What can we infer is the reason for this character’s behavior? Readers with autism may need to be prompted to focus their thinking on what is most common and most likely under the circumstances of the story.
* What are the most common reasons why someone would do that?
* What is the most likely reason this character is doing that, considering what just happened to her?
By Sara Finegan Bobby approached my kidney-shaped conference table hesitantly, walking on tiptoe around the nearby rocking chair. He was carrying a copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I greeted him; he did not meet my eyes. This was the first day of the second week of school, and we had fashioned name [...]
By Sara Finegan When I met him, Bobby was a fourth grader with autism, struggling to make meaning of the words he so easily read aloud (decoded). He had hyperlexia, a common condition with children on the autism spectrum, in which they seem to read well but comprehend little. Research suggested to me that something [...]
By Richard Finegan This blog is a collaborative effort between my wife Sara and me. She does most of the writing. I do all of the editing, formatting, illustrating (mostly clip art), layout, etc. Since neither of us had ever blogged or had a website before, it has been a new and rewarding experience. I [...]
By Sara Finegan Students on the autism spectrum don’t tend to make inferences deliberately. It’s not that they never make them; they just aren’t aware of it and it needs to be brought to their attention before we can teach them to transfer the skill from their own lives to the written word. It’s important [...]
By Sara Finegan Nick loved to bring high level fiction books to school, and eagerly showed them to me each time he walked into the classroom. He proudly informed classroom visitors that he brought his own independent reading from home. Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones were two of his favorite characters, though when pressed, he [...]
Sara Finegan has taught in the public and private school sectors for more than 25 years, in both general and special education settings. She has led workshops on learning and teaching methods as well as content-area instruction. She’s taught students with a variety of learning abilities including GATE, students diagnosed with emotional disturbances, high-functioning autism, [...]
