Psychologist Charlotte DiStefano from the University of California Los Angeles, USA, answers the question. Dr. DiStefano is working on research to identify brain mechanisms associated with language and literacy in minimally verbal children with autism. The goal of the study is to learn how to develop an individualized therapy and educational program that will best suit the needs of each child.
I'm so glad you asked this question. Many people mistakenly believe that if children cannot speak, then they cannot learn to read. This is definitely not the case!
Two years ago, I published the results of a small study on the effectiveness of a reading program tailored for minimally verbal children aged 5 and 6 years. All students showed improvement in their understanding of the stories they read and in their interactions while reading. Unfortunately, we have very little research on reading (literacy) skills among minimally verbal children with autism. For this reason, we still do not know how often nonverbal or minimally verbal children with autism can read or have the ability to learn to read.
However, many parents and professionals can tell you about children who were able to learn to read despite not being able to use spoken language. We know it's possible. What's really surprising is that many of these children teach themselves to read - because no one intentionally taught them to read.
I have worked with several minimally verbal or nonverbal children who were able to demonstrate their ability to read. Even if a child cannot read aloud, he can demonstrate reading skills: matching words and sentences with pictures, printing words, correctly pointing to words in a book that an adult is reading.
One of the major challenges in teaching reading to minimally verbal children is that traditional teaching methods rely so heavily on oral language. You probably remember how in the first grade you yourself learned to read based on reading aloud: you learned to reproduce the sounds that are indicated by letters. Children then learn how to combine such sounds into words.
However, if the child hardly speaks or does not speak at all, then this method of teaching is not suitable for obvious reasons. How can a child “sound out” words if he has problems articulating speech sounds?
Fortunately, there are literacy development techniques that do not rely on the child's spoken language.
1. First of all, I recommend reading to your child as often as possible! We know that reading to children promotes both language and literacy development. One of the main components of reading is the dialogue between an adult and a child when they discuss what they are reading.
Although minimally verbal children cannot carry on a conversation about a book verbally, they can interact with an adult and be readers nonverbally.
Encourage and prompt your child to interact with the story you are reading. He or she can use a toy that resembles one of the characters to act out the actions. In addition, the child may point to an illustration in the book or to a symbol that you print out specifically for your reading.
2. Use nonverbal interactive reading. When you read to your child, provide opportunities for him to respond nonverbally to what he reads. Here are some ideas for what your child can do while reading:
— Move your finger under the text you are reading. Then start asking your child to point to the words being read.
— Ask your child to turn the pages at the right time.
- Give your child toys or objects with which he can reproduce the actions described in the book.
- Take turns imitating what the characters are doing.
These and similar activities will help your child interact with the book without speaking.
3. Discuss what you read using alternative communication. It's great to hear that your child can benefit from alternative and assistive communication through a device. This device can be used to interact with you and the book while reading together. Before reading a new book, make sure that there are enough images in the system that reflect the meaning of what you read. Set up the device to include pictures with captions that will allow you to discuss with your child what is happening in the story. For example, if you are going to read a book about a birthday party, then load symbols labeled "party", "gifts", "cake" and "balloons". When reading a story or book, use symbols to discuss characters or actions.
Alternative communication itself is an excellent opportunity for literacy development. Make sure the device shows the words under each picture. This will help your child associate written words with objects and actions.
As your child gets used to the printed words, I suggest gradually decreasing the size of the accompanying pictures and increasing the size of the text. When it starts recognizing text, you can try removing the pictures completely.
3. Teach your child to read and write using speech generation software. Computer programs that speak printed text are another great way develop literacy. I have worked with minimally verbal children who, as they watched me program new words into their devices, would suddenly start choosing pictures for themselves and typing out what they wanted to say! Since we didn't even know that these children could read, we were simply amazed! And once they realized that they could type the words they chose, they became much more independent in their communication.
Your child may not be able to type words right now, but let him watch you program new words into the program. Explain what you are doing. He might surprise you and start typing what he wants to say.
5. Practice literacy wherever you go. I also recommend reading the signs with your child, first of all, this applies to safety signs. This can become part of your walks or trips. This could be the name of your street, store, road sign, entry and exit designations. There can be many examples.
In summary, you can support the literacy development of a minimally verbal or nonverbal child with autism if you:
- read together
- provide opportunities for your child to interact with history and other written information to the extent possible
— teach him to recognize words in combination with pictures or symbols
— showing him how to program symbols into his device
- read signs together, especially safety signs when you are away from home
- give him the opportunity to type words on his own when he is ready for it
I want to thank you again for this question. I hope these tips are helpful to you, your son, and other readers.
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Teaching autistic children to read
Translator: Irina Goncharova
Editor: Anna Nurullina
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Learning to read can represent serious problem for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the right pedagogical approach can solve it. If teachers and parents in the learning process rely on strengths child and take into account his interests, then mastering this important learning skill will be much easier.
FIVE TIPS FOR TEACHING AN AUTIC CHILD TO READ
In order to determine whether a child has an autistic disorder, there are certain diagnostic criteria, the most indicative of which are impairments in communication and social interaction, as well as behavioral problems. These three main factors directly affect reading ability and are important to keep in mind as you work on this skill. In addition, it is important to remember that the best pedagogical approach should always be individual.
USE YOUR CHILD'S INTERESTS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
Children with ASD often have unusual interests and passions. Trains, timetables, math facts or credit cards can be a real source of joy for them. These special interests also provide a great opportunity to capture your child's attention. Try the following ideas for using your student's tendencies to your advantage.
DO NOT ALLOW SENSORY OVERLOAD OR DESTABILIZATION.
According to Psychology Today, most people with autism suffer from sensory disintegration. This disorder affects a person's ability to perceive and process any external information, such as other children talking, a dog barking on the street, or a strange smell. In addition, due to sensory impairments, children often make stereotypical, repetitive movements: clapping their hands, swaying, spinning. This is one of the diagnostic criteria for autism. Sensory impairments make it very difficult for a child to concentrate on any task, including reading.
The following ideas can help your child regulate sensitivity and focus on reading.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT TEACHING METHODS AND MATERIALS.
