How to Teach a Child With Autism to Read

Autistic children can learn to read despite their personal challenges, but in order for you to teach this important skill, you'll need to connect with the child in ways to which he can relate. By playing to the child's strengths and teaching according to his unique interests and passions, you can make the process of learning fun and exciting. Just remain patient and keep a positive attitude, and you'll feel gratified to see the child's development as a reader.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Reading computer games
• Books
• Audio books

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Instructions

• 1

  Maintain a consistent teaching schedule. Children with autism often function best with a regular routine, so set aside a special time for teaching every day.

• 2

  Use simple instructions. Avoid long, detailed explanations, and teach one simple concept at a time, using only the most essential words and explanations. Individuals with autism have a difficult time remembering long sequences of instructions, according to well-known autistic college professor Dr. Temple Grandin.

• 3

  Appeal to the child's interests. Many children with autism have fixations with specific things like airplanes, animals or cartoon characters. If you find reading materials that include these types of things, the child will have more of a vested interest in the subject matter.

• 4

  Teach the child using phonics. Many children with autism respond well to sound, and using a phonetic approach when teaching reading has proven an effective method for autistic children, according to James S. Vacca of Long Island University. You can teach phonetic concepts by repeating the sounds of letters, first by themselves and then when combined with other letters to make words. Always do this in conjunction with visual aids so that the child can physically see the letters and the words.

• 5

  Use memorization techniques. While many children with autism respond well to phonetic teaching, others respond better to memorizing whole words, according to Dr. Grandin. For example, this type of visual learner might learn the word "cat" by seeing a picture of a cat followed by the word written on a flashcard, ultimately developing an association between the visual picture of the word and the animal itself.

• 6

  Use interactive, electronic and visual media. Many children with autism excel at computers and respond well to visual stimuli, so use fun reading programs, picture books and games as part of your teaching regimen.