Autistic Students and Reading

Paper Summary:

The paper outlines the 'applied behavior analysis' (ABA) approach and the 'treatment and education of autistic and related communication-handicapped children' (TEEACH) approach to teaching and discusses three suggested approaches to reading instruction; bottom-up, top-down and eclectic where there is a mix of bottom-up and top-down modes. The paper examines the literature that shows how students with autism require a reading program that is structured, but flexible because all children with autism seem to express different needs and learning styles. The paper then reveals that the eclectic approach is best, because an autistic student requires several methodologies to obtain the appropriate education.

From the Paper:

"When teaching a beginning autistic reader, especially as late as the secondary level, it is necessary to determine the learning methodology that will be best for teaching the required skills. This decision will be based on two different factors: First, students with autism have varying degrees of difficulty with communication, from severe (little to no interaction) to mild (the ability to receive information and provide a response or feedback). In order to teach reading to such a student, it is necessary that there appears to be an interest in labels, letters and words, as well as enough ability and skill level to look at these materials. Once a student recognizes that groups of letters form words that have meaning, and groups of words form sentences that have meaning, it is possible to move to beginning reading material. (Porco, 1989, p. 4)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hall, M., Ribovich, J. & Ramig, C. (1979). Reading and the Elementary School Child. New York, NY: D. Van Norstrand Company.
• Iovannone, R., Dunlap, G., Huber, H., & Kincaid, D. (2003) Effective educational practices for students with autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 18(3): 150
• Jennett, H.K., Harris, S.L., & Mesibov, G.B. (2003). Commitment to philosophy, teacher efficacy, and burnout among teachers of children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33: 583-593.
• Katims, D. (2000). The Quest for Literacy. Reston, VA: The Division on Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children
• Klein, M. Peterson, S. & Simington, L. (1991). Teaching Reading in the Elementary Grades. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

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