Developing reading comprehension for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder through concrete representations : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Educational Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
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Date
2016
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Massey University
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Abstract
The ability to comprehend written text is an essential skill for all students, leading to their
increased engagement at school, and the development of communication and cognitive
skills. Recent research has found that a significant number of students with autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) may have fluent word reading skills, but often experience
difficulties with reading comprehension. Research is limited on this topic, and there are
few studies that have identified strategies that enhance comprehension for learners with
ASD.
In the present study, the researcher investigated whether it was possible for students
with ASD to improve their reading comprehension through a multimodal, researcher
developed intervention, “Show Me’. Concrete figures and objects representing text features
were manipulated by the students in accordance with the text they read, as a scaffold to
assist their understanding. A single subject multiple baseline design was utilised to assess
the effect of the intervention on the reading comprehension ability of three participants
(aged 7-10 years old) with ASD. The results established a functional relationship between
the independent variable, the ‘Show Me’ intervention, and participants’ ability to respond
to comprehension questions during and after a reading session. A smaller relationship was
established between the intervention and the verbal output of the students. Staff responses
to the intervention were positive and indicated high social validity. The findings suggest
that the manipulation of concrete representations may support students with ASD develop
their reading comprehension abilities.
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Keywords
Reading comprehension, Study and teaching, Remedial teaching, Reading, Children with autism spectrum disorders, Education, Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education::Subject didactics