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READING COMPREHENSIONThe school team expressed an interest in learning more about the ways in which assistivetechnology tools and strategies might be able to provide XXXX with an effective way todemonstrate reading comprehension skills.Performance LevelXXXX demonstrates the ability to decode words while reading books at a DRA Level 24-28, placing his performance in this area close to the benchmarks for his age/grade level. The extent towhich XXXX is able to gain meaning from print remains unclear. Despite exhaustive and creativeefforts on the part of staff to provide comprehension activities in a variety of formats, XXXXremains unable to consistently demonstrate comprehension of single sentences, at levelssignificantly below where he is presently decoding.With respect to encoding, XXXX demonstrates the ability to spell “cvc” pattern words withnearly 100% accuracy, however finds “within word” patterns involving diphthongs significantlymore challenging. XXXX receptively identifies grade level high frequency sight words from afield of four with accuracy, though experiences relatively greater difficulty spelling them frommemory.SUMMARY and IMPRESSIONSXXXX’s current performance level as described above was depicted in a collection of work samples reviewed, was recounted in conversations with XXXX’s Speech/Language Pathologist,Special Educator, and 1:1 Teaching Assistant, and was demonstrated during observations acrossthese settings.Attempts to tap XXXX’s reading comprehension skills have included literally dozens of variations on presentation and response formats, in most cases using reading materials at the K-1level. The following models have been used, with the questions presented verbally, in writing, or in writing with picture supports. XXXX has not been able to demonstrate comprehension skills inthese activities with any reliable degree of accuracy or independence.

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who

what

question about a story- followed by cloze sentence,where XXXX generates the missing word to answer the question

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who

what

question about a story- followed by cloze sentence,where XXXX selects the missing word (from 2, or word bank) to answer the question

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who

what

question about a story- followed by cloze sentence,where XXXX selects a picture (from 2, or picture bank) to answer the questionXXXX’s responses to comprehension questions reveal a strong tendency to gravitate towardanswers that represent personal preferences, are part of the question, or are represented in anaccompanying picture. In other instances XXXX’s responses appear to reflect something concretethat was present in the sentence or story, though unrelated to the question posed.XXXX has been successful demonstrating the ability to read a phrase or sentence and matching itto one of several pictures in the Edmark program. In some cases the items in the field of picturescontain variations on the same elements (same item depicted in different colors, sizes, positions,combinations), forcing precise interpretation of the text in order to make a correct match. In thisactivity format XXXX’s challenges are scanning all of the choices, controlling his impulsivity,and avoiding the distraction of preferences.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Reading ComprehensionIt remains difficult for XXXX’s team to determine if he is comprehending what he is decoding in books close to grade level. XXXX’s limitations in oral communication and written language, andinability to respond to “wh” questions, make this an understandably challenging determination tomake at this point in time.Research to Consider Some of the notable work in the area of literacy and disabilities is being done by Paula Kluth,Emily Iland, Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver, and Dr. Marion Blank. Some of this work will be referenced here as it appears appropriate to consider in pursuing program options andteaching methodologies to support the development of XXXX’s reading comprehension skills. Irecently spoke with Mary Beth Cull from Dr. Blank’s project in New York and expect toreconnect with Dr. Blank herself in the coming weeks to discuss her research as it relates toXXXX’s profile of needs in this area. I plan to reconnect with the XXX team to update them onthis conversation.A review of the recent research makes it clear that the characteristics of ASD have a strong potential to impact reading comprehension to varying degrees, depending upon the severity of anindividual’s deficits in key areas.Emily Iland reminds us that comprehension, or constructing meaning requires individuals to-

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Understand the text at the word and sentence level, “word knowledge”

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Identify relevant information

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Integrate and relate to what is already known a.k.a. “world knowledge” or prior knowledge

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Internalize to own experience

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Create a new construct or idea, the gist or meaning

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Store the new idea

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Retrieve upon demand

She further describes good comprehenders as those who are able to-

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Monitor understanding

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Use strategies (Re-read, Look back, etc.)

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Predict, revise, infer, summarize

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Mark, highlight

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Use context

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Know why they are reading, understand the point

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Relate to prior knowledge, relate to other text

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See cause and effect

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Interpret characters’ actions and emotions, understand the author’s intentions

Considering this alongside what we know about ASD, and XXXX’s individual presentation, wecan begin to see the complex nature of the interrelationship, and appreciate why hiscomprehension challenge has been so difficult to understand and remediate. Embedded in the Dr.Marion Blank and Emily Iland resources are references to the ways in which characteristics of ASD, many of which are present in XXXX’s profile, impact reading comprehension. I invite theteam to explore these resources and determine their usefulness in supporting their continued work with XXXX on reading comprehension. I suspect they will yield insight into some potentiallyeffective instructional methodologies.

Recent efforts by the school team have focused on comprehension at the sentence level, throughthe use of “wh” questions and cloze activities, in a variety of formats. Dr. Blank has found thatquestions are one of the most difficult aspects of language for ASD children. She suggests thatinitial work in transforming words into meaning is better accomplished using other techniques.One technique offered is to use the child’s receptive language in activities to build readingcomprehension. After teaching a collection of key command words (put, take, turn, etc.) studentsare asked to read and carry out actions conveyed in the directions using objects. This singletechnique is one of several presented in the Light on Literacy

program that Dr. Blank hasdeveloped. This intensive program (4-5 times/week, over 10-12 mos.) is delivered in a distance-learning model by parents at home, in collaboration with Dr. Blank and instructors in New York via videoconferencing. Phonics Plus Five, another program developed by Dr. Blank is based onthe same principles, though it lacks the intensive focus on steps to build up the child’s underlyingsentence structure, according to project co-coordinator Mary Beth Cull. I am sharing a copy of the book The Reading Remedy

which explains the Phonics Plus Five

program, for staff reviewand consideration. Another program by the same author, Steps to Stories

, is a collection of twentystories at two levels of complexity, intended to build story comprehension in children with ASD.Dr. Blank also developed the Sentence Master software by Laureate, which could be a valuablecomponent to add to XXXX’s language and literacy program. This software is used extensivelyin the Light on Literacy program. While not developed for ASD children, parts of the program areappropriate to consider implementing. XXXX’s Speech and Language Pathologist has exploredthis software in a demo version with him, and reports that XXXX responded well to it. Aconversation with Dr. Blank about XXXX could aid in determining which, if any of these program supports match his needs. It is hoped that these resources will shed light on additionalteaching methodologies that will be useful in supporting the development of XXXX’s readingcomprehension skills, such as imitating text structures and teaching and learning patterns that tiequestion asking to question answering.The Sentence Master Software

Laureate Learning Systemswww.laureatelearning.com$495.00 eachLevel (1-4: assessment activity available to determine level)

Steps to Stories

A Unique Program to Build StoryComprehension in Children withAutism Spectrum Disordershttp://www.stepstostories.com/$79.95

Additional reading comprehension instruction could include introducing XXXX to concrete, threeto five sentence stories, tightly constructed, with a demonstrable element in each sentence.Initially XXXX could be encouraged to demonstrate comprehension of the text, one line at atime, by manipulating objects or pictures. This approach could be implemented with some of theearly DRA leveled books. Using a digital camera, images from the story could be duplicated andcut out, allowing XXXX an opportunity to manipulate story elements in dramatizingcomprehension of the text.