6/11/2012. Welcome. Effective Literacy Instruction for Students with Autism Spectrum. Make a Book Activity. Literacy.

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1 Welcome Effective Literacy Instruction for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Becky Bilyeu Educational Consultant Region 18 ESC Make a Book Activity Literacy ASD and Literacy Effective Teaching Strategies Exploring Your Resources Understanding Visuals "If one wants to reach younger people at an earlier age to shape their minds in a critical way, you really need to know how ideas and emotions are expressed visually" Martin Scorsese Did you know? 65% -75% of the general population is considered to be primarily il visual learners. Visual Teaching Alliance Visual strategies may be the strongest link between individuals with neurotypical brains and individuals with autistic brains. Visual Supports When I was nine years old I could read at a very advanced level, I had grasped how to pronounce written words and I was proud of my ability. Then it was realized that I had basically no ability to process anything I was reading for The Wall meaning I Could always read a story without difficulty, it was always the pictures from which I understood the content Donna Williams Visual Supports Temple Grandin noted that those with autism may struggle to learn things that cannot be thought about in pictures. 1

2 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 2

3 Step 7 That s My Story and I m Sticking to It 1. Fold your book 2. On front cover write the title for your teaching literacy story (e.g., Flying By the Seat of my Pants ) 3. On Inside of front cover (page 1), make a Table of Contents -- include o My definition of literacy Page 1 o Challenges Page 2 o Effective Strategies Page 3 o Literacy Tools and Resources Available Page 4 o My dream ELA class would look/sound like. Page 5 o Additional notes Number and title your pages Literacy: What Is It? Graffiti Blast Using the tools at your table make a graffiti poster defining literacy Each person at your table must contribute at least twice. Add pictures, words etc. as we go through this session What is Literacy? Literacy is interactive, constructive, strategic, and meaning-based. (Steelman, Pierce, & Koppenhaver, 1994; p. 201) It involves comprehension and use of written texts. To be literate is to be able to gather and construct meaning using written language. (Steelman, Pierce, & Koppenhaver, 1994; p. 201) Literacy is a term that is used broadly to refer to the mastery of language, in both its spoken and written forms. (Foley, 1994) English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Strands (1) Reading (2) Writing (3) Research (4) Listening and Speaking (5) Oral and Written Conventions See ELAR TEKS Introduction pg. 3 To print a copy -- Englishspaniskteks.net click teachers click accept terms 3

4 Literacy Should Include: Skills that allow an individual to have increased, meaningful engagement with his or her environment and those in it. Reading (including sight words and other visual symbols) Writing ( keyboarding, typing) Developing functional communication systems Listening comprehension Understanding pragmatics Critical thinking Engaging in literacy experiences for pleasure Autism and Literacy: What We Know Increasingly included in general education classrooms often excluded from rich and meaningful literacy (Kluth & Chandler-Olcott, 2008) Because assumption, rather than proper assessment and screening, are frequently made about their cognitive and communication functioning, many individuals with ASD are excluded from literacy experiences. (Mirenda,2003) Behavioral differences are often viewed as anomalies that make individuals with ASD incapable of learning. Such views can lead to complacency, poor instruction, and acceptance of poor outcomes. (Carnahan & Williamson, (2010) With Your Table Group Discuss How your life has been easier today because you are literate? How has your literacy improved your quality of life? Literacy skills provide the foundation for improving quality of life, regardless of one s ability or functioning level. (Carnahan & Williamson, 2010) Central Components in Literacy Instruction for Student with ASD All students, regardless of perceived level of functioning, should have access to quality literacy instruction. A student-centered approach is crucial for building the literacy experiences of individuals with ASD Literacy experiences must be authentic and functional Literacy experiences must be responsive to the cognitive processing style of individuals with ASD Quality literacy instruction incorporates or builds on the special interest of each student (Carnahan, Williamson, 2010) Literacy and ASD: What Makes It So Difficult? Autism is defined by behavioral characteristics, including socialization, communication, and restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. SOCIAL COMM R R Neurological differences and cognitive processing styles Three Insights into these differences are 1) Theory of Mind (ToM) 2) Executive Function (EF) 3) Central Coherence (CC) Theory of Mind (ToM) Challenges A. The capacity to recognize the thoughts, beliefs, and intentions of others and understand that these mental states are different from our own. B. Using this understanding to predict the behavior of others Empathizing extends recognizing and predicting to having an emotional reaction appropriate to the other person s mental state 4

