Autism can present many challenges, especially when it comes to your child’s reading and comprehension. Although autism doesn’t always affect a child’s ability to learn, it can affect their developmental skills to understand and process information. Reading can be a great aid to help strengthen their language and comprehension capabilities. According to a number of studies, creating an interactive strategy for reading with your child could improve not only their early literacy skills but also their social skills. Here are a few ways to incorporate reading into your child’s life:
TRY PICTURE AND AUDIOBOOKS BOOKS
Some children with autism best learn through sound, while others can be strong visual learners. Try starting with audio or picture books, to see which method your child responses to best. Audiobooks can be a great option because you can play them at home or in the car. They offer a lot of versatility and flexibility for your child’s learning needs. Picture books not only allow children to practice their speech development but also act as a visual comprehension tool too.
READ TOGETHER AT AN EARLY AGE
The sooner you start reading to a child the better it is for their development, this is especially important for autistic children. Incorporating books into their lives early stimulates their learning, and allows them to develop in reading, comprehension, and speech.
INITIATE ACTIVE READING SKILLS
Reading out loud to your child is also beneficial because it allows them to hear the proper pronunciation associated with the word that’s written on the page. While reading to them you could also have them participate too, by asking them to repeat certain words you read to them. This will help you understand their comprehension of how to pronounce the words on the page.
ENCOURAGE SIGHT READING
Sentences become much easier to understand the more words your child can recognize. Younger, less advanced readers can reduce the amount of interpretation needed by familiarizing themselves with sight words, or more commonly used terms that they are likely to encounter regularly.
Reading is a great developmental tool for any child. Make it fun and interactive, with sounds and visuals to help you adapt to your child’s learning needs. It should be a beneficial activity your child enjoys!
