- Adaptive Finding God program from LoyolaPress offering faith formation for children with special needs that is adaptable to a variety of settings and situations. Adaptive Finding God can be used in conjunction with the Finding God grade-level books or as a stand-alone program for parishes, schools and at home. (Materials available for review through Des Moines Diocese Disability Ministry)
- McGuire Memorial Awakening Spiritual Dimensions: Catechesis and Prayer Services with Persons with Severe Disabilities offers a program and method whereby persons with severe intellectual and physical disabilities and their catechists are given the tools to awaken the Spirit of God within them and learn about the love of God for them. The book begins with the purpose and methods used in the program to allow its participants to evoke and awaken the love and presence of God during a time of catechesis and prayer. It is a sensory-based program of learning allowing the person with a disability to experience a sense of the sacred by way of sight, sounds, aroma, and symbols. The sessions are brief and composed of prayer, scripture, a lesson and a simple written activity.
Awakening Spiritual Dimensions I (paperback or E-book)
Awakening Spiritual Dimensions II: Order from Capuchin College via mail or email (recommended donation of $45):
Fr. Bill Gillum, OFM Cap., M.
Capuchin College
4121 Harewood Rd., NE
Washington, D.C. 20017
email Father Bill Gillum
- Parish Catechetical program resources from National Catholic Partnership on Disabilities
Adaptive Faith Formation Lessons
Recommended Catechetical Publisher Resources or second listing of publisher resources.
Catechetical Resources
-
Sacraments; Gifts for All Sacramental Preparation Books from University of Dayton are a rich reference for teachers when preparing students with challenging needs for Eucharist. This book has Scripture stories using pictures and minimum wording to illustrate the heart of Christ’s message. Also included are hints for effectively reaching students, questions to consider, concept words, visual, auditory and kinesthetic activities, and a resource list of supplemental publications related to these topics. Materials can be duplicated.
- Special Religious Development Archdiocese of Chicago (SPRED) catechesis leads one to develop a sense of the sacred, a sense of the Church, a sense of the Christ and a sense of God. The process used helps each one to enter into communion with Jesus Christ within the Christian community of faith. Sacramental initiation takes place according to the personal rhythm of each one. It is presumed that as there are different modes of intellectual functioning, there are different modes of faith.
- Taking the Lift to Heaven provides free Catechetical Resources including sacramental preparation resources such as story boards, examination of conscious, First Communion Retreat, liturgical picture guidebook, catechist/aide interest form, catechist prayer and student information sheet. etc.
They also have the program Children of St. Angela Merici which was developed for use with students who have opted to not be in a mainstreamed faith formation class. Mainstreaming is always the goal, but in instance where this is not optimal, this curriculum will provide your students with a rich and interactive alternative. It may also be used as a supplement for your mainstreamed program. This curriculum is heavily influenced by the Catechesis of Good Shepherd method, and is a beautiful complement to that program if it is offered in your parish.
CGS and All Abilities Podcast: A podcast where Trinka Hamel joins The Good Shepherd and the Child Podcast to share her experience with experimental work with children and young people of different abilities using the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd model. She has years of experience both professionally and in the atrium to share with us.
Parish Resource Guide for Welcoming Children with Disabilities "Recognizing the Gift": This manual will increase your awareness of what is needed for a successful experience. It will help you learn how to welcome and support the family, observe the child’s abilities, gather information from the regular school setting, including the Individual Educational Plan (IEP), understand the particular disability, review and choose simplified and appropriate curriculum, and finally, identify and support a catechist
Training courses on Montessori Medical Partnership for Inclusion are available:
Montessori 4 Inclusion Montessori Medical Partnership for Inclusion
Understanding Interventions Online Course --2023 --Montessori 4 Inclusion
All of these documents are free for download, and may be adapted for your own use. They are not free for resale, even if you adapt them for your own use. If you share them, please kindly point people back to this site!
|