I am a para-professional at a school. I am continuously looking for books to use to help a student who uses a Delta-Talker as her communication device to learn how to read. I have been teaching her the basic sight words but have been now using words like name, address, glue, scissors, etc. (words that she sees all the time). She knows her letters and sounds, but she is unable to speak so can’t sound out words. Do you have anything that can help me? Am I going in the right direction with her or should I be doing something else? Thank you for any and all help!

Wow—I’m so impressed! What a great service you are rendering to your young student. I’m afraid that I have no special training in working with this disability, so I can’t help you much, but it sounds to me like you’re doing a terrific job. You mentioned that she can’t talk and uses a device to help her, the Delta-Talker. Can she hear or are you signing with her? I ask that question only because it may help her to hear you sound out words. Sight words are great, and having her memorize them will be very useful, but helping her understand phonetics will help her be able to apply her knowledge of letters and sounds towards words. As her knowledge of phonics increases, she will be able to sound out her own words and not have to rely on you to teach her every sight word in order to read it. That’s just a thought—hopefully it will help you think of a few more ways to help your friend. Bless you for your willingness and efforts to serve and teach. What a blessing you must be in her life. I hope you find it equally rewarding. Good luck!