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Dr. Seuss famously penned, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

It is no coincidence that at the age of 10 or so, many students seem to experience new challenges with reading.  Even kids who previously held high marks in reading may see a decline in grades and begin to feel more challenged by their lessons. This phenomenon, known as the “fourth grade reading slump” is a common occurrence with students at this grade level.

There are many reasons to instill a lifelong love of reading in our kids. It builds their vocabulary of course and helps with areas such as language fluency. Students who love to read are likely to have a more expansive background knowledge on the subject at hand. But academics aside, a love of reading can open the doorway to unbridled imagination and virtually limitless potential. 

Research indicates that students acquire decoding and reading comprehension skills at the same time, but these skills develop independently of the other. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically perform at average or above-average levels when it comes to decoding written language, and are generally better at sounding out and identifying words than understanding what it is they have read.

As we all strive to navigate the “new normal”, educators are finding new ways to connect their classrooms and keep their students engaged, when remote learning is essential. Virtual “team” focused apps like Zoom, Facebook Live, and Google classroom have become commonplace for conducting group lessons and activities, and online educational software is ideal for keeping students focused and up-to-date with grade-level lessons and assignments in a multitude of subjects.  

Elementary and middle-school students with autism think and learn differently from other kids, and most often require specialized instruction when learning to read and spell. This can be a challenge for teachers, but the right tools can certainly make a significant impact on the success of their efforts. 

RTI (Response to Intervention) is a highly effective program used by teachers to help students who are struggling with particular skills or lessons. Teachers can use the three-tiered RTI approach to help students of varying abilities and apply it to both skills and behaviour. Students at the middle school level can benefit from the implementation of an effective RTI reading program. 

Educators appreciate that every student is different, and we all learn at different rates of progression and in different ways. This is particularly true in the Special Ed classroom where each student requires a professionally developed learning program that can be configured to support individualized instruction. Reading programs for special education provide teachers with a comprehensive system of instruction that was developed specifically for Special Ed students.  

As families adjust to life under quarantine, educators are faced with the unique challenge of reaching and teaching their students through online learning solutions. Fortunately, there are successful reading programs elementary school teachers can use that will provide grade-appropriate lessons while keeping students interested and engaged.

Students on the autism spectrum face unique learning challenges and possess extraordinary skills. Each child with Autism is different from the next, and there is no single reading program that will be the right fit for every student. Using technology for online and in-class lessons can be a great option for instructors, but only if they are able to identify and access the best quality reading instruction software. The most effective type of online reading program, Autism educators agree, is made up of carefully researched lesson plans and activities that are flexible enough to meet the individual needs of the greatest number of students.