The beginning of the school year may have you wondering how to connect academic subjects and/or VESOLs to make learning engaging for your students. Thematic Instruction is a teaching strategy which organizes curriculum and instruction around a central theme. It allows students to engage in high interest topics while learning academic and communication skills. Students can bring their prior knowledge to the conversation and use real life experiences to enhance the content being learned. Learning opportunities are designed to address all academic domains. STEM and STEAM based activities fit well within Thematic Instruction.
The T-TAC ODU Lending Library offers 30+ Theme-Based Activity Kits to help educators bring Thematic Instruction into their classrooms. Each kit contains books, games, and manipulatives centered around the theme of the kit. Each kit also contains an assistive technology or communication device. New to the kits are braille books.
Suggestions for using the books and activities in the kit for VESOLs Grade 3 though High School are also included in each kit. As with all Library items, kits can be borrowed for 30 days. Kits are mailed to the borrower’s school, and a prepaid return box and label are provided.
To learn more about implementing Thematic Instruction in your classroom, check out these resources:
Website – How do I implement Thematic Instruction? | Colorín Colorado (colorincolorado.org)
Article – Cooper-Duffy, K., Szedia, P., & Hyer, G. (2010). Teaching Literacy to Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 42(3), 30-39. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005991004200304
Check out the T-TAC ODU Lending Library Theme-Based Activity Kit collection.