Standard textbooks for reading and educational programs may be great for regular schoolchildren, but children with ASD cannot learn using traditional methods. According to a study conducted in Medical University Pennsylvania State University, most autistic people have very strong visual perception. However, each child is individual and some special students experience significant difficulties with visual learning, as they better perceive information auditorily or kinesthetically through the senses. It is very important to identify the dominant way of knowing from the very beginning, so that you can select the right materials and structure the activities with your special student in such a way as to get the maximum benefit and pleasure from them. If you are not sure which channel of perception is the child’s main one, try different approaches and alternative techniques.
The following companies produce educational materials for children with autism:
Reading Mastery is McGraw Hill's specialized textbook production company. Teachers rate the quality of their materials very highly.
PCI Education offers reading materials for both speaking and non-speaking autistic people.
Special Reads is an educational program for children with Down syndrome, but the manufacturer claims that it is very effective for autistic students.
USE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
Many parents and professionals who teach children with disabilities special needs, we have seen from our own experience that the use of computer programs makes it possible to teach a child to read more effectively. The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities reported research that found that autistic children made better progress and enjoyed their activities more when they used computer programs.
Consider the following computer programs for teaching reading.
EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL.
Since autism is a spectrum of disorders, each child with this diagnosis learns differently. This means that methods that work well with one student may not work with another. The most effective reading programs and the most successful teachers aim to overcome the individual difficulties of a child with autism, as well as to identify and use his/her strengths, and experimentally select the most appropriate teaching method for a special student.
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Global, syllable-by-letter and letter-by-letter reading
The work of teaching writing and reading to children suffering from early childhood autism is very difficult and lengthy. Replacing verbal abstract images with visual ones greatly facilitates the learning of an autistic child, so real objects, pictures, and printed words are used at all stages.
Teaching reading to children with ASD is carried out in three areas:
- analytical-synthetic (letter-by-letter) reading;
- syllable reading;
- global reading.
- body diagram (“Show your nose”, “Show your eyes”, “Show your hands”, etc. - it’s convenient to work in front of a mirror here);
- room plan (“Go to the door”, “Go to the window”, “Go to the closet”, etc.). By presenting the cards, we draw the child’s attention to the different spellings of the second words in sentences.
The lesson can be structured according to the principle of alternating all three directions.
Global reading
Education global reading allows you to develop the child’s impressive speech and thinking before mastering pronunciation. In addition, global reading develops visual attention and memory. The essence of global reading is that a child can learn to recognize entire written words without isolating individual letters. When teaching global reading, it is necessary to observe gradualism and consistency. The words that we want to teach a child to read should denote objects, actions, and phenomena known to him. This type of reading can be introduced no earlier than the student is able to correlate an object and its image, select paired objects or pictures.
TYPES OF JOBS:
1. Reading Automated Engrams(child’s name, names of his loved ones, names of pets). It is convenient to use a family photo album as a teaching material, providing it with appropriate printed inscriptions. The inscriptions are duplicated on individual cards. The child learns to select the same words, then the captions to photographs or drawings in the album are closed. The student is required to “learn” from memory the required inscription on the card and place it on the picture. The closed word is opened and compared with the selected signature.
2. Reading words. Pictures are selected based on all the main lexical topics(toys, dishes, furniture, transport, domestic and wild animals, birds, insects, vegetables, fruits, clothing, food, flowers) and are provided with signatures.
A good place to start is with the topic "Toys". First, we take two signs with words different in spelling, for example “doll” and “ball”. You cannot take words that are similar in spelling, for example “bear”, “car”. We begin to put signs on toys or pictures ourselves, saying what is written on them. Then we invite the child to place the sign next to the desired picture or toy on his own.
After memorizing two signs, we begin to gradually add the next ones. The order of introducing new lexical topics is arbitrary, since we mainly focus on the child’s interest.
3. Understanding written instructions. Sentences are made that use different nouns and the same verb.
The topic of proposals could be as follows:
4. Reading sentences. Sentences are made for a series of plot pictures in which one character performs different actions:
You can use tablets to teach autistic people to read, also when studying colors, when determining size and quantity.
Syllable reading
In order to compile a sufficient number of syllable tables, you need to know the main types of syllables:
- open: consonant + vowel (pa, mo);
- closed: vowel + consonant (ap, ohm).
- the child knows all the letters, plays with them, collects ornaments from the magnetic alphabet, but refuses to put the letters into words;
- the child knows the letters, but associates each of them with only one specific word;
- the child knows how to put words together from letters or is trained to read syllables, but does not understand the meaning of what he read and cannot answer a single question;
- the child can read, but cannot and categorically refuses to learn to write;
- the child understands what he reads short story, answers questions about the text, but cannot retell it.
- Learning a new letter. The letter is written first by the adult, then by the child himself (or by the adult using his hand).
- Drawing objects whose names contain the letter being studied. The child, independently or with the help of an adult, draws objects or completes some detail in a drawing made by an adult.
- Signing drawn objects. The child himself or with the help of an adult writes a familiar letter in the word. If necessary, writing a letter is practiced in advance with the help of exercises.
- The ability to correctly recognize and name letters separately and in words.
It was important for the teacher not only to teach the child to name the letter correctly, but also to recognize the location of the letter in the word. If a child stereotypically repeated the teacher’s examples, but could not come up with his own, the skill was not considered developed. Letter acquisition was assessed by the child’s ability to come up with (or independently remember) words with the letter being studied. Even if he independently came up with only one word that began with the letter being studied, we considered the skill to be formed. For example, when naming the letter “I”, the child could pronounce “pit”, “box”, for the letter “K” - “ditch”, for “C” - “construction site”, “pump”. The child could remember the spelling of some words from books, magazines that he saw at home or in newsstands. - Ability to correctly write letters separately and in words.
Thanks to instant visual memory and interest in abstract signs, an autistic child can involuntarily remember the graphic image of many letters and write them in a chaotic manner, upside down, mirrored, enjoying the image of “incomprehensible icons.” However, it is much more important for us that the child learns to write letters as part of meaningful voluntary activity, realizing the possibility and necessity of using the writing skill in his life. Therefore, the skill was considered developed when the child not only could write the letter being studied separately, but also wrote it in words in the right place.
The table can take one consonant letter in combination with different vowels (la, lo, lu...) or one vowel with different consonants (an, ak, ab...).