5 ToM and Literacy: Students with ASD May Have difficulty understanding the motivation or emotions of characters in a text. Have difficulty making predictions and inferences. With your table group look at your ELAR TEKS Vertical Alignment Document. Find your grade level. With what TEKS might your ASD students have difficulty? Reading pg 6-9 Writing pg Listening and Speaking pg Executive Function (EF) Challenges A. EF refers to the set of skills or abilities that are important for maintaining a mentally specified goal and for implementing that goal in the face of distracting alternatives (Fisher & Happe, 2005) B. Crucial for planning and carrying out goal-directed behavior while tuning out unnecessary distractions or information. C. Planning and initiation, working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and fluency. EF, ASD, and Literacy Access background knowledge but struggle to determine background knowledge that is relevant. Have limited ability to integrate what they read with previous experiences. Need support to self-monitor while reading. With your table group look at your ELAR TEKS Vertical Alignment Document. Find your grade level. What TEKS might your ASD students having difficulty? Research pg Central Coherence (CC): Weakness or Strength An individual s attention to details An individual s drive for meaning Typically developing individuals focus on meaning or the big picture of events at the expense of small details (Frith, 2003; Happe) CC, ASD, and Literacy Focus on small details with little regard for the overarching theme or main idea. Have difficulty connecting information at the paragraph and text levels. The ability to identify relationships between words, concepts, and/or experiences may lead to missed connections. As complexity of text increases the ability of individuals with ASD to integrate information for meaningful purposes may be challenged. CC, ASD, and Literacy An intense focus on specific details, as is often seen in individuals with ASD, may limit the ability to make connections beyond sentences and paragraphs. As the complexity of text increases either conceptually or in length, the ability of students with ASD to integrate information for meaningful purposes will likely change (Carnahan & Williamson, 2010) 5

6 CC, ASD, and Literacy With Your Table Group Discuss how a strength in Central Coherence will benefit your student with ASD. Look at your ELAR TEKS Vertical Alignment Document. Find your grade level. With what TEKS might your ASD students having success. Oral and Written Conventions Pg Think/Pair/Share Think 1 minute Write two new things you learned about autism and literacy 1 minute Find a partner who has shoes most like yours sitting at another table Discuss and exchange your thoughts Be prepared to talk about your partner s responses Where to Begin? Know Your Student Accommodations Strengths Can count to 100 Read 50 words Likes to stack books Extremely tidy Likes back rubs Fascinated by watches Uses IPAD for games Reads afternoon schedule on phone Strategies Whispering instead of firm voice Giving lots of choices Homework on computer Sitting on therapy ball during math Asking her to read to younger students Giving extra time to respond to verbal questions An accommodation is a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability. Allowing a student who has trouble writing to give his answers orally is an example of an accommodation. This student is still expected to know the same material and answer the same questions as fully as the other students, but he doesn t have to write his answers to show that he knows the information. Modifications Make Accommodations, or Modify if Needed A modification means a change in what is being taught to or expected from the student. Making an assignment easier so the student is not doing the same level of work as other students is an example of a modification. In addition to using Books Pencils/Pens Paper/worksheets Try Adapted books, movies, rewritten text, comic books Computer, Tablets, AT Devices, magnetic letters, velcro words Adapted worksheets with information highlighted, wipe boards, smart boards, 6

7 Specially Designed Instruction Goals and Objectives Standard Adapted Standard Assessment Students will be able to use appropriate mechanics, and conventions of language Students will differentiate fact from opinion across texts When using his Alphasmart to copy sentences from the Smartboard, Ross will include all punctuation When given a paragraph of an informational text to read, Ross will identify one fact from that paragraph Keep two samples per week Offer Ross an opportunity to practice this skill during science and social studies lessons. On a checklist, keep a record of times answered correctly Sample Modifications Of Mice and Men ( Steinbeck) High school English teacher adaptation for sophomore reading on second-grade level. A dictionary of vocabulary related to the text Illustrations ti of several concepts the class discussed d including threshing machines, farms, mules, orchard Graphic organizers related to the story Periodic summaries of the story (page by page or chapter by chapter Book on CD and a DVD of the movie From Kluth, P. (2008) Instructional Strategies EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH ASD Don t forget your basic autism training Organized classroom environment Minimize sensory distractions i.e. noise, light Allow for movement Visual daily schedules Visual activity schedules for specific assignments (task analysis) Work system (what work, how much, when will I know when I am finished, what happens next Supplement verbal directives with visual information Antecedent-Based Interventions (ABI) Computer-Aided Instruction Differential Reinforcement Discrete Trial Training Extinction Functional Behavior Assessment Functional Communication Training Naturalistic Intervention Parent-Implemented Intervention Peer-Mediated Instruction and Intervention Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Pivotal Response Training Prompting Reinforcement Response Interruption/Redirection Self-Management Social Narratives Social Skills Groups Speech Generating Devices/VOCA Structured Work Systems Task Analysis Time Delay Video Modeling Visual Supports National Professional Development Center for Autism Instructional Approaches to Increase Fluency Read Aloud many students with ASD find the passive nature of the read aloud as challenging Adaptations might included Furnish student with the same book so they can follow along as teacher reads Let students explore a story kit filled with objects related to the story Give students cards to hold up during key passages (wolf picture or puppet when bad wolf is mentioned, set of lungs when teacher says respiratory system Instructional Strategies to Improve Comprehension Brainstorm all of the associations learners make with the topic and record on chart paper, or create powerpoint as students shout out ideas projecting as you create Share other books related to the topic, including picture books that can be reread by students to make explicit ti b t t i d t d t i l i t t connections between topic and students special interest Ask the parents to share experiences and to connect past family experiences to the new text or unit Have students turn and talk or think/pair/share with teach other about their experiences, memories etc. Or have student text each other a special memory or connection 7

