Good idea not to teach finger point reading to kids with ASD. They internalize that as the only way to read unless they have widely varying experiences with print. Then they cannot become fluent readers because finger slows them down. Instead of finger pointing, why not just easier text and big books? Or text projected large on the wall that is easy. If that's too difficult try double spacing between lines and double or triple spacing between words. Make it easier to track text without using fingers, so you don't have to unteach a behavior later that interferes with reading fluently?
In doing the Say-Something strategy this week for the videos I watched, I was able to reflect on applying best practices in reading instruction. I watched the videos with Jack, Preston and the high... more
I think it's definitely a good idea to ask prediction questions and methods to get your students engaged. I hope I can come up with creative strategies like the singing words to a popular song, I... more
a minor modification - koppenhaverd,Fri Jun 12 12:59
Dr. Koppenhaver, I enjoyed reading your reply on finger pointing to words. I would've thought that it was appropriate to have the ASD student point to the words as they read them. I understand that... more
Hey, Angie, Great question. It is reasonable to point to a word or highlight part of a word by blocking other parts with your fingers. At the single word level. It helps kids know what you are... more
Dr. Koppenhaver, Thank you for clarification on this. I understand the difference now, I think. Maybe if there are two to three words on the page it would be okay to block, but as the text becomes... more
I love the idea of being a reflective practitioner. I have found that this is one of the greatest tools we can use as educators. I really try to take time daily to reflect on what went well, what... more
Yes! It is so important to think about what worked well that day and what could be done better the next. It helps not only us, but the success of our students as well. And using music in the class is ... more
I'm loving your notes on what you do in your own classroom this week (: So do you reflect in writing every day on just the day as a whole, like a journal? I have had professors tell me that this is a ... more
I think it comes down to just what works best for you. Personally, I think it would be too much for me to write in a journal every day after school, especially to include each student! But I remember ... more
These are all such good questions to think about when teaching students on the autism spectrum. It is so important to keep our students engaged and listening actively to what we are reading and... more
Yes, I agree Hillary. It's so important to be a reflective practitioner in order to ensure our students are engaged and getting the most out of our time working with them!
Thats a good point. So much of good teaching is understanding how to evaluate your own teaching. I would also add to that list: How effective were the strategies you used? Did (student) seem... more
Yes! Those are great questions to add! I think it's important to think about different questions depending on the class of students and the subject you're working on. But those are definitely good... more