1. Reading syllabic tables from open syllables. Tables are made according to the lotto principle with paired pictures. The child selects a syllable on a small card and places it on the corresponding syllable on big map. At the same time, the teacher clearly pronounces what is written, making sure that the child’s gaze at the moment of pronouncing is fixed on the adult’s lips.
2. Reading syllabic tables made up of syllables closed type . Plastic vowels and consonants are selected and placed on top of the written letters. Vowels are pronounced drawlingly, and the corresponding plastic letters move to the consonants, i.e. “go to visit them.”
3. Reading syllabic tables where letters are written at a considerable distance(10-15 cm) from each other. A thick thread or elastic band is smoothly stretched between the letters (elastic bands are usually more popular with children, but if its “clicking” scares the child, it is better to use a thread).
The child presses the tip of the elastic band, tied into a knot, with a finger or palm to the consonant letter, and with the other hand pulls the free end of the elastic band to the vowel letter. The teacher sounds the syllable: while the rubber band is stretching, a consonant sound is pronounced for a long time; when the rubber band clicks, a vowel is added (for example: “nnn-o”, “llll-a”).
Analytical-synthetic reading
First of all, we develop the skill of sound-letter analysis of the beginning of a word. Becoming this skill requires large quantity exercises, so you need to make a sufficient number teaching aids so that classes are not monotonous for the child.
1. On a large card with clear pictures (various lottos can be used), the child lays out small cards with the initial letters of the names of the pictures. First, we provide him with significant assistance: we clearly name the letters, holding the card so that the child sees the movements of the lips; with the other hand we show the picture on a large map. Continuing to pronounce the sound, we bring the letter closer to the child (so that he can track the movement of the letter with his eyes, you can use a piece of treat, as when working with paired pictures), then we give the card with the letter to the student (he eats the treat at the moment of transfer). Using the teacher’s hint in the form of a pointing gesture, the child places the letter on the corresponding picture. Over time, he must learn to independently arrange all the letters into the right pictures.
The reverse version of the game is possible: the initial letters of words are printed on a large card, indicating pictures on small cards.
2. Small cards with block letters are made(approximately 2x2 cm). In the corner they are stitched with a stapler using two or three paper clips. The child uses a magnet to “catch a fish,” that is, letters, and we clearly pronounce them. This exercise helps the child fix his gaze on the letter longer and allows him to expand the range of his voluntary actions.
3. We select pictures for certain sounds. On landscape sheets we print the letters chosen for study in large quantities. We place two letters in different corners of the table. The child lays out the pictures offered to him, the names of which begin with the sounds corresponding to the letters. Initially, you can support the child’s hands and help him find the right “house”. It is better to select pairs of letters that represent sounds that are as contrasting as possible.
4. When teaching autistic people to read, there must be a manual that the child can take at any time and view it the way he wants. Such a tool could be an alphabet album, in which we gradually sketch pictures of a certain sound. It is better to draw in such a way that the child sees the process of filling out the pages, while discussing and discussing the drawings with him. Since the album can quickly wear out, you don’t need to spend a lot of time on drawings and, if necessary, restore damaged pages.
When the child learns to hear the beginning of a word, work can begin to form a sound-letter analysis of the end of the word.
TYPES OF JOBS:
1. Pictures are drawn on a large map, the names of which end with a certain sound. Next to the picture there is a “window” with the last letter of the word written large. We highlight the end of the word with our voice, the child places the plastic letter on the one printed in the “window”.
Notes: for the exercise, you cannot use paired voiced consonants (B, V, G, 3, D, Zh), since they are deafened at the end and the sound does not coincide with the letter; You cannot use iotated vowels (Ya, E, Yo, Yu) since their sound also does not correspond to the letter designation.
2. Place the corresponding word under the picture. We pronounce it clearly, highlighting the last sound. The child finds the desired one among several plastic letters and places it on last letter in a word.
Complex exercises
Exercises for teaching autistic people to read, combining elements of global and letter-by-letter reading, are very useful. Cards are produced (convenient format - half album sheet) with pictures and corresponding words. The words are printed in a font that is the same size as the height of the plastic letters. The child looks at the word under the picture and places the same plastic letters on top. The teacher reads the word clearly. Then the word assembled from the letters is moved from the card to the table, the name of the picture printed on paper is covered, and the child is asked to determine under which picture there is the same word as the one on his table. First, the child makes a choice from two cards, then from 3-4. When a choice is made, the word under the picture is revealed and compared with the example on the table.
Source: Nurieva L.G. Speech development in autistic children
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Teaching children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to read and write by creating a “Personal ABC Book”
Over the course of many years, the Institute of Correctional Pedagogy of the Russian Academy of Education has developed a system for preparing children with autism and other autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for schooling. Mastering reading and writing by creating a “Personal ABC Book” is a technique that is the result of summarizing the experience of correctional and developmental education for more than twenty autistic children. All children who were involved in the formative experiment were subsequently able to study in a public school and master the general education program. Creating a “Personal ABC Book” is the initial stage of teaching an autistic child reading and writing skills.
At the same time, we note that classes on preparing for school using this technique can be carried out with autistic children who use speech and have passed preparatory stage training, the task of which is the formation of learning behavior. Thus, all children with ASD, with the exception of those who lack external, expressive speech(that is, mute, non-speaking children), classes with the help of the “Personal Primer” are necessary and useful - subject to some preparatory work on organizing their voluntary attention and behavior.
The optimal age for training using this primer is 5–7 years, but it can be started later if the development of voluntary self-organization skills in the child is delayed.
This primer, like the entire system of preparing an autistic child for school, is based on the idea of his special educational needs. To understand the specifics of classes for an autistic child to master literacy, it is worth highlighting one of these needs, namely, the development of meaning formation, which we understand as achieving a meaningful attitude of the child to the learning process itself, to any information he assimilates, the formation of meaningful skills that the child will later will be able to use it both at school and, in general, to understand the world around us.
The experience of our consulting work shows that attempts to teach school-relevant skills using traditional methods and techniques or the use of approaches used in working with children with other developmental disorders are inadequate in relation to children with ASD. During consultations, parents of autistic children told us about typical learning problems:
These and other characteristic problems inevitably arise when teaching autistic children without taking into account their special educational needs. Failing to achieve the goal, such attempts each time cast doubt on the very possibility of preparing an autistic child for school education and adapting him to the conditions of a mass school.