8 Instructional Strategies to Improve Comprehension Fascination Focus Use the student s special interest at EVERY opportunity. Harry Potter picture dictionary & vocabulary study New concepts and words connected to material the student t already knows and is interested t in and enjoys The word aloft included a drawing of H.P. playing Quidditch and flying through the air on his stick. The word terrified showed picture of H.P. encountering ghouls in the hallways of Hogwarts From Kluth, P. (2008) Building Vocabulary Make your word wall more accessible to students with ASD Make a portable version that the student can study and manipulate in a folder Velcro words Time for a Test You will need paper and pencil or pen Photos Objects Use the words that are most applicable to that student Writing Literacy Writing literacy does not = penmanship. Frustration with neatness and legibility are all striking commonalities of many autobiographers with ASD s Temple Grandin Kenneth Hall T. R. Mukhopadhyay Steven Shore Differentiating Writing Materials Implements Surfaces Related Tools Pencils Paper Magazines Markers Smart Boards Stickers Vibrating pens Chalkboard Post-it notes Paintbrushes Magnetic Boards Stencils Stylus Sidewalk Label Maker Paper plates Letter/word magnets 8

9 Instructional Strategies for Writing Start with the basics review pg 33 in your ELAR TEKS Vertical Alignment Document. Students use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text. Kinder level - Students are expected to (a)plan a first draft, (b) develop drafts by sequencing, (c)revise by adding details (d)edit by leaving spaces between letters and words Instructional Strategies for Writing Large amounts of practice in low-anxiety contexts Ungraded daily journal writing (does not mean unassisted) Scribing in person or Talk to Text Rereading the text Writing Buddies or collaborative journaling Writing Buddies Writing Opportunities 1. Pick a picture and talk about it with your buddy. Think about a story you can write about the picture. You can also make up a story on your own without using a picture. 2. One person should write the story in the journal 3. Think of a name for the story together 4. Write the title at the top of the page 5. Write your names at the top of the page Younger Students Write social notes to peers Write to a class pet or mascot Sign autograph books Sign up for centers, playground equipment, or class jobs home to family members to share daily happenings Older Students Records names of absent students Write the daily schedule on the board Create or copy a joke, quote, or fact and write it on board Sign yearbooks friends, cyber pen-pals Write assignments in daily notebooks Framed Paragraphs Graphic Organizers Send home a weekly questionnaire for families to complete that include check-off items such as This weekend I went to: mall toy store grandparents the lake Teacher or peer tutor helps student construct a paragraph based on the information. Support all aspects of literacy, but have special usefulness as in planning and organizing compositions. For more information go to Tools for Reading, Writing, and Thinking 9

Review Your Story Complete page 5 Find your matching shoe partner Describe your dream literacy classroom. I Wonder What will my students with autism write about me in their autobiographies?

10 Review Your Story Complete page 5 Find your matching shoe partner Describe your dream literacy classroom. I Wonder What will my students with autism write about me in their autobiographies? References Carnahan, & Williamson (2010). Quality literacy instruction for students with autism. Kansas: Autism Asperger Publishing Co. Fisher, & Happe, F. (2005) A training study of theory of mind and executive function in children with autistic spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 35(6), 6-9. Foley, B. E. (1994). The development of literacy in individuals with severe congenital speech and motor impairments. In K. G. Butler (Ed.), Severe communication disorders: Intervention strategies (pp ). Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen. Kluth, P., & Chandler-Olcott (2008). A land we can share: teaching literacy to students with autism spectrum disorders. Maryland: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. Mirenda, P. (2003). He s not really a reader Perspectives on supporting literacy development in individuals with autism. Topics in Language Disorders, 23, Steelman, Pierce, & Koppenhaver (1994). Literacy instruction for children with autism spectrum disorders. Gaithersburg MD: Aspen Resources National Professional Development Center for Autism (NPDC) National Reading Panel Paula Kluth s web site Texas Resource Guide for Effective Teaching (TARGET) Think Quest Fold a Book 10

Asperger Syndrome. Let s Go to the Movies 6/12/2012. Social Thinking Skills for Students with Asperger Syndrome/High Functioning Autism

Asperger Syndrome. Let s Go to the Movies 6/12/2012. Social Thinking Skills for Students with Asperger Syndrome/High Functioning Autism Social Thinking Skills for Students with Asperger Syndrome/High Functioning Autism Welcome & Overview Asperger Syndrome (AS)/High Functioning Autism (HFA) Social Skills, Social Thinking Social Thinking