50 different interactive ways to use a StoryBag

(well nearly!!!)

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General

1. Read the book together as quickly as you can.2. Read the book together as slowly as you can.3. Read the book to find something out, start simply, eg. Let’s find

out who the boy met in the garden4. Ask a sibling to read the story with the child5. Change the story, so that the child becomes the main character

in the story, ie replace the main character’s name with the child’s, blutak a photo of the child’s face over the main character’s face.

6. Retell the story, replacing the main character with a familiar adult/child

7. Retell the story, replacing all the characters with people familiar to the child

8. Ask the child some simple questions about the story, make sure that they have a way to answer, ie. Through the use of symbols available, signing or vocabulary available on their voice output communication aid.

9. Look at different categories within the book, ie. ask “what different types of clothes can you see?

10. Write your own sentences for each page of the story, ask the child to decide which sentence fits best on each page of the story.

11. Cover up the title, read the book and then decide together which title out of a choice of three is the best.

Dependent upon personal communication strategies12. Read the story in your own words13. Read the book to contrast the two main characters, ie. Tell

me 3 things that are the same about the two main characters.

Symbols

14. Ask the listener, “what’s that?” Expect them to answer by finding the matching symbol available within the storybag.

15. Go on a picture walk of the book (just look at the pictures) identify the main characters. Ask the child to find the symbols from the selection within the storybag.

16. Go on a picture walk and put the characters in order of their appearance within the book.

17. Go on a picture walk before you begin reading the story, ask the child to predict who might be in the story.

18. Use the symbols to retell the story.19. Listen to the story, put the main 4 events in order, extend

this to 6 main events

20. Use a talking mat* to say whether you liked different characters within the story

21. Read the story to consolidate symbol knowledge. Find the symbol and match it to the picture in the book

22. Read the story to teach cause and effect relationships, ie. When you cry someone comes running to help you, so the cause is crying the effect is getting help.

Big Mack

23. Read the story, ask the listener to say the repetitive tagline using a Big Mack.

24. Programme the Big Mack with the phrase “turn the page” or can I turn the page now?” Expect the request before you turn the page.

25. Put the message, “what’s that?” on the Big Mack. Model for the listener by asking what’s that and pointing to the picture on the page.

26. Record a pantomine response on a Big Mack, such as “Oh no!” “It’s behind him” or if it’s a scary book “Oh please don’t turn the page”

27. Programme “You’re reading it wrong!” on the Big Mack. Read the story making mistakes such as getting the character’s name wrong, or starting reading a book upside down or back to front.

28. Record a significant word on a Big Mack, ie a character’s name, or a high frequency word that you are focusing on, ask the child to say the word every time it appears in the text.

29. Record a sound effect on the Big Mack to suit the story, ie a farm animal

30. Programme an alternative ending on the Big Mack

Step-by-Step

31. Record the story, or abridged version of the story onto a Step-by-Step for the child to read to you.

32. Record the story, or abridged version of the story onto a Step-by-Step and read the story together

33. Record every other page onto the Step-by-Step and take turns to read the book

34. Record every other sentence onto the Step-by-Step and take turns to read the book.

35. Record one character’s dialogue on a Step-by-Step for the child to read.

36. Act out the story, programme the words of your child’s chosen character onto a Step-by-Step. If you have a camera take

pictures of each stage, print them out then sequence them. Repeat this choosing a different character to play each time.

37. Think of some true/false statements about the story, ask the child to answer using either gesture, or program true and false on the Step-by-Step.

Tech 4, Tech 8, Tech 32

38. Using the feelings overlay, re-read the story to describe how the characters are feeling

39. Using the feelings overlay, read the book to contrast how the character feels at different times within the book

40. Using the verbs overlay, re-read the story to describe the actions of the characters. Eg. What is he doing? Answer: watching

41. Using an overlay with book specific vocabulary available, ask comprehension questions to the child, such as what did the caterpillar eat? What is the story setting?

42. Using the book specific vocabulary overlay, challenge the child to retell the story using the vocabulary they have available, fill in the missing gaps where necessary. When they are confident challenge them to retell it in a shorter time span.

If you can think of anymore please contact us, so we can add them to the list!!!

You can download a larger print version of this booklet from our website, www.keycomm.weebly.com

* a talking mat is used to produce a visual map of a discussion. Symbols are generally categorised into “I like,” “I don’t like” and “I don’t mind.”