Please or to access all these features

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

reading and autism

3 replies

Lcw29 · 27/11/2023 15:49

My son is being home educated as he was struggling in the school system due to his autism. However I need some ideas or help with helping him read. He can do individual words that can be simply sounded out. But anything that looks like too much he just says I don't know and gets frustrated. He doesn't like writing either. Loves listening to stories but not reading himself. I'm worried about pushing as the school did that and he lost his love for books altogether. He's 6

OP posts:
itsmyp4rty · 27/11/2023 16:02

What sounding out can he do? Does he know his digraphs and trigraphs? What books is he reading?
I'm not trying to be rude but I'm really worried OP that you might not be equipped to home school him and he might end up missing out on being educated. I understand that he was struggling at school and needed more support and understanding, but are you sure taking him out was the right decision? It's a huge decision to take on sole responsibility for educating your child and not something I would do as a mum of one with ASD - and I trained as a primary teacher.

Lcw29 · 27/11/2023 16:49

The problem was he was getting angry when in school and having alot of outbursts. He's already enjoying being read to again which he hated when in school. I know it's the right decision for us . I just wondered if others had ideas on how to help him to not fear it so much or see it as so daunting.

OP posts:
Cormoran · 27/11/2023 22:12

Are you using a method, a manual, an online program or are you just trying to get him to read some words?
You need a progression ladder and if phonics doesn't work, you should consider the syllabic method. For example, mat, cat, bat, hat and so on.
I would also pause the audiobooks, and you have to read the book to him and with your finger you follow the text. Sometimes, when reading and getting to a word he should know, you pause and let him complete the sentence.

You can work together on making labels, even with the Post It notes, and you or ideally him write down objects around the house such as fridge, book, chair, door, handle, window, sofa, cup, ... and you put letter in a small bag, and he has to bring you the labels starting or ending with that letter. However letter games are a complement to teaching and learning not a substitution.

For the writing, practise tracing with maze books and tracing books.

You need to have a routine, that includes plenty of breaks. Try to reduce screen time to increase attention and interest.

If he has a formal diagnosis, do you qualify to OT or a speech pathologist ? They should be able to help with literacy .

New posts on this thread. Refresh page