Reading Resources for Additional Needs Groups

We now run nine reading groups for people with special or additional needs.Members of the groups range from people with mild learning disabilities to individuals who have severe physical and learning difficulties. We tend to use very bright coloured , tactile picture books,as well as books that emit sounds. We also use a wide range of multisensory artefacts which all tie into a central theme. For example, we may explore stories about the seaside and use a variety of shells, sand and seaweed, which stimulate a range of senses included small and touch.
We also have tactile seabirds which make realistic bird calls when squeezed. We can also introduce soundtracks of the seaside and explore the sense of taste using ice cream.
We tend to stay away from themes such as families or schools or books focusing on small children, as many members of the group cannot relate to these topics and are all adults. Books about general subjects such as animals, space, birds, rainforests and the seaside can be enjoyed by everyone,and can be interesting and informative without being too childish.


For groups with early onset Alzheimers we use a combination of poetry and short stories. These can range from classic stories to more contemporary poetry. We use material that we think will stimulate discussion (poetry is particularly good for this). People attending often talk about remembering a piece of work from earlier times, or what their interpretation of that piece is. Short stories also stimulate discussions about emotions, family, holidays, work etc. We never carry over a story to the following week, as the nature of Alzheimers tends to show that the perticipant will not have a clear recall of the previous weeks reading. We stop at appropriate points of the reading to ask for osbervations or ideas and always leave time at the end of the session to evaluate the story.


Groups for adults with challenging behaviour ,who also have have mild to moderate learning difficulties attend weekly reading sessions. We read ‘Quick Reads’ over the course of several weeks. We always read the book beforehand to ensure that that material is suitable. We have been running this group for over a year now and have always found appropriate material for them, although we may have to read three or four quick reads first before we find one that is suitable. We have also read a very abridged version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ which the group thoroughly enjoyed, so much so that they burst into spontaneous applause at the end. We also use Greek and Roman myths which prove popular and stimulate lots of ideas and discussion. We found that we cannot use any material that needs prior knowledge of the subject, such as ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’, because the group where not familiar with the events WWII or the Holocaust. This group will often suggest stories that they would like to hear and often we give them a choice of material and they chose the type of story they would like to hear next (romance, thriller, mystery, supernatural, sport etc)

Working with Special Needs Reading Groups

An innovative reading group programme for people in the community who have special needs has been implemented by Dundee Central Library. Taking part in the weekly groups are adults with a wide variety of physical and learning disabilities. The aim is to introduce them to using the library’s resources. The sessions also offer the opportunity for them to develop learning, social and emotional skills in a relaxed environment. Working with the groups has become ‘an integral and rewarding’ part of my job. A successful bid to the Scottish Government’s Public Library Quality Improvement Fund saw Dundee libraries embark on partnerships with local agencies who work with vulnerable, unemployed, special needs or socially excluded people. Libraries have a potentially wide role to play in supporting people to feel part of the community through flexible, informal sessions tailored to the needs of each group.
Library staff who had the skills and enthusiasm needed to conduct these sessions were identified, and as a result I have been part of the initiative since last April. I now conduct sessions with several groups of residents from local care homes. I also visit the homes once a month to bring stories to those who are unable to travel to the library, due to physical or emotional problems.The size of the groups can vary from four to twelve members, and the group members have learning and physical disabilities ranging from moderate to profound.
In each session we aim to connect with the group members – rather than just read a story to them, we encourage them to become involved in the stories themselves and become part of the storytelling process. This can be achieved by something as simple as letting them choose a story that they would like to hear, or deciding on options within a story to dictate how it unfolds.
Staff have also made their own books for the groups, which include the names of group members and situations that they can identify with.
The story sessions encourage skills ranging from visual tracking, making choices, selecting items and storylines, to discussing the story and answering questions about it. Each story is accompanied by relevant artefacts, such as puppets, shells, fruit, flowers, soaps and seaweed. These aromatic and tactile props are particularly important to members of the groups who have visual impairments and have to rely on their other senses.
Particular interests are also catered for: these could include topics of local significance, such as the football teams, places of interest, or historic events. The books which prove most popular are well-illustrated picture books, rhyming and poetry books and amusing stories.
These well-planned sessions, in a safe, secure environment where the groups feel welcomed and relaxed, provide a thoroughly enjoyable experience for participants who may otherwise find it difficult to access library services. Some members of the groups have already gained the confidence to borrow CDs and books from the library, and the homes and centres themselves are now borrowing library material on a regular basis.
Staff, carers and relatives and the members of the groups themselves have noticed a marked improvement in concentration spans of individuals. Many can now maintain attention for the duration of the story and experience a greater anticipation of storylines. Other developments include significant advances in eye and finger pointing, responding positively to stimuli, choosing between a numbers of objects and manipulating objects.
Group work has now become an integral and rewarding part of my job. I find that, along with the groups, I have advanced emotionally, learnt new skills and improved my communication since starting to work with them. It is now also of the most challenging aspects of my job. I am constantly gaining new knowledge and I keep a journal of the sessions as part of my learning experience so I can assess what worked well and use it again in the future.
Training is now being planned, to ensure that staff have the opportunity to continue their personal development and share ideas and experiences with colleagues, agencies and other organisations.
And I am looking forward to developing this aspect of my work further through additional training such as Bibliotherapy and the Reading Cure training courses.

