Re: Reading Mastery

[Guest guest]

I spoke with our local representative. SRA charges individuals more than

schools,almost double. If you can get your school to purchase it, it is $518.00

for level 1, and each level is the same price. If you order it yourself it is

double that. Some reps will try and help by getting workbooks and such for you,

but the teaching manual is the expensive part. After all these posts,I'm going

to try the 100 Lessons.

We've done Edmark and Reading Milestones, so far. Our problem is not an

inability to read the words, but comprehension.

I have an old Hooked on Phonics from my typical daughter, anyone ever try that?

Bobbie

Re: [ ] Digest Number 752

In a message dated 12/28/2001 12:30:24 PM Eastern Standard Time,

writes:

> I had been advised by someone to start on a Distar reading program but

> forgot which one. I looked at their website (sra4kids.com) and it is, to

> say the least, confusing. Is it the Reading Mastery Program that is often

> used for beginning readers with autism?

>

We also started with " Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons " and

my son did very well with it. He learned phonics, despite having a strength

for sightreading. I did not follow the book verbatim because even though it

is Direct Instruction (which is very behavioral) the book is written for

typical children. I used the modified alphabet they use, made my own flash

cards, intruduced sounds, then words, then sentences, and eventually faded

the modified alphabet. My son is now reading the Bob books and has worked up

to starting the level B sets.

I've been investigating DISTAR myself lately, too, because my consultant

(who works under Vince Carbone) is recomending " Language for Learning " for

when is close to finishing the ABLLS. Also is kindergarten

aged now and we're homeschooling, so I'm looking at the DISTAR arithmetic for

math, and Reading Mastery II to move his reading along. (Yes, Kathy-- Reading

Mastery is the program that's recommended, but try " 100 Easy Lessons " first).

I found the name of my local SRA rep on the website and learned from

him that SRA presents free workshops on how to teach all of the different

programs that they sell. And you don't have to buy the program in order to

go to the workshops and check it out--- my consultant and one of my

therapists went to the Reading Mastery 1 workshop a couple of weeks ago.

The SRA Direct Instruction programs are expensive-- about $500 each and they

don't lower prices or modify packages for individuals-- they deal almost

exclusively with schools. But I've asked around and heard all good things

about Direct Instruction and autistic kids. So once again I'll be breaking

out the checkbook--- what else is new? ; )

---

Mom to (5, autistic)

and (2, NT)

[Guest guest]

I think there are steps in reading. I always try to break things down into

an input channel and an output channel

input - what information does the student take in (hearing a word, seeing a

word)

output channel - what information does the student put out (point to the

word, match word to picture, say the word)

1. Can the student receptively point to a word when he hears the word spoken?

2. Can the student match the word to a picture of the word and then say the

word while looking at both the word and picture? Can the student match

phrases and sentences to pictures as well?

3. Can the student read the word, phrase, sentence outloud?

The first level of Edmark teaches 150 words in total. The child should be

capable of reading little paragraphs at the end. It however did not hold

the interest of my child. The problem I have is a child who enjoys funny

real books like Dr. Seuss and Marc Brown, so reading the boring educational

stuff is not a rewarding activity. Same goes for the educational computer

games. After playing all the fun Disney computer games forget the

educational ones. I did not want to destroy his love of books and computer

games, by forcing him to do the dry stuff.

The Teach your child to read in 100 lessons has very few pictures for

comprehension practice. If your child can already decode words he/she

won't get much from the 100 lessons book.

We practice building little stories with pictures, then matching words to

the pictures, then read the words for the pictures. I would not hesitiate

to chop up books and have your child match the word to the picture. The

put the story together. I actually went to a library book sale and got

books for .12 cents a piece. Of course, this is a once a year sale.

What exercises have you done to build comprehension? And does your child

like typical kids books?

At 09:48 PM 12/28/01 -0500, Bobbie Gallagher wrote:

>I spoke with our local representative. SRA charges individuals more than

>schools,almost double. If you can get your school to purchase it, it is

>$518.00 for level 1, and each level is the same price. If you order it

>yourself it is double that. Some reps will try and help by getting

>workbooks and such for you, but the teaching manual is the expensive

>part. After all these posts,I'm going to try the 100 Lessons.

>

>We've done Edmark and Reading Milestones, so far. Our problem is not an

>inability to read the words, but comprehension.

>

>I have an old Hooked on Phonics from my typical daughter, anyone ever try

>that?

>

>Bobbie