The task of developing meaning formation required the use of a special meaning filled with personal meaning for the child. educational material, organizing such learning conditions that make it possible for the child to understand each educational task, each own action, as well as a full understanding of each learned skill. Otherwise, at all intermediate stages of the educational process, there is a danger of emasculating its meaning, turning the newly learned skill into a stereotypical mechanical game, and the educational material into a means of autostimulation.
Therefore the logic pedagogical work V general view was set by the principle “from the general to the particular,” or more precisely, “from meaning to technology.” For example, when teaching reading, this meant that the teacher had to first create in the child an idea of what letters, words, phrases are, fill them with personal, emotional meanings, and only then practice reading techniques. It was difficult to adhere to such logic, but any deviations from it led to the mechanical, thoughtless assimilation of a certain skill by an autistic child and the impossibility of using it meaningfully.
In particular, that is why, while studying letters with the child using the “Personal Primer” and creating in him the idea that letters are components of words, the teacher simultaneously used elements of the “global reading” technique, thanks to which words and phrases were acquired for the child their meaning, “overgrown” with personal meanings. Only after this could one turn to analytical reading without fear that the child would learn to read mechanically.
Thus, the primer that will be discussed serves to study letters, to create in the child an idea of a letter, that it takes on meaning in a word. This primer, unlike the traditional one, does not provide for mastering the analytical method of reading. Having mastered such a “primer book,” the child knows all the letters and, of course, can involuntarily read individual words, but the teacher does not consciously develop this skill, moreover, does not fix the child’s attention on it in order to first create in him an idea of the word and phrase.
An autistic child’s independent acquaintance with letters often occurs even before classes with a teacher. IN Everyday life An autistic child, just like a normal child, involuntarily pays attention to signs, names of products, books he likes, and cartoons. When the teacher introduced the children to the letters of the alphabet, some of them already knew the name and spelling of individual letters.
For example, Misha K. (7 years old) already knew “B” before starting classes on learning letters. His favorite book, “Pinocchio,” began with this letter.
Alyosha R. (6.5 years old) wrote the initial letter of his name on the board, in an album, on pieces of paper and showed it to adults.
However, due to a tendency toward stereotyping and autostimulation, the autistic child reproduced only a set of letters that was meaningful to him. He manipulated the “valuable” letters in the game, built rows of them, and made patterns. Attempts by an adult to attract the child's attention to learning new letters using a traditional primer often caused anxiety and fear in the child. He could leaf through the primer and look at the pictures, but he refused to study the letters from it.
Tyoma G. (6.5 years old) picked up the primer his mother bought and said:
He's not my friend. - Why? - Mom asked. - No about Chip and Dale.
The primer is the first book on the basis of which the prerequisites for meaningful reading are formed. Reading itself becomes interesting later, first the child’s attention is attracted by the illustrations. The traditional primer covers a fairly wide range of educational topics that are understandable and interesting to the average child (vegetables, fruits, dishes, animals, etc.). But even with a successful combination of verbal and visual material, the primer does not always affect the interests of an autistic child. It is clear that the traditional primer most often has nothing to do with his selective preferences (for example, the life of pirates or robots).
It was unacceptable to use the stereotypical hobbies of an autistic child or his interest in letters as abstract signs that could be elements of an ornament or collection when teaching. In this case, we would encourage his tendency towards autostimulation, and the child could use the developed reading and writing skills only in line with his “highly valuable interests”, and not for understanding the world around him.
It seemed to us that the most correct and natural thing in this situation was the maximum connection between learning and the child’s personal life experience, with himself, his family, those closest to him, with what is happening in their life. Experience shows that this is the only way to make learning meaningful and meaningful for an autistic child. Starting with mastering the alphabet, recognizing letters in words and gradually moving on to reading words and phrases, we necessarily relied on the material own life the child, on what happens to him: everyday activities, holidays, trips, etc. This approach to teaching simultaneously developed the system of emotional meanings of the autistic child, helping him to understand the events of his own life, relationships, and the feelings of loved ones.
So, the teacher suggested that the child create his own primer. It is clear that selectivity and stereotyping of interests, an increased level of anxiety and fear of everything new led to the fact that the child could at first refuse our offer, say that “he doesn’t need any primer”, that he “doesn’t want to invent anything”, “doesn’t will do nothing." Then the teacher, together with the parents, sought to create positive motivation in the child, tell him why it is so important to create his own primer, what an interesting and necessary task it is.
Of course, the child had to be explained what an ABC book is, why it is needed, and why it is necessary to know the letters. But at the same time, we started from his interests, from what he loves, knows and can, trying to find the most significant motive. For example, if a child was interested in diagrams, maps, and talked about travel, the teacher could ask: “How can you write a note to mom about her son going traveling if you don’t know how to write?” or “How can you understand a map if you don’t know what’s written on it?” and so on.
In many cases, it was possible to build on the child’s expressed cognitive interest and tell him how much he could learn from books about his favorite insects or volcanoes. It was important to ultimately get a positive answer from the child to the question of whether he wants to learn letters. Then, as homework, the teacher asked the child, together with his mother, to choose and buy an album for letters and bring his photo. During the lesson, the teacher and the child together glued the photo into the album, and under it the teacher signed “My ABC book.”
The creation of the “Personal Primer” assumed a special sequence in the study of letters, aimed at their meaningful assimilation. So, in our practice, the study always began with the letter “I”, not with “A”, and the child, together with an adult, glued his photograph under it.
It is known that with autism a child long time speaks about himself in the second or third person, does not use personal pronouns in speech. Learning the first letter “I” and at the same time the word “I” allowed the child to “go from himself”, instead of the usual “we”, “you”, “he”, “Misha wants”. By creating an ABC book as a book about himself, in his own name, in the first person, from “I,” the child was more likely to comprehend those objects, events, and relationships that were significant in his life.
Then the child needed to learn that the letter “I” can appear in other words, at the beginning, middle, and end of a word. The teacher suggested the appropriate words to the child, but which of them to leave in the album was a matter of his personal choice.
For example, Nikita V. (7 years old) spent a long time choosing objects that had “I” in their names.
