This IEP goal focuses on developing a student's narrative skills and comprehension through the use of visual aids. Successfully achieving this goal demonstrates progress in language development, comprehension, and sequencing skills. This post will delve into strategies, activities, and assessment methods to help educators effectively support students working towards this goal.
What Does "Retell a Simple Story with Visuals" Mean?
This IEP goal requires the student to listen to or read a simple story and then accurately retell the story's key events, characters, and sequence. Crucially, they will use visual supports—like pictures, objects, or a story map—to aid in their retelling. The complexity of the story and the level of detail expected in the retelling will be tailored to the student's individual abilities. For example, a younger student might retell a story with only three main events using large, clear pictures, while an older student might retell a story with more complex plot points using a more abstract visual organizer.
Why is This IEP Goal Important?
The ability to retell a story demonstrates several crucial skills:
- Comprehension: Understanding the story's plot, characters, and setting.
- Sequencing: Organizing events in a logical and chronological order.
- Memory: Remembering key details from the story.
- Language Development: Using appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure to express their understanding.
- Visual Processing: Connecting visual information to narrative information.
These skills are foundational for academic success across various subjects, including reading, writing, and social studies.
How to Support Students in Achieving This Goal
Here are several strategies and activities to help students retell simple stories with visuals:
1. Choosing Appropriate Visuals:
- Pictures: Use clear, simple pictures that directly relate to the story's events. Consider using picture cards or a picture book.
- Objects: If appropriate, use real objects that represent elements of the story. This is particularly effective for younger students.
- Story Maps: These provide a structured visual framework for sequencing events. They can be simple, with boxes for beginning, middle, and end, or more complex, incorporating characters and settings.
- Sequential Picture Cards: These show a series of pictures depicting the story's events in order.
2. Using Different Retelling Techniques:
- Oral Retelling: The student verbally retells the story using the visuals as prompts.
- Assisted Retelling: The teacher provides cues or prompts to help the student recall details.
- Written Retelling: For older students, incorporating writing as part of the retelling process strengthens literacy skills. They can write short sentences or draw pictures to represent the story's events.
- Dramatic Retelling: Using puppets, role-playing, or acting out the story with visuals.
3. Story Selection:
Choose stories that are:
- Age-appropriate: The vocabulary and sentence structure should be easily understood.
- Engaging: The story should hold the student's interest.
- Simple Plot: Focus on stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
4. Modeling and Scaffolding:
- Model the retelling process: Demonstrate how to use visuals to retell a story.
- Provide sentence starters: Offer phrases like, "First, then, next, and finally" to help students organize their retelling.
- Break down the task: Focus on retelling one section of the story at a time.
- Use visual cues: Point to the pictures or story map while retelling.
How to Assess Progress Towards This Goal
Assessment should be ongoing and focused on the student's progress. Methods can include:
- Observation: Observe the student's ability to use visuals to support their retelling. Note their accuracy, fluency, and sequencing skills.
- Rubrics: Create a rubric to assess specific criteria, such as accuracy of details, use of visuals, and fluency of language.
- Checklists: Use a checklist to track the student's progress on specific skills, such as naming characters or identifying the story's setting.
- Data Collection: Keep a record of the student's performance over time to track their progress.
By implementing these strategies and using appropriate assessment methods, educators can effectively support students in achieving their IEP goal of retelling simple stories with visuals. Remember to adapt the strategies to meet the individual needs and learning style of each student. The key is consistent practice and positive reinforcement.
