Early Literacy Skills Builder (ELSB) is a research based literacy program for students with significant developmental disabilities, including autism. It helps students develop the foundations of literacy through a multiyear curriculum. My students absolutely love this program! “Moe” is their favorite part of the day. Let me show you how I use ELSB in my Special Education classroom.
Overview of ELSB
ELSB has 7 levels with 5 lessons each. The lessons are scripted, and there is a software version available as well. The program works on conventions of print, phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondence, and some sight word vocabulary. It provides response options for verbal and non-verbal communicators. The entire program is based on the principles of systematic and direct instruction. You can learn more about ELSB over at the Attainment website here!
ELSB is very simple to follow. In the box set, there is an implementation guide and introduction video discs to get you started. I follow the scope and sequence as I move through the program. It lays out each level, each lesson, and each objective. You start your students on level 1 and move through the levels as they master the lesson assessments.
Software Version
Let’s dive into how I use ELSB. For whole group instruction, I use the software version of ELSB. There is a disc included in the box set of the ELSB curriculum that has the scripted lessons in an interactive format. I display the program on my Smartboard, and my students are able to interact with the program that way. Whole group “Moe” is my students’ favorite time of the day. It has helped all my students’ literacy skills tremendously.
In my whole group instruction, I work on 1 lesson per week. Each lesson is broken up into between around 8-14 objectives depending on the level you’re on. We will complete about half of the objectives in the lesson per day. I have my students take turns completing the objectives. They work on skills like vocabulary identification, pointing to words, answering questions, tapping out sounds, and much more. The software tracks the students’ progress and takes data on each of the objectives as you complete the lesson.
Print Version
The next way I use ELSB is in the print version. I use the print version in one on one and small groups of two to three students at a time. For my small group lessons, I use the Teacher’s Guide, Student Response Book, Assessment Manual. These are provided for each level of the program in the two box set of ELSB. I also use the All About Moe easel book whenever depicted in the lesson materials needed. Click the links to check out samples of those materials. In the Teacher’s Guide, each lesson is scripted for you and shows you what materials you need and when to use them. In small groups, I do anywhere from 1-3 objectives at a time depending how extensive the objective is. I do small group ELSB for 15-20 minutes per day during ELA rotations.
When I’m ready to start a small group ELSB lesson, I open my teacher’s guide and student response book up to the correct lesson and objective I will be teaching and gather any materials it says I need. Then from there it is super simple- just follow the script! It may feel weird following scripted lessons at first, but once you get the hang of it you’ll love it! While completing the lesson, I rotate between the students in my small group to get responses from each of them on each objective. ELSB also provides progress monitoring data sheets, so I will use those as I assess my students.
iPad App Version
The last way I use ELSB in my special education classroom is through the iPad app version. This is my students’ favorite way to complete ELSB lessons. The app version is the same as the software version I use on my Smartboard, but my students are able to participate in the app independently or 1:1 with an adult. This version is how I first started out using ELSB. I sat and completed lessons with a couple of my students to test out the program, got comfortable with it, then added in the print version and software version.
The app is perfect for independent students because they can complete as much of the lesson as they can tolerate, and the app tracks their progress and takes data for you. You can customize how the lesson is presented to meet the needs of your students, such as delay time, response method, etc. You can also complete the lessons on the app one on one with students that need more support. Your students will love the iPad app version!
I cannot stress enough how much I love the ELSB program. Using this program has helped my students flourish with their literacy skills, and they have so much fun doing it! We are big Moe fans in my classroom! Do you use ELSB in your classroom? If you don’t have it, I highly recommend requesting it from your district. It is well worth the investment. If you liked reading about how I use ELSB and are curious about other curriculums, check out Tiffany’s post about how to use Unique Learning System for remote learning. What questions do you have about ELSB?
