http://readerswithautism.com/2009/09/dont-stop-advocating-for-the-child-with-autism/
By Sara Finegan
A word to parents and teachers–
Ok, two words: (1) don’t (2) stop.
In the world of readers with autism, the worst conversation is the one that goes like this:
Parent: John is really having a tough time with the reading homework.
Teacher: Yes, he is far below grade level.
Parent: He doesn’t really understand what he’s reading.
Teacher: Yes, that’s very common in kids with autism. They don’t have high reading comprehension.
And then there’s a shrug, or a change of subject, or just a long silence, the kind that sinks into the already heavy heart of a parent who loves her child with autism; another thing she’s going to have to accept about her child.
Don’t. Stop. And I say that to both parent and teacher.
The scenario above could be the beginning of a conversation about reading. It should not ever…ever…ever be the entire conversation about reading.
Don’t stop the discussion just because you have identified a problem as being common among kids on the spectrum. Don’t stop the discussion just because you aren’t sure what to do about the problem.
Don’t stop.
There are two things that need to take place between parent and teacher at this point. The first is fact finding. The second is investigating. They might sound like the same things, but they are not. I will explain.
(1) Fact finding
Parents and teachers must start collecting and sharing information about the reader with autism. Relevant information includes: what kinds of movies does the child seem to like? T.V. shows? Music? Toys? Stuffed animals? Places to visit? Types of humor? Picture books? Read-aloud books? Fairy Tales? Holidays? Favorite subject in school? What’s relevant is anything that interests the child.
Why is this important? Because we need to know what is pleasurable for the reader, so that we can flood him or her with reading experiences that are pleasing. This is not rocket science: when you go to the library or bookstore, you are going to head for the sections and genres that interest you, not ones that bore you to sleep or frustrate you to tears.
It’s also important because if you aren’t already involved in a parent/teacher partnership to support the child, this is an excellent way to start. And if you are, it’s kind of fun.
Tip: If there is a paraprofessional involved in the classroom, include that person in the fact-finding mission. Richard will be posting entries about the role of classroom and one-on-one aides; suffice it to say, they have their own unique perspective on each child in the classroom, as well as the overall classroom system. I rely on my classroom partner to keep an eye on the big picture – she often sees things I don’t. I also count on her to develop her own relationships with each of our students, and she often provides me with terrific insights into situations that I’m trying to understand.
If the reader with autism likes certain books or topics, consider purchasing a set for the classroom. And when I say “consider purchasing,” I’m talking to the parent. Right now, with budget cuts, teachers aren’t being given money to buy new classroom library books. (You’d probably be shocked at how much most underpaid classroom teachers spend out of their own pockets for books and supplies.)
If we want new books, most of us these days have to buy them ourselves or rely on parents to donate them. I’m sorry it has to be this way, but it is what it is. Sometimes, your PTA will give a small grant to a teacher to expand the classroom library, and in that case, the teacher should apply.
Make a special basket of books for the child in your classroom. Include non-fiction and fiction, and any topic that you’ve identified as of particular interest to the reader. If he’s obsessed with dinosaurs, find dino picture books, chapter books, stories, and non-fiction books. If he likes quirky, goofy characters, amass a quantity of books at all levels that you think will make him smile.
If she loves math and numbers, find books about numbers and math. The Sir Cumference books by Cindy Neuschwander and Wayne Geehan are great (http://www.amazon.com/Sir-Cumference-First-Round-Table/dp/1570911525), as are counting books and poems.
If he’s got bathroom humor, get Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi (http://www.amazon.ca/Everyone-Poops-Taro-Gomi/dp/192913214X) and Captain Underpants and The Fart Book and make a special basket.
You need to nurture the parent/teacher partnership to continue to touch base about the child’s interests, likes and dislikes. The more information you have about what a reader will pay attention to, the better. The fact-finding must be an ongoing thing.
(2) Investigating
It is not enough to simply decide that a child doesn’t comprehend text. It is never okay to stop with such a general piece of information. While the fact-finding task in the parent/teacher partnership may be directed by the parent, this next step should be led by the teacher. If your child’s teacher isn’t willing or able to lead, then it is the job of the parent to lead, or find someone who will. Don’t let this become an adversarial situation; sometimes we teachers aren’t able to lead because we don’t have enough training or experience. You can help by assisting in finding a mentor or asking a previous teacher to participate along with the current one. (You can also contact me. I’ll email with anyone who subscribes to this blog.)
What needs to be done now is to figure out exactly why the child doesn’t understand what she’s reading. Identify what comprehension strategies the child isn’t using (and don’t be dismayed if the answer is that she’s not using any. We just need to know where we are starting from.) Identify the child’s independent reading level and investigate the fluency of her reading. Reading fluency has a lot to do with comprehension, it turns out: good readers “hear” the text in their heads, and if a child is stumbling and halting in reading, the voice isn’t very interesting to listen to.
One focus at a time
Once you have a baseline of the child’s reading processes, parents and teachers should have another conversation. Talk about what strategy or process should be tackled first. If it’s fluency, then focus completely on that for awhile, using books that interest the child. If it’s making personal connections, then direct the child’s at-home and at-school reading assignments in that direction. Pick one thing.
Once you’ve picked your target strategy or reading behavior, you are ready to begin the job of supporting reading comprehension. Your ongoing conversation is going to reach deep into the child’s learning experience.
Don’t stop.
So here’s how the conversation should really go:
Parent: John is really having a tough time with the reading homework.
Teacher: Yes, he is far below grade level.
Parent: He doesn’t really understand what he’s reading.
Teacher: Yes, that’s very common in kids with autism. They don’t have high reading comprehension. Let’s talk about John’s interests. What kinds of books does he read at home?
Parent: I’ve been reading the Winnie the Pooh books to him since he was a baby.
Teacher: Really! Who’s his favorite character?
Parent: He likes Tigger.
Teacher: Of course. Tigger bounces! What else is John into? What are his favorite movies?
Parent: Shrek.
Teacher: Great. I have a couple of Shrek books I’ll set aside for him. He can look at them during free reading time. Does he watch other cartoons?
Parent: Well, he never misses “Sponge Bob Square Pants.”
Teacher: I don’t have any Sponge Bob book...
Parent: I can look at Barnes and Noble if you want.
Teacher: Would you? Great. I’ll see if Scholastic has any.
Teacher: I want to pull together a basket of books that we think will pique his interest and give him pleasure. The last thing we want is for John to feel so frustrated with reading that he begins to hate it.
Parent: Yeah, he’s already resenting it.
Teacher: Let’s nip that in the bud, then. And in the meantime, I will do some informal assessments and see if I can identify some specific comprehension strategies we can work with John on. I can send instructions home with him for you to work on in the evenings, too. Let’s get him over this hurdle.
Parents, don’t let yourself be over here. 
When your child and the teacher are here.
Your child’s education is a two-way street.
Related posts:
- The child in the IEP: Can we really see him as described?
- When a reader with autism needs to respond to literature…
- Autism and hyperlexia, part 1: Anaphoric cuing?
- Role of the classroom aide: To help the child toward independence
- Finding the words: Helping a child with autism talk about reading
