Like Ed Laquidara, Founder of Animal Adventures:

• Ask questions and use comparisons to help children remember new information
• Don't lecture – put lessons in story form
• Create fun and factual stories together
• Visit the library before getting a pet
• Remember, responsibility begins with knowledge
• Review common knowledge before introducing new information
• Give hints with questions that lead to accurate conclusions
• Include oral repetition to teach vocabulary
• Choose developmentally appropriate vocabulary
• Use children's interests to introduce new words
• Test assumptions with hands-on exploration
• Have fun doing research together
• Try to engage a variety of senses with special needs children
• Use animals to stimulate communication with special needs children

Laurie Joy Haas, Executive Producer of Words that Cook!™ and co-author of Read it Aloud! A parent's guide to sharing books with young children, and Chip the Cookie-Bookie Bear suggest you:

• Use pictures to stimulate discussion
• Build stories around new vocabulary
• Choose pictures that lead to an adventure

Second Grade Teacher Heather Blanchard recommends that you:

• Explore non-fiction books with young children
• Point to words while you're reading
• Pick out big words and explain them
• Use repetition to reinforce learning
• Enable kids to communicate feelings and ideas on paper

Like Brian's mom, Kathy Brophy:

• Encourage learning to promote confidence

Laura Pica, Recreation Supervisor at New England Pediatric Care, finds it's important to:

• Recognize physical communication and respond to it
• Do follow-up activities that reinforce reading
• Respect the age and cognitive abilities of special needs individuals

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