Engaging All Learners!

Literacy for All: In conversation with Dr. Caroline Musselwhite

These 11 video clips and related learning guides provide an opportunity to enhance and support teacher practice in the area of literacy for students with significant disabilities. Dr. Caroline Musselwhite is an assistive technology specialist with more than 30 years of experience working with children and adolescents with significant disabilities.


Good Literacy Instruction is Good for All Students

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite discusses why good literacy instruction is good for all students, including students with significant disabilities.

Learning Guide: Good Literacy Instruction is Good for All Students PDF

Length: 2 minutes 8 seconds

Creating Opportunities for Students to Explore and Understand Text

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite discusses the importance of having a high level of cognitive engagement for students to explore and understand text.

Learning Guide: Creating Opportunities for Students to Explore and Understand Text PDF

Length: 1 minute 55 seconds

Symbols and Learning to Read

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite talks about how symbols can affect the reading process.

Learning Guide: Symbols and Learning to Read PDF

Length: 2 minutes 40 seconds

Choosing Words for the Classroom Word Wall

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite shares her two rules for choosing words to create an effective classroom word wall.

Learning Guide: Choosing Words for the Classroom Word Wall PDF

Length: 1 minute 33 seconds

Importance of Repetition and Variety in Learning

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite discusses the importance of meaningful repetition in learning, particularly for students with significant disabilities.

Learning Guide: Importance of Repetition and Variety in Learning PDF

Length: 1 minute 11 seconds

Importance of Building Background Knowledge

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite discusses the importance of helping students with significant disabilities build background knowledge related to reading a text.

Learning Guide: Importance of Building Background Knowledge PDF

Length: 2 minutes 39 seconds

Give both Reinforcement AND Informative Feedback

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite discusses the importance of providing students with feedback during the writing process. She uses examples to differentiate between different types of feedback: reinforcement feedback, informative feedback, and evaluative feedback.

Learning Guide: Giving both Reinforcement AND Informative Feedback PDF

Length: 2 minutes 17 seconds

Knowing the Difference between Teaching and Testing Questions

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite discusses the difference between teaching and testing questions.

Learning Guide: Knowing the Difference between Teaching and Testing Questions PDF

Length: 1 minute 52 seconds

The Art of Attributing Meaning to Student Attempts

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite discusses why it is important to attribute meaning (or give intention) to students’ attempts at writing and communicating.

Learning Guide: The Art of Attributing Meaning to Student Attempts PDF

Length: 2 minutes 13 seconds

Engaging Older Students

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite discusses what it means to be age-respectful when working with older students.

Learning Guide: Engaging Older Students PDF

Length: 1 minute 12 seconds

The Cost of Underestimating the Potential of Individual Students

Dr. Caroline Musslewhite discusses why it is important to not underestimate the potential of individual students, particularly students with significant disabilities.

Learning Guide: The Cost of Underestimating the Potential of Individual Students PDF

Length: 1 minute 41 seconds

Literacy for All: In conversation with Dr. Caroline Musselwhite

Download Learning Guides PDF

Length: 18 minutes 27 seconds