Let’s talk about something that might hit close to home for many families and educators: the complexities of learning to read amongst neurodivergent kids. The English language is already tricky - juggling 26 letters, 44 sounds, and around 250 different ways to spell those sounds! There are exceptions to rules, influences from ancient languages, homonyms, and meaning changes when in different environments. No wonder some kids find it tough.
In Western Australia, NAPLAN data reveals that about 30% of students are not proficient in literacy or numeracy, and at least 20% of students currently enrolled in Western Australian schools are at risk of failing to meet an appropriate level of educational attainment as a result of learning difficulties.
Occasionally children are identified as having a specific learning disorder (SLD), in particular, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. When we talk about SLDs, we're referring to impairment in one or more of the psychological processes related to learning. Unlike intellectual impairments, which have a global impact on learning and daily functioning, SLDs are more focused. SLD’s are significant, persistent and enduring in specific academic areas, despite appropriate therapy and support. A child with an SLD might have difficulties with one or more academic areas but shine in other areas such as sports, art or other academic areas.
Roughly 10% of Australian students are affected by SLDs and around 4% have an SLD with impairment in reading specifically (dyslexia). That is, around one person in every classroom. Research shows that inattentive ADHD and specific learning disorders are co-occurring up to 70% of the time. This can make learning to read, write, or do mathematics even trickier.
As with everything else, the relationship between being autistic and academic skills is not one size fits all. There is a wide variety of strengths, weaknesses, and motivation for learning observed in autistic children and adults. Some researchers suggest that 90% of autistic children achieve different testing results in reading, spelling, or early mathematics than they were expected to; achieving either higher results or lower results. Providing support in a child’s early years can significantly impact their progression towards literacy goals and the independence in using written language for learning.
Supporting literacy skills
Unlike learning to communicate using gestures or spoken language, learning to spell, read, and write is not an innate skill. Ultimately, good reading comprehension is the aim of learning to read and write. Reading comprehension is the ability to read a piece of text, understand its meaning, and apply this meaning to a different context. The foundational skill for higher academic tasks. Both word recognition and language comprehension are needed for reading comprehension.
Word recognition requires the following:
Phonological awareness - The understanding that words are broken down into different sounds. This skill is foundational for reading because it enables readers to break down words into their component sounds, and blend those sounds to form words. This involves rhyming words, blending sounds together to make words, and segmenting words into their sounds.
Decoding - The ability to sound out words from print by using knowledge of sound–symbol (letter) relationships.
Sight recognition - The ability to recognise a word without having to sound out its components. This is important for reading fluency. Fluent readers can recognise most words automatically, allowing them to focus on the meaning of the text rather than on the mechanics of reading.
Language comprehension requires the following:
Vocabulary - Understanding written text is reliant on translating letter-sound relationships into known words and concepts. Knowledge of vocabulary categories are important for concept building, as they are activated when people are trying to make sense of new ideas. This provides information for background knowledge, another important factor for reading.
Background knowledge - Background knowledge refers to the information that a reader already has about a topic, including facts, concepts, and experiences. This knowledge helps readers make sense of new information by allowing them to connect it with what they already know.
Language structures - The understanding of language structures is knowledge of the rules of how words, sentences, and texts are organised.
Verbal reasoning - Verbal reasoning is the ability to think logically and critically about language. This skill is necessary for making inferences, understanding figurative language, and grasping the underlying meanings in a text.
Literacy knowledge - Literacy knowledge is the understanding of conventions of written language, including how text is organised on a page, and different types of texts, such as stories, essays, and reports. This knowledge helps readers navigate different kinds of texts and understand the expectations associated with each genre.
We encourage all parents to work in collaboration with their child’s teachers in supporting their school aged child to develop their reading and writing skills. Schools have implemented best practice teaching across each year level, often also providing streamed support to meet the level of each child. Completing home reading, spelling, or other home practice with your child can significantly support their learning. When doing this, parents should focus on:
Spend time learning with your child - Work together to learn the different rules, words, and tricks. There is a lot of stuff that experienced readers forget about as it comes so automatically.
Remove the pressure - Focus on promoting your child’s strengths and supporting their weaknesses. Getting everything right the first time is not possible.
Provide appropriate regulation support that meets your child’s needs - some children do well in a very quiet space, others might need to move around to learn.
Supporting early literacy development: Before learning to read or write
The speech and language skills of a young child are known to impact later literacy development. Parents can support a child’s literacy skills even before their child learns to read, by creating a language-rich environment. This could involve:
Nursery rhymes - Short, rhythmic, and repetitive nursery rhymes make them easy for children to memorise and recite. This helps children become familiar with the sounds of language, including rhymes and rhythms, which are foundational for phonological awareness. The playful language and imagery in nursery rhymes stimulate imagination and help children develop a love for language.
Songs - The repetition of words and phrases in songs helps children learn new vocabulary and understand language patterns. Hearing language in different contexts through songs can reinforce learning and help children grasp the meaning of words in a fun and engaging way.
Poems and riddles - Poems and riddles expose children to rich and varied language. Poems often use rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration, which help children develop an ear for the sounds of language. Riddles, on the other hand, encourage critical thinking and problem-solving as children try to figure out the answers. Both poems and riddles can introduce new vocabulary and concepts, and their playful nature makes them enjoyable learning experiences.
Shared book reading - Shared book reading is one of the most effective ways to support early literacy development. When reading with your child, pointing to the pictures and words in the book helps them make connections between spoken and written language. Making the reading experience interactive by asking questions and involving the child in the story encourages engagement and comprehension. For example, asking, "What do you think will happen next?" helps develop prediction skills, while pointing out letters and words supports early decoding skills. Making shared book reading fun and interactive without adding pressure can help with growing a love for language.
Talk to your child - Engaging in regular conversations with your child exposes them to a wide range of vocabulary and complex sentence structures. The more you talk with your child, the more opportunities they have to learn new words and understand how language is used in different contexts. This oral language development is critical because it forms the basis for written language.
Drawing children’s attention to the sounds of spoken language - Activities that draw attention to syllables, rhymes, and individual sounds in words help children become more aware of the sound structure of language. Clapping out syllables, playing rhyming games, and segmenting words into individual sounds are all effective ways to build this awareness. For example, you might say, "Let's clap the beats in your name—Sa-rah."
Finding patterns of syllable, rhyme, initial/final sound by matching - Matching activities help children recognise patterns in language, which is an important skill for reading. For example, matching pictures of objects with similar sounds, like "dog" and "log," helps children understand rhyming patterns. Matching objects to pictures, such as "tap" and "toe," reinforces the connection between sounds and meanings. Similarly, matching objects to actions, like "rope" and "jump," helps children understand how words relate to each other in different contexts.
About the Author
Jaime is a Student Speech Pathologist, currently on placement at All Star Therapies. She loves to help people in finding their own way of communicating, with a passion for facilitating meaningful communication.
References
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Neuman, S.B., & Wright, T.S. (2013). All about words: Increasing vocabulary in the Common Core classroom, preK-grade 2. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Neuman, S.B., Newman, E., & Dwyer, J. (2011). Educational effects of a vocabulary intervention on preschoolers’ word knowledge and conceptual development: A cluster randomized trial. Reading Research Quarterly, 46(3), 249–272.
Thompson, P. A., Hulme, C., Nash, H. M., Gooch, D., Hayiou‐Thomas, E., & Snowling, M. J. (2015). Developmental dyslexia: predicting individual risk. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 56(9), 976-987.
Love this! These activities/tips are so helpful and this article is a great reminder of how challenging learning to read and write can be (so we need to be extra patient and supportive!).