Sight Reading and ASD + Merry Christmas/Happy New Year

[cyberseraphim]

We have been having some success with getting DS1 (ASD) to sight read words that he does not always say - eg He tends to say 'want x' instead of 'I want x'. If we show him the words 'I want x', he will trace out the words with his fingers and say them and it's a great way to prompt him to speak. Has anyone had longer term success with sight reading rather than phonics - which looks strange to me and I can't even imagine DS2(NT) learning to read with phonics

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and it seems as if there are a few success stories coming in - fantastic to read.

DD learnt to read by 'sight reading' rather than phonics, eventually (she was 8 by then). DS1 (NT) learnt phonics, and did fine. DS2 is learning with a combo of phonics and sight reading.

hi cyber, ds1 started sight reading words and numbers at 2 - at 4 he's now spelling out words. I think this is going to be the way he learns rather than through phonics. I was a bit the same (am NT, but was definitely a bit hyperlexic as a child)

I like the idea of this being used to help him form functional sentences, will try that!

Yes I learned to read with sight reading at about 3 and did not really know the alphabet until many years later. It sounds odd but it is definitely true as I remember someone not believing I did not know the alphabet when I was about 6 or so - although I did not have the same problems with developing verbal language. Using sight reading to build functional language for DS1 was a surprise discovery but I am hoping to build on it.