Any Reading Specialists out there?

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Sep 24 2019, 11:09 pm

I know this may even be out of the realm of most reading specialists, but I'm at wits end and looking at any way I may get helped. I'm looking for a recommendation of a program/method to use to teach the Alphabet and eventually reading to a child with severe physical handicap as well as some cognitive and articulation delays. I'm hearing so many opinions but really have no clue where to start, like do I teach names of the letters or just move straight to the sounds... Many of the programs used to teach children with special needs use loads of sensory/movement activities from which this child cannot benefit. Any leads would be so so helpful! Tks!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 12:09 am

amother [ Burgundy ] wrote:

I'm not.a specialist but can he learn with the sense of touch. This is how we introduced the alphabet to my very young students. We make letters out of clay. We bought melissa and Doug ABC puzzles with pictures underneath. Sound puzzles. We also read rhyming books a skill before reading

Tks for your response! His motor movements are at the baby level...think fisted fingers, uncontrolled arm movements...so although I can do hand-over-hand to make him feel the letters, he surely can't form them, and even with my help, I'm not really sure that he's gaining in that way since it's really me experiencing it and not him...Puzzles are also not possible due the the limited arm control...I've worked on many pre reading skills up until this point, but now that we're up to labeling the alphabet I was looking I guess for a more concrete method/program...

amother

Floralwhite ↓

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 4:55 am

What is his usual method of communication? There are different apps that can support reading.
I would consider either a phonetical approach or the whole word approach. Some children respond really well to learning whole words rather than each letter. We've been using a programme called 'see and learn' with some of our special children. It's very easy to use and the resources are all explained etc. The programme is designed for children with Downs Syndrome but isn't exclusively for them.

https://www.seeandlearn.org/en-gb/

Also wanted to say-have you tried talking to any of the therapists (I'm presuming there are) involved in his care. They might know or suggest programmes that would be suitable. You're probably going to want to find a programme that has been created to follow through, rather than improvising as you go along.
Try other places that work with children with similar abilities and see what they're using.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 9:36 pm

amother [ Floralwhite ] wrote:

Tks for taking the time to respond..I really really appreciate it!! he uses words to communicate..This program looks cool on the surface but I'm having a hard time getting more info...Do you think there's any reason they recommend it only for children with Downs Syndrome? Also, are there any downsides to teaching using the whole word approach? Like can a child learn to read anything he gets his hands on when taught this way, or are you limiting it to the word/phrases taught? (sorry if I seem ignorant, reading is really not something I've ever taught).

As for your point about other therapists, there is definitely a large team working with him, but n/o else involved in the academic piece, that's really totally on me!

#BestBubby ↓

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 9:54 pm

Hi. I am a SEIT.

If you do the "whole word" method the child will probably not learn to read
but can memorize a number of high frequency words and phrases.

If you think the child has potential to learn to read, use a phonics program.

These books are about $20 on Amazon and are highly rated for teaching to
read with phonics:

The Reading Lesson
Alpha-phonics
The ordinary parents guide to teaching reading.
Explode the Code
Hooked on Phonics

For teaching letters use the Letter Factory Video.

Visual aids would be magnetic letters (lower case) - the kind that has blue letters
and red vowels.

Last edited by #BestBubby on Wed, Sep 25 2019, 9:56 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Slateblue

Wed, Sep 25 2019, 9:56 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I recently took the Wilson foundation course and I learned that sometimes if a child is cognitively delayed you should skip teaching the name of the alphabet and go straight to sounds. The Wilson program really breaks down how to teach reading. Do you know anything about it?

amother

↑ Floralwhite

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 5:32 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Are there no SALT (speech and language therapists) working with him? They might be able to recommend something. Otherwise is there anywhere that might offer training for you?

The reason see and learn is recommended for children with Downs Syndrome is because the program was designed by researchers for the Downs Syndrome association (DSA) to work to their strengths-being strong visual learners but not as good with auditory. So it's a DSA programme but can be used for other children with language and reading difficulties. As far as I'm aware they will go onto reading more than just the initial words (I work with early years, so I don't know as much about the older children).
This is the webpage with the overview. https://www.seeandlearn.org/en.....ding/

This is a presentation by Prof. Sue Buckley, one of the designers of the programme. It's really clear and explains some of the theory behind the programme.
https://www.down-syndrome.org/.....ding/

In the UK all children are taught to read with 'phonics', not the alphabet approach. Two of the most common are 'jolly phonics' and 'read, write inc'. The children will learn the speech sounds in a specific order, with mnemonics to aid memories etc. But he has to be able to discriminate between the different sounds before beginning any reading-can he hear the difference between cat, hat and sat?