– Nikita, what objects will we draw on “I”: an apple, a lizard, an egg, a yacht, a box? - asked the teacher. - Definitely not an egg, what should I choose? Maybe a box? - Or maybe something tasty? - asked the teacher. - Then an apple or Apple juice. Actually, I like a lot of things. “I love sweets,” he continued. – Nikita, today we are talking about the letter “I”. There is no “I” in the word “candy”. “I” is in the word “apple”, “apple juice”. Choose what you will draw. “Apple,” answered the child.
After studying “I,” we moved on to the letters from the child’s name. When they were completed, the adult and the child signed their photo: “I .... (child’s name).”
Then the letters “M” and “A” were studied. Consistent study of the letters “M”, “A” and mother’s photograph in an album with the caption “mother” involuntarily led the child to read the word “mother” - instead of the abstract syllable “MA”.
While mastering letters, we tried to avoid the stereotyping inherent in an autistic child and, together with him, come up with as many words as possible that begin with the letter being studied. If you study a letter using one example, there is a danger that the child will associate it with only one specific word. For example, a teacher at a diagnostic appointment was faced with a situation where an autistic child could not read the word “house”; instead, he named words starting with each letter in turn: “D” - “woodpecker”, “O” - “monkey”, “ M" - "motorcycle".
Next, we sought to create in the child the idea that any letter can occur at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a word. If the letter being studied is always located only at the beginning of a word, an autistic child, with its inherent stereotypicality, remembers it in exactly this position and may not recognize it in the middle or at the end of the word. For example, a child could learn that “A” is only “watermelon”, “orange”, “apricot”, and not perceive it in other words (for example, “tea”, “car”).
Therefore, when studying, for example, the letter “M”, together with the child we pasted a photograph of the mother into an album, and next to it we drew a lamp and a house, signing the pictures and explaining to the child that the letter “M” can be at the beginning, and in the middle, and at the end of a word.
The photographs and drawings in the album accompanied the entire process of learning letters and, in general, learning to read. Visualization is important for autistic children even more than for others, since their visual perception and attention in most cases prevails over auditory. Therefore, the teacher sought to supplement any oral instruction or oral explanation with a drawing, picture, or photograph.
The child mastered the letter “P” in the word “dad” and two words in the name of which “P” occurs in the middle and at the end (for example, “hat”, “soup”).
To the previously studied letters “I”, “M”, “A”, “P”, as well as letters from the child’s name, the letters that made up the names of mother, father, and (relatives) were added. Then the remaining letters corresponding to the vowel sounds were studied.
Next, the question arose about the sequence of introducing the remaining letters corresponding to consonant sounds into the primer. In our experience, this sequence was individual in each case, since it was determined by the need to introduce a new letter into a familiar one at a certain point in time. interesting for a child word. This guaranteed that the autistic child would meaningfully master all the letters of the alphabet (it formed an attitude towards them not as abstract icons, but as parts of a whole word and what it means).
For example, Marina P. (7 years old) has always been interested in the life of mice. The teacher, taking into account the girl’s interests, added “Ш” and “К” to the previously studied letters in order to form the word “mouse”, and then “С” to draw “cheese”, the mouse’s favorite food, “D” - for “ holes" in the cheese, "H" - for the "mink" where the mouse lives, etc.
The meaningfulness of mastering letters was thus associated with constant visual demonstration to the child of the essence of reading and writing, with the creation of conditions for the rapid development of these skills. The teacher always encouraged the child to first find the letter being studied in in different words, then find and complete it in well-known words (“...ok”, “cha...y”, “but...”), and then independently write well-known words (“me”, “mom”, “dad”).
In addition, we sought to connect the drawings in the album with personal experience child, with himself, his family, the subjects of his favorite games and activities. For example, when learning the letter “D,” a child could draw a cake with candles on the table and name the picture “Birthday.” Joint drawing, emotional and semantic commentary, dialogue with the child about events that were significant to him helped, on the one hand, meaningful learning, and, on the other hand, emotional comprehension, the formation of the autistic child’s personal attitude to the events of his own life.
Sequence of working with the ABC book
At the first lesson in the album, which is called “My Primer,” the teacher made a “work blank” in front of the child’s eyes. A “window” for the letter was drawn in the upper left corner of the sheet, and next to it on the right were 3 rulers for writing it (in block letters). In the lower half of the sheet, 3 “windows” were outlined for drawings of objects whose names include given letter, and for the signatures denoting them.
This preparation helped organize the child’s attention during the lesson. It is well known that an autistic child perceives information more easily and completes a task faster if everything necessary to complete it (or complete a sequence of tasks) is in the child’s field of vision. In addition, good visual memory guarantees a “photographic” capture by an autistic child of visual information that is significant to him. At home, the child and his mother made similar work preparations for mastering letters for each subsequent lesson.
On each page of the primer, a new letter was mastered. At first, the teacher wrote this letter himself, commenting on the spelling: “A stick, a circle, a leg - the result is the letter “I”.” The continuous writing of all the graphic elements of the letter was commented on and practiced by the teacher at the time of its mastery. Learning to write by lifting your hand after each element creates additional difficulties for an autistic child, who is characterized by fragmented perception and difficulty switching attention. True, when mastering some printed letters (“A”, “Ш”, “У”, etc.), it was not always possible to write them without lifting your hand. We taught the child to write such letters with as little hand space as possible.
Then the teacher wrote several letters on the first line and asked the child to trace them - with a colored pencil or fountain pen. If he found it difficult to trace the letter on his own, the adult manipulated his hand. On the second ruler, the child wrote letters along the points that the adult marked for him as a guide, on the third - on his own. It is also important that while working in the album, the child learned to see the “working line” and got used to writing along the line without going beyond it.
A child could master writing letters using a stencil. To do this, the stencil was placed on a landscape sheet, and the child traced it with a pencil, and then ran his finger over the stencil and over the written letter, thereby memorizing its “motor image.” The child was not faced with the task of writing all three lines of a new letter during the lesson. Part of the task was completed in class, the rest of the letters were completed at home.
As soon as the child wrote several letters independently or did it with the help of an adult, the teacher named three words in the name of which the letter being studied occurs at the beginning, middle and end. The teacher asked the child to repeat these words and pointed to three windows at the bottom of the sheet. Then the adult wrote the letter being studied in three boxes, each time in the place where it should be in the named word. For example, the teacher said the first word “juice” and wrote “S” at the beginning of the first window, said “clock” and wrote “S” in the middle of the second window, and said “nose” and wrote “S” at the end of the third window.
