HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

HYPERLEXA
AND
READING
COMPREHENSION

SHARI ROBERTSON, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PA

AGENDA
1. Introduction

“Swiss Cheese Learners”

2. Effects of Developmental Differences of Indi-

viduals

3. Masking Factors

Delay identification and

intervention)

4. Assessment Considerations

5. Comprehension Strategies Toolbox

 Disclosures Who are we talking
• Financial – Author of Building Better Readers, about today?
several children’s books, and Owner of
Dynamic Resources (publisher). Some
reference is made to these materials.
• Persons with ASD who are readers (they can
• NonFinancial – ASHA President. Perspectives
decode words)
article of same name
• Specifically targeting those who learned to
SHARI ROBERTSON read with little or no instruction at an early
Professor of Speech-
Language Pathology and age (hyperlexia)
Provost’s Associate at
Indiana University of PA

General Reading Comprehension Hyperlexia

Disorder
• Decoding usually develops early and
• Poor decoding spontaneously
• Poor reading comprehension • Includes an intense interest in letters (and
• Likely includes deficits in all skills identified by often numbers)
the National Reading Panel as critical to • Significant gap between word-level decoding
reading success (and subsequently requires and comprehension.
intervention in several/all of these areas). • Deficit is NOT related to lower level skills
identified by the NRP (~phonemic awareness).
• Virtually exclusive to individuals with ASD

“Swiss Cheese Readers”

• Individuals with hyperlexia are Unique Profile of Learning

typically regarded as “superstar
readers” in the early years. • The unique profile of learning that is
• But, the “holes” in their reading characteristic of individuals with ASD has an
skills begin to affect enormous influence on the development of
comprehension around 4th grade. both oral and written language.
• Independent comprehension of material 1. Non-typical Socialization
becomes critical to academic success. 2. Restrictive and Repetitive Interests and
Behaviors
• Students can “read,” but they don’t gain
3. Narrow/Deep General Knowledge Base
information from the text.
• The reading shining stars “suddenly” develop
a reading disability.
 Typical Learners: Learning to read is a
social experience – as is learning to
talk.
–Joint attention
–Discussion about
Reading as a vocabulary/pictures/experiences
Restrictive/Repetitive Interest –Adults scaffolds the text to promote
comprehension

ASD/hyperlexia: Reading develops

spontaneously and early – no social Effects on Comprehension
connections • Inflexible thinking
–Intense focus on letters and decoding • Literal interpretations of text (cannot “read
–Solitary, self-directed, isolating between the lines”)
• Limited/poor vocabulary (except around
–Comprehension is NOT the goal of the
topics of interest)
reader – Multiple meaning words
– Figurative language
• Lack of comprehension self-monitoring

3. General Knowledge Base

Restrictions Factors that Mask
• Most people have a shallow and wide base of
information across a range of topics (that is, we
Comprehension
know a little about a lot of things) Difficulties/Delay
• Individuals with ASD tend to have a narrow and
deep base of information (know a lot about a few Intervention
things).
• May have advanced, factual knowledge and
vocabulary on a severely limited range of topics –
but little or no knowledge about other topics.
 Assessment
Early “reading superstar” status
Good memory
Considerations
Superficial comprehension/
understanding of concrete facts –
problems only become apparent as
demands of reading increase
Resistance from families or educators to
investigate potential problems when the
child appears to be/has a history of being
so far ahead of his/her peers in reading.

Strategies for Assessment:

• Standardized tests will most likely not be
helpful (tend to do well on isolated • Social/Interactive Reading Checklist
• Heteronym Read Alouds
tasks). • Passage Re-telling
• Better to use more informational • College Placement Testing
measures or reading checklists to •
determine personal strengths and
weaknesses.
• May wish to compare current skills to
state standards to identify soft spots

