of the article Teaching Reading to the Deaf in Special Needs Parenting is owned by Lynn Moore. Permission to republish Teaching Reading to the Deaf must be granted by the author in writing.
