#7 Direct Instruction: Teaching Children with Autism to Read

Direct Instruction - Pioneered by Professor Siegfried Engelmann in the 1960s, Direct Instruction (DI) is a method of instruction that is explicit, intensive, and teacher-directed. This method is based on a careful analysis of different content areas to determine the sequence of skills and concepts needed to master a wide variety of academic subjects.

The Direct Instruction approach teaches children increasingly complex skills and strategies by using certain principles. First, all concepts are broken into sub skillssmall component skills that are taught onebyone. Second, each skill is taught so that students fully understand it. Then, each skill is practiced until it is completely mastered. In this way, students learn to generalize and apply strategies that have been taught. The result for students is not only the ability to apply their information, skills, and strategies in real-life situations, but also greater confidence in their own ability to learn.

The Workshop

Reading Mastery I Audience: Teachers K2, Regular and Special Education
The session focuses on teaching beginning reading skills using Reading Mastery I and Fast Cycle I. Participants learn the basic information and skills needed to implement these programsplacing, accelerating, scheduling, grouping, and presenting lessons to students who are not yet readers. Participants will learn and practice presentation techniques for word attack, story reading, independent work, and comprehension activities.