Autism and Reading Comprehension. Joseph Porter

       Before the Lesson:

      At http://fhautism.com/arc.html, find Worksheet 4 (Variation 2). Print one for each student, plus a few extras. Write the date on the board.

       Teaching the Lesson

      1. Distribute the worksheets and pencils to your students. Say: “Write your name on your paper.” Make sure everyone writes his or her name. Then say: “Write the date. It is on the board.” Make sure everyone writes the date. Take the pencils from them.

      2. Say: “(student’s name), please read the sentences at the top of the paper.” Ask several students to read. If no one can read the passage, read it yourself, or have an aide read it.

      3. Say: “We want to color the picture. What two crayons do we need?” Ask the question several times, and allow different children to answer. Then help them find the pink and blue crayons. Take the crayon boxes from them.

      4. Say: “We will color the rabbit pink and the bowl blue. What color do we color the rabbit?” Ask the question several times, and allow different children to answer.

      5. Say: “Color the rabbit.” Make sure they color only the rabbit. Repeat the words “pink rabbit” as often as possible.

      6. Say: “What color do we color the bowl? Let’s look back at our story if we need a reminder.” Ask the question several times, and allow different children to answer.

      7. Say: “Color the bowl.” Make sure they color only the bowl. Repeat the words “blue bowl” as often as possible. Then take the crayons.