The child did not have to immediately complete the words, because to do this he needed to quickly analyze what sounds they consist of and correctly place each word on the sheet. We led the child to solving these problems gradually, while we drew the objects we named in the windows with him. If it was difficult for the child to draw the desired object on his own, the teacher helped by moving his hand. We did not strive to completely draw all the objects in the lesson. It was enough for the child to draw the outlines of objects in the classroom, and then paint them over at home.
It was more important, in our opinion, not just to draw an object with the child on the desired letter, but to give this object some features that would connect it with the child’s personal experience. For example, we encouraged the child to draw a plate for a previously drawn apple, exactly the same as at home, or to draw a familiar home rug with fringe under the ball. With the help of an emotional and semantic commentary, the teacher always sought to connect the child’s drawing with a specific, familiar life situation.
In addition, the teacher’s comment was aimed at expanding the child’s understanding of the properties and qualities of objects. An autistic child could see these objects in everyday life, even play with them, and become familiar with their sensory properties. But, doing this involuntarily, the child was not aware of either the qualities themselves or their connection with a certain object, with its functional meaning. Therefore, the teacher’s reasoning, for example, that “you and I are now drawing an apple, look how green, fragrant it is and with a twig at the top, and sour, and round…” became a real discovery for him. The child listened with interest to the adult, saying: “more,” “and then,” and continued to draw.
Consecutive drawing of objects in each of the three windows made it possible to immediately show the child the location of the desired word on the sheet. That is, here, as in many other cases, we used a visual rather than verbal explanation, taking into account the cognitive characteristics of an autistic child. Signing drawings with words shaped the autistic child’s interest in writing. In addition, thanks to his good visual memory, he quickly remembered the correct spelling of words. While the child did not know all the letters of the alphabet, he wrote only the familiar letter in the word. More precisely, he circled the letter he was studying, which the adult had already written in three boxes. Later, as the child mastered the alphabet, he wrote all the letters he knew in a word.
Over time, the child could come up with words with the letter being studied. It was important to teach him to take his time, listen to himself and check the pronunciation of a word with its spelling. For example, while learning the letter “B”, we asked the child to write the word “mushroom”. The child pronounced “flu” and informed the teacher that there was no letter “B” in this word. Then the teacher told the child that some words are written differently from the way we hear and pronounce them. IN in this example The teacher first suggested “calling the mushroom affectionately” (“fungus”, “mushroom”), and then finishing the phrase: “There are many, many ...” (“mushrooms”) growing in the forest, so that the child would hear the desired sound. If there was no “logical” explanation for the spelling, the teacher explained to the child, for example, like this: “Despite the fact that you and I pronounce the word “marozhinoe,” we must write “ice cream.” Thus began the necessary work on sound-letter analysis and mastering the rules of spelling words.
When all the items were labeled, the teacher asked the child to circle or underline the letter being studied in the words. In this case, first the teacher, and later the child himself, named the place of the letter in the word.
For example, Nikita V. (7 years old) talked about the letter “Sh”: “This is “Sh.” This is my favorite puppy. “Puppy” begins with “Sh”.
Then the child spoke in great detail about what his puppy likes to do and continued his reasoning: “These are vegetables: carrots, potatoes, cabbage. Beet. Here it is “SH” - in the middle of the word. And this is a bowl of soup.” “A plate of borscht,” the teacher corrected him. - Nikita, is there a “Sch” in the word “borscht”? - Of course, there is, it ends with “Ш”.
At the end of the lesson, we talked to the child, turning to his mother, about what he learned today. In the first lessons, the teacher did this in unison with the child." common person” (“We”), accompanying his story by showing a page of the primer. This cemented in the child’s memory the sequence of completing tasks in class, which subsequently helped him plan his actions independently. In addition, by emotionally commenting and reciting what happened in the lesson, the teacher brought to the child’s consciousness the meaning of what was happening in the lesson (what and how the child learned, how he studied, who will praise him for this, etc.).
For example? First, Nikita and I learned the new letter “I” and learned to write it. Then we pasted Nikitin’s photograph into the primer and signed it “I”. Then we drew a ball and a snake and labeled them. Nikita - well done, he tried so hard, he wrote and drew so well! He made us all happy: me, my mother, and my nanny! And dad will look at the album at home and ask: “Who drew the ball, the snake, and wrote the letter “I” so beautifully? This is probably mom or nanny?” “No, it’s me,” the child answered.
In general The sequence of working with the primer can be represented as follows:
1-2 lessons were allocated for learning one letter.
Once all the letters of the alphabet have been covered, the Personal Primer usually becomes the autistic child's favorite book. If we asked children to bring an ABC book to class, they most often protested, so we had to come up with special excuses for this - “We’ll show the kids who can’t read yet to their parents.” The primer became a valuable personal book for the child, which he treasured very much.
For example, the mother of Zhenya L. (8 years old) said that his “Personal Primer” cannot be taken out of the house. The child does not go to bed until he watches it from beginning to end.
For example, Tyoma G.’s mother (7 years old) said that when her son saw several primers on a book display, he asked her to buy them all at once. “Why do we need so much?” - Mom asked. “You, me and dad,” he replied.
Thus, the “Personal Primer” introduced the autistic child to letters, helped him remember their graphic representation, and gave him the idea that letters are components of words, that words can stand for different objects or be the names of loved ones. Of course, by writing familiar letters into the beginning, middle, and end of words, the child was formally ready to master analytical reading. However, knowing that the process of putting letters or syllables into words would inevitably distract an autistic child from their meaning, we preceded the development of analytical reading with a short stage of “global reading”, in which we gave the child the idea that only a whole word has a certain meaning and that words can be used to form phrases.
To summarize, we list what necessary skills are developed in a child with ASD at the initial stage of learning to read in the process of creating a “Personal ABC Book”:
Examples of pages of the “Personal ABC Book”
The project “Personal Primer” - semantic reading and writing (authors: N.B. Lavrentyeva, M.M. Liebling, O.I. Kukushkina) is being prepared for publication by the Prosveshchenie publishing house (expected by December 2017).
Teaching Global Reading to Children with Autism
Teaching global reading allows you to develop a child’s impressive speech and thinking before mastering pronunciation. In addition, global reading develops visual attention and memory.