Consider College Placement Testing

Comprehension Strategies
• Free
• Used to determine level of skill in relation to
Toolbox
what is expected at the college level – NOT
ADMISSION test.
for Readers with ASD
• Can be taken beginning in junior high.
• Use results to drive intervention – what does
the individual need to improve to meet
To facilitate “reading
expectations of college? between the lines”
• https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/
Good Comprehenders Individuals with ASD
• Read with Purpose • Only decode words – do
• Monitor their own not look for purpose. Social Aspects of Reading
comprehension • Do not self-monitor
• Infer what is not stated comprehension Purposeful Reading
explicitly • Typically only understand
single, literal word
• Interpret information and
meanings. Cannot read
Vocabulary Development
link to their own
knowledge and beliefs between the lines.
systems • Background knowledge is Morphology
• Use author’s organizational narrow and restricted.
Explicit Instruction About Non-Literal
scheme or impose their • Do not consider
own to increase organizational structure Language
understanding

Activity #2
Social Aspects of Reading
• Interactive Reading Techniques (Read with
Me)
– Echo Reading
CreatePrepositions
A Story
– Paired Reading of manner
– Friendly Questions
– Predicting
– Wordless Books
– Reader’s Theatre

Purposeful Reading
• Reading is a social interaction – even when Vocabulary
reading independently.
• Being able to read between the lines (go beyond Development
decoding individual words), requires an
understanding of reading motives:
1. Why the reader is reading the passage
2. Why the author is writing the passage Expanding
Word
• It’s not just about knowing the words – it’s about Meanings
knowing what the author is trying to convey
 For younger readers with hyperlexia
Targeting Social Reading
(high decoding/low comprehension)
• The key issue for younger readers is to • Children who demonstrate hyperlexia mostly
consider the pattern of development that is likely will need to learn how to read within the
typical of individuals with ASD: dyad.
– Poor social relationships • Adult scaffolds the interaction to highlight the
– Reading as a restrictive/repetitive behavior meaning of what is being read.
– Comprehension of reading is not end goal
• So, our task is to fill in the missing pieces

Therapy/ Interaction Reading

• Interactive Reading provides opportunities for active
participation in the reading process.
• Echo Reading
• Paired Reading
• Friendly Questions
• Predicting
• Wordless Books
• Reader’s Theatre
• *See Read with Me by Shari Robertson or access
summary info at Dynamic Resources/free resources

Wordless Books
• The goal for all of these is to involve the child
• Removes the words altogether so the in the social aspects of reading.
interaction focuses on the pictures and – Reading requires a sender and a receiver
meaning of the story being conveyed – The sender (author) has a message to send to the
receiver (the reader)
– Adults help child understand this relationship and
scaffolds new vocabulary, concepts, story
sequences, etc

CREATE A STORY

PRIMARY STUDENTS
 Dart, run, bounce, jump, kick,
walk, gallop, crawl
quickly slowly

lazily carefully
gently sneakily

happily interestingly

excitedly eagerly

Read Book and ACT OUT how each animal moves wildly loudly

(shades of meaning for MOVE). quietly silently

noiselessly noisily

dangerously effortlessly

Adverbs

Adjectives

Movement Fear
Act it Out
Lurch Slink Scary
Walk Glide Unnerving • Obviously, you are going to have students act out
Strut Float Panic all of the different ways a Monster can move!
Prance Slither Frighten • “Slink,” lumber,” and “march” your way across the
March Squirm Spooky room. Try the “side lurch” like Uncle Rob (the
Trudge Ooze Creepy zombie).
Lumber Prowl Horrifying
• For multiple students, have them pick which form
Clomp Stride
of movement they want to demonstrate or do a
Stomp Mosey
compare and contrast, such as “prowl” versus
Tiptoe Sneak
“prance.”

Talk About it CREATE A NEW BOOK TITLE!

• Fear is described in many ways throughout the • Task: Create a title for another (hypothetical)
book following the pattern of the title from
book. What is something that is “creepy”
Monsters Can Mosey.
versus “horrifying?” “Unnerving” versus
• For younger students: Have students brainstorm
“spooky.”
other ways that “nouns” can “move.” You write
• Draw pictures to illustrate (CCSS) the title on a sticky note and they add it to the
• Create a new word wall for “scary.” poster or word wall board.
(Adjectives/shades of meaning) • For older students: Students create and write
titles themselves.
 Shades of Meaning
GIGANTIC
• Synonyms are not always synonymous! ENORMOUS
• Authors and writers (and speakers) convey OVERSIZED
meaning through carefully chosen words.
• Supports inferencing (reading between the LARGE
lines) as well as insight into how other
BIG
perceive meaning and convey intentions
(theory of mind).

