Bookbug shared reading grid sets

Bookbug shared reading grid sets

Guest blog by Claire, Assistive Technology and Complex Needs Development Officer at CALL Scotland

“Timothy Pope, Timothy Pope, is looking through his telescope.”

If anyone is a fan of children’s author and illustrator Nick Sharratt, then I’m sure that sentence will have you shouting ‘Shark in the Park!’ at the top of your voice. Reading a story aloud and getting everyone to join in with the repeated phrases is just one of the ways we share stories and picture books with children and young people. Not only is sharing stories a brilliant way to develop early literacy and communication skills, but it’s also good fun!

For over ten years, CALL Scotland has worked with Scottish Book Trust to make books more accessible for children and young people with Additional Support Needs. We create symbol-supported shared reading resources for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize shortlisted books each year. And these are available for anyone to download from the Bookbug pages on our Symbols for All website. We also began adding Grid 3 eye gaze accessible resources a few years ago.

You’ll find our Bookbug grid sets in Online Grids, available for anyone to download and use for free (below). When you are using Grid AAC software go to Menu – Add new grid set – Online Grids and search ‘Book bug’

The Bookbug Shared Reading Bookshelf

This grid set is for anyone with physical copies of the books on the bookshelf. Click on a book cover to jump to a Shared Reading grid set with vocabulary from the book and core words. Use the grid set as you read the book to comment, ask questions and talk about the story. See how it works in the video below:

Download the Bookbug Shared Reading Bookshelf

The Bookbug Interactive Storytelling Bookshelf

Don’t have physical copies of the books? This interactive grid set lets you listen and watch videos of the stories read aloud. You can also speak repeated phrases from the books and join in as you listen. Got more to say? Each video story links to shared reading grids and a keyboard page. See how it works in the video below:

Download the Bookbug Interactive Storytelling Bookshelf

About Claire

Claire qualified as a teacher in 1997 and has worked with children and young people with Additional Support Needs since 2001. Sine 2017 she’s worked at CALL Scotland, as an Assistive Technology and Complex Needs Development Officer. CALL Scotland (Communication, Access, Literacy & Learning) is a national centre of excellence for assistive technology, working all over Scotland to support children and young people with additional needs to communicate and access the curriculum.

About CALL Scotland

CALL Scotland helps children and young people across Scotland to overcome disabilities and barriers to learning created by their environment, and to fulfil their potential. You can stay up to date with CALL Scotland, by following them on Facebook or Twitter or signing up for their monthly newsletter.