Reading With Your Child Who Has Autism

Reading has a profound impact on the development of a child. It allows children to explore exciting, imaginary worlds while also improving their overall literacy skills. A child's understanding of the alphabet, phonetics, and speech are all greatly improved by reading. The special bond between parent and child is deepened through reading together, which is another important benefit of reading.

An essential aspect of early childhood reading is comprehension ability. Reading comprehension is one of the most important skills a child can learn because it expands their educational opportunities and improves communication skills. Simply reading a story or article isn’t enough if a child doesn’t understand the meaning behind the words and the way they work together to convey an overall message.

THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF AUTISM ON READING

Reading comprehension relies heavily on language and speech. It is fairly common for autistic children to have difficulty with language and communication, which impacts their ability to comprehend what they read. Children with autism may have difficulty communicating with others and expressing themselves verbally and logically. They may have delayed language development or no language at all, or they may have problems understanding and using speech.

Autism is intricate and nuanced; it varies from person to person. The reading process may look a little bit different, but that’s okay! Every child is different, no matter what their individual characteristics may look like. There is no perfect formula or fixed template to success in reading with your child that has autism, but we hope the following strategies will help you feel more prepared as you navigate reading together.

READING STRATEGIES

One of the most important things you can do as a parent to facilitate reading in your home is to follow your child’s interests. Choosing books you know your child will be highly interested in is likely to keep them engaged in reading longer. They may even want to be involved in choosing the books displayed on the bookshelf at home or selecting which books your family checks out at the library. The more personally vested they are in the process, the more motivated they may feel to read.

Sequencing is an important component of reading, which involves identifying a beginning, middle, and end while reading a story. It leads to higher levels of reading comprehension, as a child can better understand the direction and layout of the story. Certain words are associated with each aspect of sequencing, which can act as a clue for your child.

Some examples of words associated with the beginning of a story sequence include, “first, in the beginning, once upon a time,” and more. Words that indicate the middle of the story are, “next, then, secondly, thirdly, etc.,” and the end includes words such as, “finally, last, and ultimately.” These words serve as hints to help your child deduce where they are in the story, keeping them on track with the order of events throughout.

Story mapping helps with sequencing, as well as visualizing. Have your child draw what they’repicturing throughout the story. A story map diagram summarizes the main characters, where the story takes place, events, issues, and resolutions and outcomes of a story. Children can better learn how stories work by using story maps to visualize different components in a story.

Ask questions as you read together. This helps solidify your child’s understanding of what’s happening in the story and also further piques their curiosity. Asking prediction-related questions, such as “What do you think will happen next?" will further develop their cognitive skills, such as cause-and-effect, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Strengthening their cognitive skills positively impacts their reading comprehension ability.

Eliminate any distracting elements. It’s important to provide a quiet and comfortable space for you and your child to read together. Discomfort and loud noises would make it difficult to concentrate and fully enjoy the book. If your child feels comfortable, they’re more likely to stay engaged.

Retelling helps to solidify your child’s understanding of the story and internalize what they read. Facilitating conversations at the dinner table around the content you read together earlier in the day would provide a great outlet for story retelling. Repetition is typically helpful for children with autism, and retelling a story multiple times may satisfy this need.

Visualizing while reading makes stories more interesting, and detailed. It makes a child feel more involved. A majority of a person’s thoughts are visual, not just language-related. Have your child draw pictures of what they’re reading about in the text. They can create a visualization of that book’s “world” and characters in a tangible and personal way to them.

Verbalize and make predictions with your child as you read and, over time, they’ll begin to make their own predictions to better comprehend what they’re reading. Before a read-aloud, talk about the aspects of the book, such as the cover, title, and any thoughts or predictions they may have regarding the storyline or topic. Making predictions strengthens a child’s ability to make observations as well as other cognitive abilities.

TIME TO OPEN UP A GOOD BOOK

Every child has their own unique learning style, and this is evident throughout the process of developing reading comprehension. Intentionality is so important. Reading strategies and learning methods should be tailored to each child's needs for ultimate success. Your child will become much more involved and feel more self-motivated towards reading when their interests and learning style are incorporated into the process.

You will see the best results, and likely have a more enjoyable experience, if you go at your child's own pace. It’s okay and encouraged to take breaks in order to avoid overstimulation. The best thing you can do for your child as they work to improve their reading skills is to simply support them. Your involvement in their learning is meaningful to them and has a positive impact on their academic outcomes. Take it one step at a time and remember to have fun!