Talk to me about autism and reading books

[lisad123]

Dd1 has got herself into a state about a book her teacher chose for her to read. She nine and likes books like secret seven, magic kitten, famous five ect. She a very good reader. However, she's really struggling with books that require her to think about an abstract, written in third person ect.
Fact books are easy of course.
Is there anyway to work passed this? What has helped you? I love to read and loose myself in a book and know dd1 loves to do the same with books she understands, but how to move forward.

[lisad123]

Is this reply meant for me?

[porridgelover]

I think that was boc's reply to the Guardian article.

Lisad my ASD DS is a voracious reader. I did the Talkability course with our local SaLT service. One of the strategies they recommend was using books to talk to and teach my child about Theory of Mind. That was looking at pictures and listening to scenarios and trying to guess what is going on in the characters minds. What is their motivation? Who knows what?
In fact, she advised me to ''go down a level'' of reading to re-inforce these concepts with DS.

He really dislikes it (cos he struggles with it) but I am persisting.

For example...things like The Gruffalo (my DS is 8 so this is we did this 3 years ago at least).
Is the mouse scary really? Why are the animals afraid of him? Why does the real Gruffalo think Mouse is scary? Thats all about false beliefs and seeing what goes on in other's minds. I pause now, when I am reading with him and do this as a matter of course....but it took a while for him to accept it.

Dont know if thats clear?

[troutpout]

I presume the books she already likes are in the third person ? ( secret seven etc). If so, how about reading them TO her as a special thing between you and her but this time using porridges suggestions. You could always make out that you want to find out what is so good about them and that if perhaps she is the expert , then she can explain some bits that you find confusing.
I do this with ds sometimes. I pretend I don't understand someone's motives so that I can get him to explain and check his understanding.
Lol! It's been quite an eye-opener at times