Functional reading with maps and directions is a fun way of building independence skills for your life skills and transition education learners during community activities and field trips. Teach your life skills and transition students to work with maps in the community to read a simple grid reference, find a location and follow simple directions. Learn map reading skills in the local community by visiting and finding familiar places such as a store, park, hairdressers or library. 
 
What's inside?
9 full color maps - print these in landscape format
Question sets (print 3 to a page in landscape format then cut and share with individual students or small groups). Question sets include:
7 question sets with a picture cue plus ‘Where is?’ (grid reference) prompt
2 question sets with a picture / symbol cue plus ‘Where is? (street name) prompt
9 question sets with a grid reference plus ‘What is in?’ prompt
9 question sets with a ‘Can you find?’ (place name) question prompt and grid reference answer
36 worded question cards (print 4 to a page in landscape format)
Maps in the community – fast facts printable
Maps in the community –word bank printable
Places in my community – matching words and clues
Maps in the community – word find (across and down words only, no backwards or diagonal text)
In my community student activity printable
How to find a grid reference square student information page
How to find a grid reference with a ruler student information page
How to follow directions student information page
Making a story map information page, student activity page and example
Full answer sets for all questions and activities included
 
What to do?
•Introduce maps in relation to the students’ own community, discussing how symbols and pictures can be used to represent places (shops, libraries, hospitals, movie cinemas etc)
•Use the word bank and fast facts pages introduce key mapping concepts
•Provide examples from your own local community – printables of a department store or brochures from a local information or tourist bureau can be useful as a display
•Teach simple map reading skills using grid references – use the printables included to show how to read a grid reference step by step, using a ruler for support if needed
•Practice locating places on a map by looking for key words, finding symbols and reading grid references
•Introduce street names and reading text across and down the page
•Introduce language of direction and place finding (left, right, straight ahead, turn) as well as cardinal directions (north, south, east west)
•Provide opportunities for practice using modified maps of increasing complexity
•Apply map reading and directions to a local community context, with lots of positive feedback and reinforcement as skills are applied to finding real places on real world maps when students are ready.
 
Extend the learning:
Extend the learning by asking students to visit an online map to find directions to a local venue of interest. Print and follow the steps to visit the venue as a community activity.
Plan a scavenger hunt in the school or training venue grounds using the language of direction and place finding (e.g. walk 20 steps towards the cafeteria towards the library, then turn left at the red sign)
 
Curriculum links for Certificate 1 in Transition Education:
This resource can be used to support the following units:
Recognise, give and follow simple and familiar directions VU22353
Apply numeracy skills for personal purposes VU23045
Participate in travel activities VU23036
 
Terms of use
You are welcome to use Functional reading with maps and directions with your own class or group. If you wish to use it with additional classes or programs, please purchase a second copy or invite other teachers to purchase their own. Please respect the rights of the author and the artists whose work is included in this resource - do not resell the resource or extract images or content from within it.