New Initatives for Reading Groups with Special Needs

World Reading Route



This project ran for eight weeks and involved visiting eight different countries, reading stories associated with that country, finding a few facts about the land and learning to say 'Hello' and 'Goodbye' in each language. To set the scene we handed out travel itineraries, in advance, and selected stories about different methods of transport.

To begin with we took photographs of each group member, with their, or their carers permission. We then made up passports. The groups seemed delighted to have their own passport, with their photograph in it, it really made them feel more involved in the session.

After each session the visa part of the passport was stamped to show that the group had listened to stories, and found out a little about that country. The countries we visited were:- France, Greece, Egypt, India, China, Japan, Australia and USA.

We used many of our existing resources such as fiction and non-fiction books as well as picture books, tactile materials and multi-sensory artefacts.



New Directions

To increase the cognitive skills of the groups we decided to also introduce food that you might taste in each country. This was an opportunity to introduce a new dimension to the storytelling process and to help the group members' recall of the sessions.


Tony Buzan writes that
"Your brain is more likely to notice and recall something that has strong appeal. So link things to:-
- Your senses - taste, smell, touch, sound, or sight (Tony Buzan 1)

We also had corresponding music from that country playing in the background, while we read the stories, although some groups found this distracting, others thought it set the mood of the stories and brought them to life.

The food aspect of each session made a definite contribution to the reading experience. Group members tasted many different foods from exotic locations that they would not have normally encountered. Individuals all had strong opinions on what food they liked the taste of, and which they did not, some liked the taste so much that they asked the carers to buy it for them, in the future.
The combination of tactile artefacts, stories, sounds and tastes combined to enhance the storytelling process.
"The more you stimulate and use your Imagination, the more you will enhance your ability to learn. This is because your Imagination has no limits; it is boundless and stimulates your senses and your brain." (Tony Buzan, 1).

Evaluation

Feedback gathered from the carers and group members would indicate that they found the 'Reading Route' initiative an enjoyable and memorable project, and have even suggested ideas and themes for future reading initiatives.


"Service users and [support workers] thoroughly enjoyed going "round the world"!

"Stories, information and food from each place was great."

"Service users were relaxed and enjoyed participating in the stories."

"Many of the service users were talking and/or communicating with signs about how good everything was. Everything was great for taste, visual, and feeling sensation."

"The passports were great and the service users were really excited about getting them stamped every week."

"The sessions have helped our service users to listen"

"Stories and information very well suited to service users developmental milestones"

"The 'passport' theme was interesting and informative. Clients very keen to attend the sessions"

"Particular service users have become more relaxed and attentive as the weeks have went on"

"A lot of effort was put in each week and we all had a very enjoyable and informative time."

This initiative has been very successful in delivering storytelling sessions to vulnerable adults in an informative and entertaining way. Making the experience interesting, and engaging fully with the members of the groups.

1. Tony Buzan, Available Online http://www.buzan.com.au/learning/study_skills.html