Sarah’s Concert Space

Reading together

Reading age 13–18 describes the audience for this adult-led Shared Reading book, not an independent reading-level assessment. This is a read-aloud story for young people aged 13–18, not an independent reading-level text. Read at the learner’s pace. Learners can listen, point, gesture, sign or join in with familiar words. Joining in is optional.

Before reading

Look at the title and cover. Introduce the characters and setting. Explore these five words with pictures, actions and familiar examples: overwhelming, foyer, options, adjustments, included. Invite a prediction about what might happen.

During reading

Use Talk Together for a prompt on each page. Talk about what happens, how the characters feel and which support or choices help. Accept different experiences. Do not use the story to demand a particular behaviour. Invite learners to point, sign, gesture or join in if they want to.

After reading

Plan an event using real access information. Offer quieter space, breaks and different ways to participate, without requiring applause or staying for the whole event. Describe what the characters noticed and how their ideas changed. Invite different experiences and respect a learner’s choice not to share.

Explore the situation

Everyday situation

Hear her friend’s concert with suitable sensory support

Beginning

Sarah wants to hear Thomas play guitar at the school concert. They have talked about his song for weeks. In the hall, chairs scrape and the microphone gives a sharp squeal. Sarah presses her hands over her ears. The music has not started, but the room already feels overwhelming.

What feels difficult

The sounds in the hall feel overwhelming

Support and choices

Sarah uses the foyer, ear defenders and a seat near an exit

What changes

She hears Thomas’s song and takes another break afterwards

Try together

Plan an event using real access information. Offer quieter space, breaks and different ways to participate, without requiring applause or staying for the whole event.

Adult support

Read at the learner’s pace with a trusted adult when helpful. Accept speech, AAC, writing, gestures or listening. Respect privacy, sensory needs and the right to pause or decline. Discuss choices without judging personal feelings.

Activities with an adult

The eleven separate question cards include recall, word meaning, observation, “why”, inference and evidence questions and discussion. Read the questions and choices aloud and offer picture support. The feedback checks recall of this story, not whether the learner’s own feelings or needs are right or wrong. Explore five vocabulary words, build them from movable letters and order three story pictures. Model a vocabulary word for the learner to copy; letter recognition and independent decoding are not required. Mouse dragging, finger dragging, tap controls and keyboard controls are available. Use the light green and red feedback as a chance to look at the story again.

Choose a few activities that suit the learner’s interest. Offer pictures, drawings, gestures or spoken answers, and model word building when useful. Activities are optional.