My students are 3-5 years old. They come from different backgrounds and cultures. They have different likes and dislikes. Some are tall and some are short. For all of their differences, they one thing in common, they have autism. Though they are all individual learners, students with autism are generally visual learners. They face challenges that their typical peers do not have to overcome.
"If they can't learn the way we teach, we will teach the way they learn."-O.
Ivar Lovaas.
Students with autism generally display deficits in expressive communication and social interaction. These deficits can hold them back from catching up with their typical peers, making school difficult and sometimes even scary. Instead of focusing on deficits, I focus on the strengths of my students and build on those strengths to ensure they are as successful as possible.
My Project
Having big books and an appropriate easel unit to store and display big books will provide the visuals my students need to learn. The size of the pictures in big books will help my students focus their attention on the book and follow the story. Using shared-book experiences will give students the opportunity to use social skills while reading and listening.
Additional teacher made materials including pictures will make the experience more interactive and increase student participation.
Students will have the opportunity to work on the following Pre-K standards during big book lessons: Identify the front cover of book and know how to turn pages when reading, ask question or make comments pertinent to the story being read, identify pictures to aid in comprehension, and retell a story with the aid of pictures, props, or books.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Sapp and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
