ASD Reading Homeschool Curriculum Review

To get started all you need is a computer or tablet and an internet connection. Then just sign up for a free trial, add a reader account (or more than one) and the ASD Reading program will take care of the rest. If your child is not reading or has minimal reading and writing skills, then the program will start them off at the very beginning. If your child is capable of reading and writing, there is a short skills survey that will determine the best place for them to begin.

The length of time a child will need to complete the program varies depending on their skills. To complete the entire set of components takes about 12-15 months, assuming a child completes four to five sessions a week. Many children, who are motivated to do more than one session a day can complete the program in as few as 3-6 months.

ASD Reading Highlights

ASD Reading Work Well for Those on the Spectrum because reading does not require spoken language.

Moreover, literacy represents a powerful tool for enhancing the language abilities for all children on the spectrum.

• Almost everything and anything that can be communicated via spoken language can be communicated via written language. In other words, the benefits that flow from language can come from either modality—spoken or written.
• Written language offers major advantages over spoken language. Children on the spectrum are highly visual so that the visual print of the written page is more “user-friendly.” Unlike speech, it is set, stable, and unmoving – giving the child control over the pace at which the incoming information is processed (in contrast to the rapid, relentless flow of auditory language).
• Unlike spoken language, children find written language to be appealing. There is a reason why so many children—even at two and three years of age—love the little plastic letters that hang on refrigerators and magnet boards. Our failure to take advantage of this motivation has had tremendous and unnecessary costs for the children’s development. We have essentially ignored another key path to language.

If you have doubts that “non-verbal” children can master written language, take a look at some of the books written by non-speaking individuals with autism such as Ido in Autismland and Carly’s Voice: Breaking through Autism. They show the amazing language skills that “non-verbal” children can attain. The children may be “non-speaking,” but they are certainly not “non-verbal.”

ASD Reading Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Embraces children on the spectrum where they are.
• Offers a safe space to learn reading & comprehension.

Cons:

• The online platform may not be suitable for all learning styles.
• May not be affordable for budget homeschoolers.

Additional Resources from ASD Reading

ASD Reading offers sample lessons so you can try before you buy! Click here if you are interested in trying out ASD Reading to see if their program might be right for you and your student.