Autism and Reading Comprehension - by Joseph Porter (Paperback)

About the Book

When he began teaching, Porter was shocked to discover that he couldn't find any effective reading-comprehension curricula for students with autism spectrum disorders. This book includes over 90 hours of easy-to-follow lessons and student worksheets.

Book Synopsis

The predictable format, repetition, and routine of these lessons will create a relaxed learning environment, while the variations in the topics will hold students' attention and help them generalize the reading skills they need to succeed!

Starting with Level 1 (The Cat) and ending with Level 9 (The Lizard), special-educator Joseph Porter has developed an amazing 90 hours of animal-themed, whole-group instruction. There are two student worksheets for each of nine animals, totaling eighteen worksheets. Each worksheet has four variations, and there is a ready-to-go lesson plan for each one!

There are also two sentence-building exercises for each animal theme, which will build students' observation skills and help them transform those skills into conversation and written language. In addition to the step-by-step lesson plans, Joseph provides a detailed description of what the lessons will look and feel like in the classroom, complete with valuable, first-hand advice. In the back, you'll find an appendix with numerous suggestions for complementary activities for each animal theme, so you can supplement on the "off" days with art projects, music, books, and videos.

There is even a section containing Data-Collection Sheets, assessment forms that will help you record students' progress, per IEP standards.

Review Quotes

This book is packed with practical, easy-to-use material. It is also an unbelievable value. The author is a teacher who had to figure these things out on his own, without the benefit of excellent materials like this book. He created this material, test-drove it in his classroom, adapting and fine tuning it until it was ready to be shared. He wrote it to make teaching reading to a child with autism easier for you and for the child. Highly recommended for every teacher of children with autism. Five stars out of five. --Special Needs Almanac

About the Author

Joseph Porter earned a masters degree in Special Education as well as credentials in general education. He is currently a special education teacher at an inner-city elementary school in Los Angeles, where he teaches children with autism exclusively.