Strategy 7: Teach children to use written language for self-expression, recreation, and leisure.

What to Do

• Select an activity that the child is likely to enjoy
  • Use writing for self-expression through journaling and writing poetry
  • Use writing by playing typical, age-appropriate games such as
  • Hangman, Scrabble, or Words with Friends
  • Use writing for leisure through activities such as scrapbooking and crafting
  • Use writing for self-expression and leisure by writing cards, notes, letters, texts, emails, or instant messages to others
• Consider . . . 
  • The child’s likes and dislikes
  • Vision and hearing abilities
  • Motor abilities
  • Attention span
  • What other children of the same age enjoy
  • How frequently can the child do the activity?
  • Is this something that can be repeated long term without the child “outgrowing” the activity?
  • What parts of the activity can the child do independently?
  • What supports or modifications are needed?
• Offer the child the opportunity to engage in the activity
• Help the child gather the materials needed
• Engage in the activity allowing the child to set the pace
• Give time to explore the materials, think, and make choices
• Look for opportunities to model writing and to entice the child to write
• Encourage the child to interact and communicate throughout the activity
• Provide a way for the child to end the activity
• Help the child put away materials

Things to Consider

• How can you use partial participation to allow the child to engage in age-appropriate activities?
  • Examples: 
    • A child uses a communication device or an Alternate Pencil to choose the first letter for a partner to use in creating a word during a game of Scrabble
    • When scrapbooking or creating crafts, a child makes and communicates choices, uses an Alternate Pencil to scribble or dictate text, or manipulates materials given physical assistance
• This strategy is about recreation and leisure.  As you observe over time, is the child having fun or do you need to consider another activity?
• Are you allowing the child to make choices including what activities to do and when, where, and with whom to work?
• Are you choosing activities that encourage the child to interact with others and make friends?
• When writing to others, are you providing opportunities for the child to write to a variety of people for a variety of purposes?
  • People: 
    • Peers (with and without disabilities)
    • Family (immediate and extended family members)
    • School staff
    • Volunteers who work with the child or class
    • People or groups from the community (Are there opportunities to tie into community based instruction?)
  • Purposes: 
    • To socialize
    • To issue invitations
    • To make requests
    • To respond to communications from others
    • To express thanks

Always Ask Yourself