I think it depends on the strengths of the child you're working with-are they a very good visual learner and struggle to remember things? Then the 'whole word' approach might work very well for him.
Also, have they the prerequisite skills to learn to read? Can they match different shapes etc? Complete puzzles? Notice differences? Make a pattern? Know their colors? and so on. He has to have mastered the early skills to be ready to read.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 12:53 pm

[quote="#BestBubby"]Hi. I am a SEIT.

If you do the "whole word" method the child will probably not learn to read
but can memorize a number of high frequency words and phrases.

If you think the child has potential to learn to read, use a phonics program.

These books are about $20 on Amazon and are highly rated for teaching to
read with phonics:

The Reading Lesson
Alpha-phonics
The ordinary parents guide to teaching reading.
Explode the Code
Hooked on Phonics

For teaching letters use the Letter Factory Video.

Visual aids would be magnetic letters (lower case) - the kind that has blue letters
and red vowels.[/quote

Tks!! Have you ever used the whole word approach? I'm wondering if that's really what they're doing by using that method...just giving the child an opportunity to learn as much as you teach him to recognize? I definitely think with hard work he has potential to read...

amother

↑ OP

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 1:06 pm

amother [ Floralwhite ] wrote:

Tks again Floralwhite! There is an awesome speech therapist working with him, with whom I work closely, however she had no recommendations on this one..and re training, I would love to do some kind of course/training but looking for which one!

I checked out See and Learn website but still unclear with how the child progresses with reading beyond the sight words taught..I'm going to try and email them with my questions...

He definitely has most of the pre-reading skills...can discriminate between sounds, can match and identify shapes and colors, cannot complete puzzles (due to motor delays), can create and continue a simple pattern...

↑ #BestBubby

Thu, Sep 26 2019, 11:07 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Tks!! Have you ever used the whole word approach? I'm wondering if that's really what they're doing by using that method...just giving the child an opportunity to learn as much as you teach him to recognize? I definitely think with hard work he has potential to read...

Hi, OP.

I don't believe in whole word. I've seen kids who memorized a bunch of words and then got stuck.

WW teaches bad habits - to look at the whole word like a picture - instead of looking at the letters to sound it out.

It is harder for me to teach a kid who got used to WW then a kid who never learned to read.

WW seems like it works....until it doesn't (Kid can't memorize any more).

Phonics is a slower process - but at the end you can READ.

I've taught kids with Down Syndrome to read with Phonics - emphasizing word families.

amother

Lilac

Mon, Oct 07 2019, 4:14 pm

I'm a speech therapist who specializes in working with kids with severe disabilities. OP, please pre-order this book, which is due out mid-December and will help you tremendously (I've pre-ordered mine and can't wait!): https://www.amazon.com/Compreh.....r=8-1 I've gone to Karen Erickson's workshops and they're great--she's the go-to person for literacy and disabilities in the U.S.

In terms of a curriculum, you should use an updated 4-blocks style curriculum. The Erickson book will help you understand what daily instruction should look like. For now, look at the infographic on this page (called "Does the Student") to get started: http://literacyforallinstructi.....ers/. Then, go through the various pages under "Emergent Literacy" to get a better understanding of specifics.

You also need to figure out how this child will write. Speak with their OT, and discuss motor issues in determining which "alternative pencils" to try. Here's info about alternative pencils: http://alternativepencils.weebly.com/ and further resources: https://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/cl.....cils/

If the child can access an iPad (maybe via an adaptive stylus), you may want to buy ALL: https://www.mytobiidynavox.com.....pNow. I think they're having a sale right now because of Autism Awareness Month. ALL is a little boring to me but can be a good addition to your regular curriculum, and will allow the child to easily show you what they know. The kids I've used it with have liked it. Or, if the kid can't use an ipad, you could purchase the Windows version of ALL, and get the Tobii Eye Tracker 4C (used to be $150 with free Prime shipping on Amazon, but now I see it's gone up a bit, so maybe check out Tobii Dynavox's price, but here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Tobii-E.....r=1-1). You would then install some free Tobii eye tracker software (if you end up going that route, update this post and I'll give you info about which one to download...it's an old one and Tobii will try to scare you that it won't work, but it will), and when the 4C is attached to your computer, and the kid is positioned properly in front of it, he should be able to use his eyes to do the activities within the ALL software.