Strength Based Reading Instruction Method
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! THE OELWEIN METHOD: A STRENGTH-BASED READING INSTRUCTION METHOD FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE AUTISM By MICHAEL VAN GEENE Major Paper submitted in partial fulfillment Of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (M.A.) in Human Development School of Graduate Studies Laurentian University Sudbury, Ontario ! MICHAEL VAN GEENE, 2014 !!" Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine a strength-based reading instruction method for individuals severely affected by autism who do not respond well to typical literacy instruction methods, called the Oelwein Method (OM). Due to the unique learning profile of strengths and weaknesses in individuals with severe autism, they often do not respond well to typical literacy instruction models. This paper examines the unique learning profile of individuals with autism and why the OM is an effective literacy instruction model for this population of learners. Phonics-based and sight word-based approaches are compared, with a focus on the effectiveness of these approaches for individuals with autism. The materials and instructional process of the OM are explained, including empirical evidence that supports the different instructional components used in the OM. The Ontario Ministry of Education’s policies are reviewed, along with how the OM satisfies these policies. Methods to improve the OM are explored as well as directions for future research that would need to occur before widespread implementation could take place. iii " ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to Dr. Elizabeth Levin for her ongoing support, wisdom and guidance throughout this entire project. She was my motivator and strongest ally. Thank you to Dr. Cynthia Whissell and Dr. Gaby van der Giessen for agreeing to sit on my major paper committee and giving generously of their valuable input and time for this commitment. Thank you to my colleague Leslie Broun for her additional insights and guidance regarding the Oelwein Method. Your input and feedback has been invaluable. Thank you to my wife Pamela, and the rest of my family, for all their ongoing support and patience during my educational journey. " Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................. iii Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1 Autism and Reading...................................................................................................................3 Autism Spectrum Disorder and Autism ...................................................................................3 Autism and Educational Practices ...........................................................................................5 Autism and Reading Skills ......................................................................................................7 Autism Severity ....................................................................................................................15 Communication Impairment and Reading .............................................................................18 Social Impairment and Reading.............................................................................................19 Behaviour and Reading .........................................................................................................21 Summary ..............................................................................................................................22 Instructional Methods for Teaching Reading to Individuals with Autism..................................23 Phonics Instruction................................................................................................................25 Sight-Word Instruction..........................................................................................................30 The Oelwein Method (OM) of Sight-Word Instruction.............................................................36 Materials Required.................................................................................................................37 Pre-Requisite Skills Needed by Students................................................................................39 The Oelwein Method Process.................................................................................................40 Stage 1: Acquisition ............................................................................................................41 Matching Level..................................................................................................................41 Selecting Level...................................................................................................................43 " Naming Level ....................................................................................................................44 Stage 2: Fluency..................................................................................................................45 Stage 3: Transfer.................................................................................................................46 Stage 4: Generalization .......................................................................................................46 Sentence Construction and Grammar .....................................................................................47 Development of Phonics Skills Using the Oelwein Method....................................................48 Teaching the Alphabet and Sound-Symbol Associations ......................................................49 Teaching Word Families ......................................................................................................49 Summary ...............................................................................................................................50 Policy and Program Implications..............................................................................................52 Effective Educational Practices for Students with ASD ........................................................53 Policy/Program Memorandum No. 140 ................................................................................55 Learning for All ...................................................................................................................56 Universal Design for Learning ...........................................................................................56 Differentiated Instruction ...................................................................................................58 The Tiered Approach .........................................................................................................59 Logistics: Creation of Materials and Staff Training .............................................................60 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................62 References ...............................................................................................................................65 List of Figures Figure 1. Example of blank two by two word grid, flash cards, and picture cards (not to scale).............................................................................................................38 # " The Oelwein Method: A Strength-Based Reading Instruction Method for Individuals with Severe Autism The purpose of this paper is to examine a strength-based reading instruction method for individuals severely affected by autistic disorder, hereafter referred to as autism. Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are reviewed, in both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) and the recently released Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V; American Psychiatric Association, 2013a). The focus of this paper will be on individuals more severely affected by autism; autism is a particular subtype of ASD. Prevalence rates for ASDs have been increasing across the world and in Ontario (Wingate et al., 2012). Prevalence rates for the specific ASD subtype of autism have also been increasing (Newschaffer et al., 2007). The Government of Ontario has subsequently increased funding to support individuals with autism and other subtypes of ASD (CBC, 2013). Despite this increase in funding, educators continue to experience difficulty in finding evidence-based methods for teaching individuals with ASD in certain areas of academics. Delays in language or language impairments are a core feature of autism (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). These delays and impairments have a negative effect on reading ability (Scarborough & Dobrich, 1990; Silva, Williams, & McGee, 1987; Catts, 1991; Bishop & Adams, 1991; Nathan, Stackhouse, Goulandris, & Snowling, 2004). The Ontario Ministry of Education (2007a) has provided effective general practices for educating individuals with ASD, as well as more specific guidelines for teaching literacy to individuals with ASD; however, the general practices and literacy-specific guidelines do not include a specific instructional methodology for educators to follow. Educators are expected to combine their own