Keycomm have an extensive range of StoryBags available to borrow. They are designed to encourage story sharing between children and parents or other adults.
If your child has some difficulty handling books, then our StoryBag library may be for you. The stories within the library are specifically adapted to enable children with communication difficulties to take an active role within the storytelling through the use of symbols and communication aids.
The StoryBag Library is available to individuals with additional support needs and communication difficulties who reside within the Edinburgh and the Lothians, for home and school use.
It is open Monday to Friday for parents and keyworkers to visit. Please phone ahead to make an appointment on 0131 311 7130.
A guide to using Keycomm’s StoryBags
Our StoryBags are all about sharing stories and giving opportunities for our children to become active participants in the storytelling process. Therefore our storybags have some additional materials to support this. This guide will explain what you may find in your StoryBag, and how we intended these resources to be used, though I am sure you will have many other ideas for their use!
The Book
The books within our StoryBags have been carefully chosen, and/or adapted for use with children who have communication difficulties. This means that the language may have been simplified.
Sensory Prop
Most books come with a sensory prop, such as a cuddly toy, a fan, or a hat.
Individual StoryBag Guide
Each StoryBag comes with a specific guide that offers suggestions for activities around the book. It is handy to read as it offers suggestions for what vocabulary to programme on a communication aid, or what questions to ask about the book.
Symbols
Each StoryBag contains an array of symbols that are related to the book in someway. They are often symbols of the main characters, significant objects, or settings within the book. Symbols can be used to help your child answer questions about the story. For example, you could say “Find the symbol to show me where Hairy McClary went next.” The symbols can also be used to help your child retell the story by putting the symbols in order of their appearance within the book.
Storymat
The storymat is used to lay out the symbols within the pack.
Low Tech Board
Each story comes with a symbolised reading comments board. This has four messages on it to encourage your child to comment on the story as you are reading it together. Model with your child how to point to a symbol to comment, i.e. point to “What’s that?” and then point to the object in question on the page.
Storybag Ideas
Each StoryBag has a yellow leaflet called 50 different interactive ways to use a StoryBag. This is packed with ideas for additional ways to re-read the story. You can also download it from this website.
Communication Aid Guidance
If your child has a communication aid, there is additional guidance within the Storybag for how this can be used. If your child is using a Partner 4, Tech 4, Tech 8 or Tech 32, please tell us when you borrow a StoryBag as we have specific overlays for these communication aids for each Storybag. These are not included in the StoryBags as standard, and need to be requested.
Powerpoint Books
Some of our StoryBags have electronic book versions available for access through the computer. Please ask if this is available if your child has specific access needs.
StoryBags can be loaned for a maximum of two months. It is expected that the borrower take responsibility for returning them to Keycomm promptly. To do this either phone Keycomm on 0131 311 7130 to check that someone is available to receive the storybag, or pop along to one of our open afternoons. (Open afternoons are held on the last Thursday of every month.)
Keycomm 