Resource
Creating Transition Books
Students who are transitioning to new classrooms or schools can create books to describe their needs and abilities to new teachers and assistants.
By Liz Eagan
When a student is transitioning from one campus to another, I have my students create books about themselves. This is done in their own words and I have them use the books as they do an in-service on themselves at their new campus.
Typical books include:
- Cover page with image of student
- An example of 20/20 vision and the student’s vision
- Recommendations
The other pages that are added are what the student feels needs to be added. These are all directed by the student. If they’ve made a book before, they know what they want to add or delete.
- An about me page
- List of equipment used (can include photos and description of it)
- Teacher recommendations
- Job duties of a one-on-one paraprofessional
- Sample of student writing
Cover Page
My name is Student X. I will be a 6th grader at Satter Middle school fall of 2022. I have a visual impairment. My acuities are 20/270.
Sample About Me Page
I like to play ball and I like to do art. I also love math and science. I need my paper enlarged. I also need someone to write for me. I am a very nice girl and I love school and I love my teachers. I also do braille. I don’t like it when people pressure me to do stuff. My feelings are very sensitive. I don’t like to get in trouble or being yelled at. I like to run in PE. I love music and computer lab. I don’t like to be mean, but love to be nice.
My Visual Impairment
Students describes what they can see.
Equipment
In order to access the curriculum, I need the following equipment:
- CCTV
- Large print textbooks/tests
- Enlarged materials (150% enlargement)
- Large font on computer (46 point)
- Perkins brailler
- Braille note taking device
- Bookport (for auditory books)
- Kindle (personal device)
This activity is not one that is done in a couple sessions. We take months to do this. We typically start the writing of it in January as the students are the ones typing their ‘book’ and they learn how to insert photos into the document. While their English teachers have considered this a writing activity that they receive credit for, it is more an ECC activity to me. The students solicit information from their teachers, parents, and even their eye doctors.
