Re: Need advive re Distar Journeys reading program

[Guest guest]

[ ] Need advice re Distar " Journeys " reading

program for preschooler.

I purchased this program b/c I was told this was the best way to

teach

an autistic child to read. My son already is sight reading

quite a

lot of words, and knows all his upper and lower case letters

well.

My question is that his teacher came to me today and said that

she was

having trouble modifying the program for him and his particular

needs.

Isn't the point of Distar to use the " scripts " provided? Are

modifications recommended for kids on the spectrum - or do they

just

hamper them down the road.

Thanks for any insight or experience you can share.

T.

Could you provide more specifics about what areas of the program your son is

having difficulty with? I have not used the Journey's program. We are using

Reading Mastery. I have also used DI instruction for spelling, math, Language

for Learning, Reasoning and Writing. Another words I have the script thing

pretty mastered.

Your program should have come with a teacher's guide which provided a very good

explanation why you should stay true to the script. With experience I have learn

that the reasoning is true. Your child will learn the flow of the program and

will learn what is expected regarding firming correct responses. Some of the

script is obviously written to address a class and that language can be

modified. Regarding reading I have had to make modifications if my son was

having difficulty with comprehension. We have done story maps, drawing with

characters having captions and have acted out scenes with toys. I have found

that the teaching procedures I used in the past for my son VB program adapt well

to DI when we are having difficulty in comprehension.

Anyways, if you could get more specifics about what going on I might be able to

help. As more of our children are " graduating " from VB programs onto more of an

academic focus it would be nice to have an e-group where we could share our

Direct Instruction experiences.

Maybe I'll get around to starting a group. I would love to hear from other

parents/educators using DI.

U.

Ps. My son was also an early reader as well. I chose to keep his reading

instruction at the same level of his language and comprehension skills. He has

little difficulty decoding words and catches on to new rules easily. He could be

reading at a much higher grade level but I always felt that was pointless since

I value comprehension more. Just my opinion... it has worked out nicely as

stories become more difficult and require higher level reasoning/language

skills.

Say what you want and be who you are

because those who mind don't matter

and those who matter don't mind.

-Dr. Seuss

A square peg, living in a world where all the pegs are round

felt out of place in every place where rounded pegs abound.

They filed away his angles, smoothed every edge;

they made of him an ordinary, smoothly rounded peg.

One day they saw a wondrous sight that terrified each soul

for there before their eyes was an incredible SQUARE HOLE!!

The pegs were all confused and lost; one wept on the floor

For nowhere in the world were square pegs any more.

-unknown

---------------------------------

Discover

Stay in touch with email, IM, photo sharing & more. Check it out!