It is important to understand the learning difficulties of ASD students. That way, teachers can help students with autism spectrum disorder improve their reading comprehension. There are many strategies teachers can use to help these students become successful readers. These include a reading program for autism, giving background information, thinking aloud, drama, reciprocal teaching, and retelling.

Many students with ASD have difficulty expressing what they know when reading. While they understand what they read, they may not know how to answer questions or communicate in traditional ways. Students with ASD show understanding in their own ways.

There are several strategies that a teacher can use to help ASD students with reading comprehension.

Reading Programs for Autism

There are research-based reading programs for special education available for teachers to use. However, instruction should cater to the individual’s needs and be adaptive.

The special education reading curriculum must address the reading difficulties of children in ways consistent with their learning styles. It needs to use multisensory approaches, interactivity, and imagery throughout the process.

Giving Background Information

Another way to help students understand texts is by giving them background information related to the topic. A teacher can do this in many ways, like showing students a movie or telling a story.

Drama

When teachers use drama to teach, it can help students understand what they are reading better. This can be pantomime, dramatic reading, or having students act out parts. This is more common in lower grades, but it can also be helpful in middle and high school.

Think-Aloud

A common teaching strategy that teachers can use in a whole class is the think-aloud. During a think-aloud, the teacher reads a text to the class. The teacher then models their own comprehension strategies. They can make inferences, ask questions, and make connections to background knowledge.

Reciprocal Teaching

Students can also help each other understand the text. Some teachers ask students to engage in dialogue that uses four strategies. These are question generating, predicting, clarifying, and summarizing. The teacher and students take turns playing the role of “teacher.” Each has a chance to lead this dialogue.

Retelling

Some learners may be uncomfortable with direct questions and answers. But, they may respond better to retelling. Retelling is a strategy and a way to assess understanding. When a child retells a story, they may tell every detail they can remember about it. They may include the story structure and the language and imagery used in it. This gives teachers more information about the child’s understanding of the text.

Find Research-Based Reading Programs for Special Education

A reading program for autism should be research-based. It should offer minimal distraction, be accessible for all ages, and be adaptive to different ability levels.

For more than 20 years, We has been the trusted special education reading curriculum provider for teachers. Contact us for more information.