Students with autism face a number of challenges when learning to read, including difficulties with attention, motivation, and word decoding problems.
There are three main components that have been found to be essential for Autistic learners:
- First, children with autism often are strong visual learners, so printed materials or computer software that incorporate clear, full color images are ideal.
- Second, they do better with simple, concise and minimal directions or instructions for completing a task or applying a skill.
- Third, combining sounds and decoding words may be especially challenging for these children that’s why we recommend hands-on practice, visuals, and explicit phonics instruction.
The Discover Intensive Phonics method addresses all three chalenges. First, the program is Orton-Gillingham based, which means it is a multi-sensory method that teaches to all learning styles including visual and kinesthetic that is so valuable to these learners.
Second, the method is explicit and sequential meaning that it is taught in a clear, direct manner that starts from simple concepts and gradually moves to more complex concepts, always building upon the previous skill to ensure reinforcement and retention.
Finally, Discover Intensive Phonics helps autistic readers develop phonemic awareness and will teach them phonics in the way their brain learns.
What experiences can you share about teaching reading to Autistic learners?