Karen72

Hi! I have a son who is a junior in high school. He is on the autism spectrum with comorbid challenges of ADHD, OCD, anxiety... the list goes on. I realized this year (even though I should have noticed it at least last year) that my son focuses better and for longer when he reads out loud to himself. Some of his teachers this year require students to sit and read silently for 60+ minutes. My son has fallen behind because he cannot read silently to himself. I wonder if anyone else has seen this? I can't find specific accommodations already established (other than using a "WhisperPhone" -- really? What high school kid is going to want to do that in class?) to enable a student to read aloud to him/herself. However, I have found anecdotal evidence from individuals who report that reading aloud improves their focus and helps block distractions. The IEP meeting is tomorrow, and I am going to suggest that Ryan be permitted to sit outside the classroom (in the hallway). Or, he can go to the library (I know -- too far removed from teacher). Finally, he does have a 1-1 for a number of hours each day. Could he report to this person in a location where he can read aloud? I am interested in your thoughts and ideas. Thank you!

Hello! I have been doing research to try to figure out how to inform/educate my son’s teachers that reading his texts out loud is how he understands the material. My son is a junior in high school. Unfortunately, he has three classes where students are expected to read silently for most of a 90-minute class period (As a retired English teacher of 25 years, don’t even get me started on my thoughts on this matter. I rarely asked students to read silently in class without a specific reason and/or audio support.) I am hoping that some of you may have suggestions on what you said and/or recommended to encourage teachers to support your child in their need to read aloud to understand their reading. Did you ask for your child to sit in a different location? Did your child have an adult nearby to redirect if needed? I am also thinking ahead to when my son goes to college. Thank you for any advice you can provide! Regards, Karen