The essence of global reading is that a child can learn to recognize written words as a whole, without isolating individual letters. To do this, words are written in block letters on cardboard cards. Better to use cardboard white, and the font is black. The height of the letters is from 2 to 5 centimeters.
Preparing to teach global reading.
To develop global reading, preparatory work is required - these are a variety of games and exercises for development:
Attention;
Visual memory;
Understanding spoken speech;
Follow simple instructions;
Ability to select paired objects and pictures;
The ability to correlate an object and its image;
Understanding the content of what is being read.
Global reading training can be introduced no earlier than the child has developed the above skills.
It is advisable to use didactic games, the purpose of which is to trace paths, lay out mosaic patterns according to a sample, and decorative drawing.
It is also important to provide motivation for the use of signs with printed words and phrases, which can be achieved in the process of playing with dolls and animal toys.
These are games such as:
- “Labyrinths”;
- "Who lives where";
- “Loto”;
- “Find along the contour”;
- “What’s missing?”;
- “Find by silhouette”;
- “Find a place for the dolls”;
- “Paired pictures.”
Types of work when teaching global reading
1.Reading automated engrams (child’s name, names of his loved ones, names of pets).
To teach global reading, you can use homemade books or so-called simple communication albums with pictures and captions. At first they are compiled without taking into account specific topic and contain the material that a child most often encounters in life situation. It is convenient to use a family photo album as a teaching material, providing it with appropriate printed inscriptions. The inscriptions are duplicated on separate cards, and the child learns to select the same words. Then the captions for the photographs or drawings in the album are closed, and the child is required to “learn” from memory the necessary inscription on the card and put it on the drawing. The closed word is opened and compared with the selected signature. As the vocabulary accumulates, two or three word captions are given to the pictures (for example: “This is Mom Ira,” “This is Dad Yura”).
When working with homemade books, several options are used:
Instructions: give, show, find, relate.
Demonstration of the action shown in the picture through the use of a gesture.
Consolidating speech material at home.
Thus, the child speaks conjugately and accumulates a passive vocabulary in the form of global reading, which will later turn into active.
2.Reading words
Pictures are selected on all main lexical topics (toys, dishes, fruits, clothes, products, flowers) and provided with captions.
A good place to start is with the topic "Toys". First, we take two signs with words different in spelling (for example, “doll” and “ball”). You cannot take words that are similar in spelling (for example, “bear”, “car”).
We begin to put signs on toys or pictures ourselves, saying what is written on them. Then we invite the child to place the sign next to the desired picture or toy on his own. After memorizing two signs, we begin to gradually add the next ones. The order of introducing new lexical topics is arbitrary, since we mainly focus on the child’s interest.
3.Reading written instructions.
Sentences are made for a series of plot pictures in which one character performs different actions (Cat sits. Cat sleeps. Cat runs. Cat eats).
You can use tablets when studying colors, when determining size and quantity.
Global reading allows you to find out how much a “non-speaking” child understands the spoken speech, allows him to overcome a negative attitude towards classes, gives him self-confidence, stimulates the accumulation of a passive vocabulary and its transition to active speech.
Teacher-defectologist Shalkina A.M.
The table can take one consonant letter in combination with different vowels (la, lo, lu...) or one vowel with different consonants (an, ak, ab...).
TYPES OF JOBS:
1.Reading syllabic tables from open syllables. Tables are made according to the lotto principle with paired pictures. The child selects a syllable on the small card and places it on the corresponding syllable on the large card. At the same time, the teacher clearly pronounces what is written, making sure that the child’s gaze at the moment of pronouncing is fixed on the adult’s lips.
2. Reading syllable tables composed of closed syllables. Plastic vowels and consonants are selected and placed on top of the written letters. Vowels are pronounced drawlingly, and the corresponding plastic letters move to the consonants, i.e. “go to visit them.”
3. Reading syllabic tables where letters are written at a considerable distance(10-15 cm) from each other. A thick thread or elastic band is smoothly stretched between the letters (elastic bands are usually more popular with children, but if its “clicking” scares the child, it is better to use a thread).
L-A N-O
The child presses the tip of the elastic band, tied into a knot, with a finger or palm to the consonant letter, and with the other hand pulls the free end of the elastic band to the vowel letter. The teacher sounds the syllable: while the rubber band is stretching, a consonant sound is pronounced for a long time; when the rubber band clicks, a vowel is added (for example: “nnn-o”, “llll-a”).
Analytical-synthetic reading
First of all, we develop the skill of sound-letter analysis of the beginning of a word. The development of this skill requires a large number of exercises, so you need to produce a sufficient number of teaching aids so that the classes are not monotonous for the child.
TYPES OF JOBS:
1. On a large card with clear pictures (various lottos can be used), the child lays out small cards with the initial letters of the names of the pictures. First, we provide him with significant assistance: we clearly name the letters, holding the card so that the child sees the movements of the lips; with the other hand we show the picture on a large map. Continuing to pronounce the sound, we bring the letter closer to the child (so that he can track the movement of the letter with his eyes, you can use a piece of treat, as when working with paired pictures), then we give the card with the letter to the student (he eats the treat at the moment of transfer). Using the teacher’s hint in the form of a pointing gesture, the child places the letter on the corresponding picture. Over time, he must learn to independently arrange all the letters into the right pictures.
The reverse version of the game is possible: the initial letters of words are printed on a large card, indicating pictures on small cards.
2. Small cards with block letters are made(approximately 2x2 cm). In the corner they are stitched with a stapler using two or three paper clips. The child uses a magnet to “catch a fish,” that is, letters, and we clearly pronounce them. This exercise helps the child fix his gaze on the letter longer and allows him to expand the range of his voluntary actions.
3. We select pictures for certain sounds. On landscape sheets we print the letters chosen for study in large quantities. We place two letters in different corners of the table. The child lays out the pictures offered to him, the names of which begin with the sounds corresponding to the letters. Initially, you can support the child’s hands and help him find the right “house”. It is better to select pairs of letters that represent sounds that are as contrasting as possible.
4. When teaching autistic people to read, there must be a manual that the child can take at any time and view it the way he wants. Such a tool could be an alphabet album, in which we gradually sketch pictures of a certain sound. It is better to draw in such a way that the child sees the process of filling out the pages, while discussing and discussing the drawings with him. Since the album can quickly wear out, you don’t need to spend a lot of time on drawings and, if necessary, restore damaged pages.
