The Camp REACH Book Club

Click to see flyer

Our next book club begins March 9th.

Our registration fee includes both books and all materials.

Click the button below to register and pay online.

To register with CAP-C Waiver: [ click here ]

The Camp REACH Book Club is a hybrid literacy and communication program designed to promote social interaction, community inclusion, and functional device use for children and young adults who use speech-generating devices (SGDs). Through a combination of face-to-face and virtual sessions, participants engage with a wide range of literature while practicing core language, turn-taking, and peer interaction in a supportive, motivating environment.

The Book Club creates a rare and meaningful space where participants can observe other AAC users, learn from peer models, and experience communication as part of a natural, social group. This exposure supports language development, confidence, and increased willingness to use their devices across settings.

Types of Literature and Learning Modalities

The Book Club incorporates diverse forms of literature to support engagement, comprehension, and expressive language. Participants explore:

  • Narrative fiction and nonfiction

  • Short stories and chapter books

  • Poetry and rhythmic texts

  • Visual texts such as picture books and graphic elements

  • AI-assisted writing activities, where participants help generate poems, character descriptions, or alternative endings using their devices

These varied formats allow device users to practice core vocabulary, descriptive language, commenting, and opinion sharing in multiple contexts. Poetry and rhythmic texts support repetition, prosody, and predictable language patterns, while AI-assisted writing offers a creative, highly motivating way for participants to see their ideas transformed into written output.

Program Structure

The Book Club meets weekly to explore shared texts, practice core vocabulary, and participate in guided discussions. Sessions include:

  • Shared reading using physical books, audiobooks, and projected text

  • Modeling of core language on a variety of SGDs

  • Opportunities to comment, ask questions, express opinions, and direct topics

  • Peer-to-peer interaction that is not typically available in clinical or school-based therapy

  • Hybrid participation options to support accessibility for all families

Books and materials are provided to each participant. Because many AAC users receive literacy instruction at the early emergent or emergent levels in school, Book Club offers access to age-respectful literature that supports comprehension and discussion rather than focusing on academic reading instruction.