Teaching autistic children to read is a particular task that requires patience and a bit of understanding. Children under the spectrum will most likely need a teacher or parent with a specific skill set. That does not mean that a parent must have a Ph.D.; it merely means that they must know their kid. Children under the Spectrum who learn to read may never stop devouring one book after another. Consider these five tips to help your autistic kid.
The first tip is to start early. First, parents observe how a child learns and interacts with the world around them, even before they begin to crawl. It also means giving them coloring books, flashcards, and other educational toys. Kids may think they are playing, but in fact, they are learning.
It’s essential to give kids direct instructions. A child with autism may not understand directions more than one or two steps at a time. Use explicit instructions, one at a time, and ensure that the child understands. Clear and precise directions eliminate the frustrations in the child’s abilities. It also shows the teacher what the child can and cannot do within each lesson.
What person wants to learn something that is not of interest to them? Teaching children with autism means discovering what they are interested in and building a curriculum around that subject. Children who love animals, for example, will be more than willing to learn letters and phonics if there are animals involved. Parents who follow their kid’s interests will be introducing them to a world where they will want to focus. It is also a special bond between parents and children when they can share a specific subject’s love, whether it be animals, space, or sports.
- Use Multisensory Techniques
Number four is vital because when parents decide to use multisensory techniques, they engage more of the child’s brain. Engaging the senses of sight, sound, touch, and even taste can bring words to life and create a sense of excitement in any reader. Multisensory techniques for the letter A might include first looking at the letter A, writing or tracing it, and then coloring an apple. This lesson would further emphasize that “apple begins with the ‘a’ sound” if the child could pick an apple from a tree and then taste it. Parents who teach using multisensory techniques will see their child blossom.
- Creating a Distraction-Free Zone
Many autistic children are also diagnosed with other attention disorders, which means creating a distraction-free zone is critical to their learning. Parents should remove distractions such as television and pets. Parents who are serious about teaching an autistic child to learn should understand that loud noises and bright lights will occupy the child’s mind rather than the task at hand.
Parents who want to bond with their kids should teach them how to read using the above five tips. With a little patience and understanding, kids will develop an insatiable love for books.
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