Education tips and articles » Reading Skills

Tips for Teaching Autistic Children Reading Skills

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 22:49:03 +0000

Teaching autistic children reading skills can be a daunting task. Some children will never read, but many higher functioning children can learn to some extent and can end up being excellent readers.

Teaching autistic children to read has a very unique set of challenges that requires a parent or teacher to have a lot of patience. It can be like teaching children without autism but with the problems magnified.

Sometimes they can be very cooperative, but for the most part, autistic children have huge problems with attention span, lack any type of motivations to learn to read, and they have problems with figuring out the rules of reading and grammar when compared to children who do not have autism.

Learning to read should be fun for any child, but when it comes to autistic children, you have to reach them on their level, so make sure you chose a method that meets their needs.

For some children sounds are important and using music as a tool to teach musically inclined autistic children to read is a very good move. There are some programs out there on the market that will use music and singing to help a child with autism learn many things. Some also employ the use of games. These interactive methods usually help with attention span and interest, two of the biggest obstacles in this endeavor.

One important thing to remember when teaching an autistic child to read is that most reading requires creative thinking and this is something that many children with autism struggle with. This means that when learning, it is best to focus on materials that are based in reality. Stories about children like them going through their day might be a good place to start. Steer clear of stories that are full of fantasy people like princesses and talking animals.

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Anyone teaching an autistic child to read should remember that many think visually. This means they are more likely to learn about words and letters through visual stimulation. Almost every child has a special interest, and autistic children are no exception. If they like trains, you may want to use them as a visual guide to learning how to read. If they are interested in the subject matter they are more likely to pay attention for longer periods of time, and are more willing to learn because they will find it interesting.

Each child is different and will learn at a different pace and in a different manner. Don’t be afraid to make use of the reading programs on the market designed with autistic children in mind. These have generally developed either through experience or with strong science behind them. They may be the best way to go about teaching autistic children reading when it seems they have no interest in doing so.

By: Rachel Evans

Educational Benefits of Online Rebus Puzzles

admin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:47:29 +0000

Rebus puzzles are word puzzles that use strategically placed letters or words to represent a common phrase, saying, or word. They are a popular type of puzzle for both children and adults and can be very fun and educational at the same time. There are a few basic types of rebus puzzles that employ different types of designs that you must look at in order to solve the puzzle. Each type of puzzle has different educational benefits as well.

One of the most common types of online rebus puzzles is one that uses word positions to create another word or phrase. A puzzle that contains the word “man” placed inside the word “moon” creates the phrase “man in the moon because of the way the words are positioned. This type of rebus puzzle helps develop early reading skills by helping children to differentiate between and identify different words.

Some rebus puzzles will use word repetition and highlighting to lead the viewer to solve the puzzle. A puzzle with the word “base” written three times in a row with an arrow pointing to the first base would denote the phrase “first base.” This type of puzzle introduces the early learning concept of reading text in a certain order, either left to right or top to bottom as text is usually written in this way.

Sometimes an online rebus puzzle does not follow the traditional left to right or top to bottom pattern, rather it uses direction as a clue to the solution. The word “break” written with the letters from bottom to top would be solved as breakup. This type of rebus puzzle encourages creativity in early education and gives children the opportunity to look at words and letters in a different way.

An online rebus puzzle can also use size as an indicator of the solution. Very large or small words or letters are usually part of the solution. The word “fry” written in very small text would represent the phrase “small fry.” Rebus puzzles that use size to represent a solution also foster creativity in early education and are a way to introduce children to new ways of thinking about language.

Rebus puzzles can also use repetition as a way to represent a word or phrase. Puzzles that repeat a letter or word a certain number of times may allude to a word or phrase that includes a word that sounds like a number such as to (two) or for (four). The word “sight” repeated four times will represent the word “foresight.” This type of online rebus puzzle is valuable in early education because it helps children to make connections between numbers and words and to think of language in an abstract way.

There are many online rebus puzzles for you to enjoy, or if you need something more personalized you can always use an online rebus puzzle maker to create personalized rebus puzzles that are suitable for all age and ability levels. Rebus puzzle makers can be found online and are a great way to make rebus puzzles that are specialized for your needs as an educator, parent, or just for fun.

By: Ken Stiles

English Class vs Language Arts in Education

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:57:12 +0000

Most schools do not put enough emphasis on the fine arts, namely, as an example—the art of language. In an English class the teacher will focus on reading skills, reading comprehension, grammar and vocabulary—but language arts is recognizing written word as an art form.

Yes we do want our students to study and master the English language. But the fine arts should be reserved as different kind of lesson, preferably in a creative writing class that is separate from English class. But every English class, if there is no specific language arts class required, should at least include a unit that focuses on the beauty and importance of literary accomplishments throughout the ages. Poetry, plays, song lyrics, screenplays, novels, from authors like Shakespeare, Dylan Thomas, Ken Kesey, Harper Lee etc.

Language is composed of words—words carry specific meaning and sometimes carry double meaning. So the primary tool of language is words, another is sound. Words are, in combination with an almost musical goal, can show the transformation of words and basic communication into art.

Words are to the writer what paint is to the painter, they are what the instrument is to the musician, and they are what tone and pitch are to a singer. That is why children must understand that English is not just what they learn in English class—but the language itself is spawned the language arts years and years ago.

The empty page means to the writer what the score of music means to the musician or singer. The empty page is the blank canvas, the untouched page in a sketchbook and so on, the empty page is—the thing that the any artist of the written word must make to come alive.

As I mentioned before, there is a musical aspect and technique to literary language that is hard to grasp without providing prime examples of it. The musical technique involved in the art of language is well exemplified by the works of William Shakespeare, but he is just one of many. The poem, when read silently or aloud. Should have a certain song about it. Whether it in written in iambic pentameter, as a sestina or in the more modern style of free form, the music should be there. For example in a poem by Dylan Thomas, the first stanza reads:

“ Do not go gentle into that good night

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night…”

The poem was written as Dylan Thomas watched his father lay dying, and there is a beautiful song here. Note the repetition. Note the syntax in which the words are used which is different than regular speech—there are articles like “the” or “a” that the author will drop—removed for the sake of rhythm. This particular poem is easy to find at the library or on the Internet, and I highly recommend it as a tool for any Language Arts instructor.

There is technique and beauty, form, use of syllables, pitch, pacing and sound even in prose. So demonstrate to your students the versatility of words.

If there is one thing I loved best about high school—it was what I learned in my Advanced English class, which was exclusive to the analysis of the literary arts

By: Anne Clarke