Financial Literacy through reading and government

Most recently I have worked with students in special education at the high school level. These students along with their peers in regular education need direct instruction in navigating the financial world. Most students have little to no experience in creating a budget, balancing a checkbook, or understanding other financial concepts such as interest rates, importance of wages, or savvy shopping. To assist students to become financially aware, all teachers need to incorporate financial literacy into their curriculum. Through my classes in reading and government, opportunities exist to assist students with building skills in the area of financial literacy. Articles could focus on personal finances in reading class while in government, students could look at the bigger picture or local, state, and federal financial issues.