Reading system for child with quite severe learning disabilities?

[heartinthecountry]

Haven't been on here in many a year, not sure if anyone still around who would remember me. But anyway, dd1 is now 8 and I'm beginning to think it might be possible for her to learn to read one day. Just wondering if anyone has used any specially developed programs that have worked? I'd consider computer based or other. Needs to start from a very basic level.

DD1 is largely non-verbal though has good understanding and uses makaton and some symbols.

ds2 (age 8) uses clicker 5 in school, not sure how effective it is at helping him to learn to read but it is good a thelping him demonstrate his understanding as he an hover over the words and it will read them back to him and then he can choose the ones he wants.
They do ahve pre set reading games & excercises on it too.
He can't read or spell, he can write his own very short name though!
He cannot get phonics at all even though he has good language skills.

I think he is starting to pick up sight words, strangely he can read the word "little" but i guess it is quite distinctive in appearance.
Memory problems are the biggest barrier to reading if a child is going to learn to read by sight so for ds2 it is all down to lots of repetition whatever method we use.

Good luck!!

also meant to say that ds2 is much better with things he can touch rather than see. So having big cut out individual letters and getting him to put together the C, A & T to see it, feel it touch it seems to be helping a little.
We were getting nowhere with just letters on a page.

At the moment he has two words to learn "MY" AND "NO". So he has four individual letter pieces that we play a word game with each night.... pot luck says that he often gets the correct answer but he's not consistent yet. It is a very slow process

hi, heartinthecountry - I remember you

moondog swears by Headsprout (online phonics based scheme).

I have looked at a reading programme by Marion Blank for dd1 - it was geared at severe non-verbal ASD children. can't find the link now, as it looks like the website has changed, but there is some info on Dr Blank new online system

the programme I looked at was ot do with writing as well as reading, and was expensive, as had a full programme, with full monthly support form Dr Blank & team. If you are interested, I could search out my emails?

I will watch with interest, as dd1 is not "getting" phonics based programmes as yet - but can read a little. will be interesting to see what other posters suggest.

Just to say dont give up! I never thought my DD would read, asd and learning disabilities, but she did! Aged 8.

She didnt make any of the 'normal' progress, eg sounding out letters, phonics etc, but she always LOVED story books and would memorise chunks of text. Then one day she just read! She memorised whole words as opposed to sounding them out for a couple of years, and now (13) she can sound out new words and can read pretty much anything.

It really was something I thought she'd never do because she didnt appear to be making any progress for so long, so when it happened it was a real light switch moment. [biggest smile EVER] and [proud mum] emocions.

Hi HITC, how the divil are you? I can't believe your DD1 is 8, the little one must be getting less little iyswim. My DS is nearly 16 (argh!) and DD is also 8. One thing you could try quite quickly and cheaply is using PECs-type pictures (which should always include the written word anyway) and use bigger and bigger word, gradually covering the picture altogether. HTH a little.

heartinthecountry

You will have to work our which is her strongest cognitive sensory ability, or work out which is her worst cognitive information processing deficit.

The best starting place if to identify the information processing deficits, or skills which is is not able to demonstrate or use. You have mentioned that she can not use phonics which would indicate a problem processing auditory or sound based information. This is only one part of how we learn to read, the other part is the visual information processing part of the brain, which processes images of waht we see. Or there are the Kineasthetic (touchy feely, taste, and scent senses)

The visual way to learn to read is to recognise the whole shape of a word, and match it to the whole sound of a word. which is how the Whole Word type of program works, and programs such a Brain Gym are of a kineasthetic nature.

Reading is about being able to use a man made communication system the visual notation of speech. Each culture adopts a writing system, and the variations in the structure of these writing systems demonstrates the range of cognitive skills used to develop and use these man made communication systems.

Thanks everyone.

Hi Davros and Silverfrog! Nice to hear from you.

Alyswho - dd1 has always loved books which is why I would so love her to be able to read. I just think it would open up her world so much. It would be fantastic if she just started doing it! Must have been amazing for you.

I think probably the reality is a lot of hard work. Thanks all for the info and suggestions. I'll look into them and see if I think dd1 could access any of them.

Her SALT is starting with a PECS approach Davros so that may be the way to go.

Her communication is going through a real spurt at the moment. Apparently yesterday at school she hit one of the other children (that bit not so good!) and her teacher told her she was going to tell me. 10 mins later dd1 went up to her teacher and signed out 'XX (teacher's name), sorry I hit xxx, please don't tell Mummy I was silly"

She has barely strung together 2 signs before!

I'm flabbergasted! Not just at the signing but the understanding behind it. Also shows what a bit of (stick) motivation will do...

silverfrog - I remember Jimjams (in one of her incarnations) talking about Marion Blank. Couldn't remember the name though so thank you!

Hi again HITC. I haven't seen Jimjams on here for a while, at least I haven't recognised her. Last I knew she was saintlydamemrsturnip!
Just to explain better my very basic suggestion - use PECs with the word clearly shown (comic sans?), increase the size of the word and fade the picture. HTH

Hiya Heart In The Country :) Hope you are well.

I havent posted on here for a while now but do like to have a nosey.

Arrrh Jimjams :) All coming back to me....... coppertop, Thomcat :)