How to Recognize and Reduce Challenges to Children s Comprehension of Books

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1 How to Recognize and Reduce Challenges to Children s Comprehension of Books Rebecca Landa, Ph.D., CCC-SLP Director, Center for Autism and Related Disorders April 3, 2013

2 Main points Have a look at children s books what challenges do they present? What skills are needed for book comprehension? Why do children with ASD have difficulty with book comprehension? What can I do to help my child comprehend books better?

3 Why do parents expose their children to books?

4 Why do parents expose their children to books? Fun and playful Time together Calming Language, concept, social development Narrative development Literacy development

5 Will my child enjoy this book?

6 Consider the book qualities Language Concepts Pictures Sentence complexity Redundancy Concrete or abstract? Plot Familiar events? Complexity of sequence of events # of characters Character qualities Social Concepts Cause-effect Inferences

7 Language: Assembling words into messages Words and Language Language Demands Words Concepts Sentence complexity Concrete or abstract? Supports Pictures Repetition Rhyming Predictability Past exposure Interactive qualities

8 Example

9 Setting

10 Problem

11 Solve the problem

12 Solve the problem

13 Plot

14 Plot Setting Problem Character s response to the problem Character s plan to deal with the problem Outcome of their action Character s reaction to that outcome

15 Not all books have a plot, or a very simple one Moonbear s canoe Brown Bear Brown Bear

Plot Plot: Demands Complexity of sequence of events # of characters Character qualities Complexity of relationships (if this, then that) Amount of detail that must be inferred Integrate all

16 Plot Plot: Demands Complexity of sequence of events # of characters Character qualities Complexity of relationships (if this, then that) Amount of detail that must be inferred Integrate all the meaning to presume what will happen next (ongoing monitoring of meaning) Supports Familiar Pictures Repeat same sequence with slight variation Explicit links that tie the events together

17 Social Social: Demands Complexity Cause-effect Inferences (if cause-effect not explicitly stated) Determine character s motives and intentions Identify with characters emotions and perspectives Conversation/discourse comprehension Supports Familiarity and prior exposure (eg to Arthur series) Pictures Opportunity to interact

18 Social Who are they thinking about? Is anything wrong? About whom are they concerned?

19 Consider Five Little Pumpkins

20 Consider Language Plot Social

21 What opportunities and challenges do books provide? Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate The first one said, Oh my! It s getting late!

22 What opportunities do books provide? Language Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate The first one said, Oh my! It s getting late!

23 What opportunities do books provide? Plot Five Who? little pumpkins sitting on Where? a gate The first one said, Oh my! It s getting late! Problem Reaction

24 What opportunities do books provide? Social Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate The first one said, Oh my! It s getting late! Imagery of friends hanging out One issues a warning!

25 Summary: Challenges and opportunities books present Language Plot Social Supports or lack thereof

26 ASD core deficits and comorbidities ASD Core deficits Social cognition Joint attention Imitation Language Abstract language Inferencing Gist comprehension Emotion regulation Communication Executive dysfunction Planning Flexibility Generativity Common comorbidities ADHD Anxiety OCD Motor and sensory-based impairments

27 For children who are reading. Understanding text Skilled text comprehension: complex process Know meanings of words Ability to analyze the grammatical and semantic structures of word combinations (Is it happening in the past? How is the meaning tied together [because, then, if ]?) Relate the information to your background knowledge Understand how meaning is conveyed across the sentences Make logical inferences Ability to think about it and think critically about it- evaluate it and Monitor own comprehension of it, and identify where the information isn t clear

28 Reading is an ACTIVE process You interact with the information to CONSTRUCT THE MEANING Text coherence and global meaning

29 Picking the right book for your child

30 Language comprehension? Single words in familiar song-gesture games? Single words in context? Single words out of context? Action words? Adjectives? Phrases? Complex sentences? Abstract language?

31 Plot comprehension? What does your child understand about how things work in the world? Look at how your child plays with toys Putting objects into containers/take out? Puzzles? Use objects functionally? (Eat with toy spoon?) Pretend? Sequences of play?

32 Social comprehension? Imitate others? Tracks others attention? Understand facial expressions? (Knows when someone thinks something is funny? Upset?) Understand that people have preferences? Turn taking? Shares? Anticipate others reactions? Use of language for diverse purposes?

33 Does the book offer opportunities for interaction? Look to see if so And if not, what can you create?

34 Topic of interest to your child? Vehicles? Action-oriented? Animals? Bridges? Certain characters? How to motivate your child and avoid fixation of attention (preoccupations)

35 Book Materials: Pumpkins, bats, containers, hiding places

36 Core Vocabulary and Motor Apple Pumpkin Bat Cat Look Give In Put Big, little Reach Give Point Allows us to build a flexible linguistic system: Noun + Verb (agent + action) Verb + Noun (action + object) Location

37 Core Communicative Intents Affirm Reject Show Inform Greet Request Call (the attention of)

38 Core Social Initiation Responsivity Imitation Turn-taking Giving Role shifting Face processing Affect sharing Self regulation

39 What you can do at home Thoughtfully select books (consider prior information) Make up your own story about the pictures- tailored to your child s comprehension level Take turns interacting with the book and story parts I see a train! [pause, wait for child s response] [If not response, prompt: Oh look! {point to train} pause] [If not response: It s a train! You say train! ] Avoid test questions Be playful Recap things often Play related to the story Relate events to child s own experiences Check for comprehension

40 For children who are reading Read the same book so you can help Hyperlexia is common (can read the words but lower comprehension) Draw diagrams of events (Plot structure) Create people files to help child understand characteristics of the characters What they like and don t like How they react to things (e.g., Winnie the Pooh characters; Arthur characters) Who are their friends? Other characteristics (smart, silly, cautious) Summarize main points at key places in story

41 Conclusions Start book sharing early Link words, events, characters in book to real life experiences Read the book several times at least Make the book come alive- book sharing should be interactive Use visuals to assist with comprehension

Communication and ASD: Key Concepts for Educational Teams

Communication and ASD: Key Concepts for Educational Teams Marci Laurel, MA, CCC-SLP mlaurel@salud.unm.edu and Services (UCEDD) 1 Training Objectives Participants will: 1. Name at least three communication