When the child learns to hear the beginning of a word, work can begin to form a sound-letter analysis of the end of the word.
TYPES OF JOBS:
1. Pictures are drawn on a large map, the names of which end with a certain sound. Next to the picture there is a “window” with the last letter of the word written large. We highlight the end of the word with our voice, the child places the plastic letter on the one printed in the “window”.
Notes: for the exercise, you cannot use paired voiced consonants (B, V, G, 3, D, Zh), since they are deafened at the end and the sound does not coincide with the letter; You cannot use iotated vowels (Ya, E, Yo, Yu) since their sound also does not correspond to the letter designation.
2. Place the corresponding word under the picture. We pronounce it clearly, highlighting the last sound. The child finds the desired one among several plastic letters and places it on the last letter in the word..
Complex exercises
Exercises for teaching autistic people to read, combining elements of global and letter-by-letter reading, are very useful. Cards are made (convenient format - half a landscape sheet) with pictures and words corresponding to them. The words are printed in a font that is the same size as the height of the plastic letters. The child looks at the word under the picture and places the same plastic letters on top. The teacher reads the word clearly. Then the word assembled from the letters is moved from the card to the table, the name of the picture printed on paper is covered, and the child is asked to determine under which picture there is the same word as the one on his table. First, the child makes a choice from two cards, then from 3-4. When a choice is made, the word under the picture is revealed and compared with the example on the table.
Teaching autistic children to read
Translator: Irina Goncharova
Editor: Anna Nurullina
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Learning to read can be a significant challenge for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the right pedagogical approach can overcome it. If teachers and parents build on the child's strengths and interests during the learning process, mastering this important learning skill will be much easier.
FIVE TIPS FOR TEACHING AN AUTIC CHILD TO READ
In order to determine whether a child has an autistic disorder, there are certain diagnostic criteria, the most indicative of which are impairments in communication and social interaction, as well as behavioral problems. These three main factors directly affect reading ability and are important to keep in mind as you work on this skill. In addition, it is important to remember that the best pedagogical approach should always be individual.
USE YOUR CHILD'S INTERESTS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
Children with ASD often have unusual interests and passions. Trains, timetables, math facts or credit cards can be a real source of joy for them. These special interests also provide a great opportunity to capture your child's attention. Try the following ideas for using your student's tendencies to your advantage.
- When starting to work with your child, collect several items related to his preference. For each item, make a card, write on it the first letter of the item's name and glue this card to it. Every time your child wants to pick up an object, ask him or her what letter the object's name begins with. After that, move on to writing whole words on the cards.
- Write a short informational story about your child's special interests and passions. Include a few facts that the child does not know along with details that he is familiar with. Teach your child to read this story.
- Choose books to work on topics that interest your child. For example, if he is interested in weather phenomena, use books about natural disasters, types of clouds, and so on.
- Reward your child for his achievements with objects or information related to his hobbies. For example, once a child has learned to read ten words, he or she can choose a new card with a word written - the name of the object he or she desires.
DO NOT ALLOW SENSORY OVERLOAD OR DESTABILIZATION.
According to Psychology Today, most people with autism suffer from sensory disintegration. This disorder affects a person's ability to perceive and process any external information, such as other children talking, a dog barking on the street, or a strange smell. In addition, due to sensory impairments, children often make stereotypical, repetitive movements: clapping their hands, swaying, spinning. This is one of the diagnostic criteria for autism. Sensory impairments make it very difficult for a child to concentrate on any task, including reading.
The following ideas can help your child regulate sensitivity and focus on reading.
- Practice in a calm, neutral environment. The room should be lit with dim light. It is better to remove any external irritants, for example, posters or paintings on the walls. Work while sitting on the floor together and talk to your child in a low voice.
- Try to determine whether your student's sensory system is being overtaxed or whether the child's sensitivity is reduced. It is possible that he has both problems. An occupational therapist can help you solve them by suggesting appropriate aids - weighted vests, vibrating pencil attachments, chewing tubes - anything that can help your child focus on activities.
- Many autistic children learn better through movement. Why not? Try practicing while swinging on a swing. Another option is a swivel chair. Movement can promote concentration.
- Take frequent breaks to allow your child to regain sensory balance. For example, work for ten minutes and then take a five-minute break for sensory stimulation. Although such frequent breaks in classes may seem illogical, over time you will see for yourself that the child learns much more effectively this way.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT TEACHING METHODS AND MATERIALS.
Standard reading books and educational programs may be fine for typical students, but children with ASD cannot learn using traditional methods. According to a study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania Medicine, most autistic people have very well-developed visual perception. However, each child is individual and some special students experience significant difficulties with visual learning, as they better perceive information auditorily or kinesthetically through the senses. It is very important to identify the dominant way of knowing from the very beginning, so that you can select the right materials and structure the activities with your special student in such a way as to get the maximum benefit and pleasure from them. If you are not sure which channel of perception is the child’s main one, try different approaches and alternative techniques.
The following companies produce educational materials for children with autism:
Reading Mastery is a specialized product of McGraw Hill for the production of textbooks. Teachers rate the quality of their materials very highly.
PCI Education offers reading materials for both speaking and non-speaking autistic people.
Special Reads is an educational program for children with Down syndrome, but the manufacturer claims that it is very effective for autistic students.
USE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
Many parents and specialists who teach children with special needs have learned from their own experience that the use of computer programs makes it possible to teach a child to read more effectively. The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities reported research that found that autistic children made better progress and enjoyed their activities more when computer programs were used in their learning.
Consider the following computer programs for teaching reading.
- Kidspiration is a visual learning game designed to improve vocabulary and reading comprehension.
- Click N' Read Phonics is a fun visual game that teaches children how to form whole words from letters and syllables.
- Computhera is a program specifically designed to teach autistic children to read.
EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL.
Since autism is a spectrum of disorders, each child with this diagnosis learns differently. This means that methods that work well with one student may not work with another. The most effective reading programs and the most successful teachers aim to overcome the individual difficulties of a child with autism, as well as to identify and use his/her strengths, and experimentally select the most appropriate teaching method for a special student.