Expanding Word Meanings (Synonyms)

Expanding Word Meanings (Synonyms)
• Avoid traditional dictionary (has been shown
• Avoid traditional dictionary (has been shown to be ineffective in teaching vocabulary).
to be ineffective in teaching vocabulary). • Suggestion: Teach readers to use the
• Suggestion: Teach readers to use the thesaurus feature on word processing
thesaurus feature on word processing program (e.g. Microsoft Word).
program (e.g. Microsoft Word). • +Computer –based activities are typically
• +Computer –based activities are typically motivating to individuals with ASD
motivating to individuals with ASD (predictable).
(predictable).

Electronic Dictionary Morphological Instruction

• Low-tech /high benefit/socially acceptable. • Awareness and understanding of word parts has
• As a stand alone does not offer the lure of been identified as a critical component to
“surfing” etc. vocabulary and comprehension.
• Those with ASD most likely have not considered
• May be allowed for assessment purposes.
that words are made up of meaning units.
• Can be used during oral • Roots and affixes are clear, concrete, and
presentations/lectures etc to look up predictable.
unfamiliar words.
• Adding and subtracting word parts has
• Useful in community and vocational settings mathematical overlays – often an area of strength
as well. for individuals with hyperlexia.
 Find the Roots Find the Roots! (Harry Potter)
• enchantment
• A good place to begin to help students begin
to learn about the internal structure of words • magical
is to focus on the base/root word. • wizardry
• Start by providing a list of multisyllabic words, • invisibility
(avoid compound words for this activity).
• illuminator
• May want to start with words from a personal
narrow/deep knowledge area • seeker
• Ask individuals to circle, or highlight the root • golden
word.

Roots and Branches Roots and Branches

• Create flashcards (index cards) that include a dis- enchant -ly
variety of base words and multiple affixes. un- happy -ful
• Learners make as many multi-syllabic words as
they can from these “roots and branches.”
re- spect -less
• This activity can be modified to work with defense -ing
individuals, small groups, large groups, or
learning teams. play -ful
• Eventually, you can have learners create the -ment
sets of flashcards or lists and challenge others.

{
SEEP BRACE MAP
ANTI
STEM EXAMPLES EXPLANATIONS PICTURE (Against/Opposed)
(word part: prefix,
root, suffix)
Draco Malfoy FEDERAL
ANTIFEDERALIST
(Syn:
Malpractice SOMETHING
MAL- National/Central)
BAD or EVIL
Malevolent “A person against IST
a central form of (Noun: Person)
Malodorous
government”
Malificent
(Sleeping Beauty)
 • The unique developmental history of
individuals with ASD contributes
substantially to the eventual problems
SUMMARY they have with comprehension.

• Typically, 4th grade is when the reading • There is a scarcity (virtually no) research
disability becomes apparent as the related to improving comprehension in
individual moves from reading adolescents/adults with ASD, but
‘superstar” to struggling reader due to strategies can be extrapolated from what
comprehension demands. we know about ASD development and
effective reading instruction to improve
comprehension.
 SUGGESTED BOOK LISTand
Other Resources
CHILDREN’S BOOKS USED IN TODAY”S PRESENTATION
Run, Turkey, Run Peggy Agee
Rosie’s Walk Pat Hutchins
Capering Cows Shari Robertson
Firefly Fox Alexandra Bowser
I Can Say That! Suzy Lederer
Move! Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

ADDITIONAL WORDLESS BOOKS

Spotless Spot Alexandra Bowser
Thunderstorm Shelley Davis
Good Dog, Carl Alexandra Day
Changes, Changes Pat Hutchins
The Red Book Barbara Lehman
Good Night, Gorilla Peggy Rathman

ADDITIONAL BOOKS FOR ECHO READING

Shivering Sheep Shari Robertson
Bears in Pairs Niki Yekai
Quick as a Cricket (also targets Audrey Woods
similies)
Dinosaur Roar! Paul and Henrietta Strickland
Where is the Green Sheep? Pat Hutchins

RESOURCES UTILIZED IN PRESENTATION

Very Vivid Vocabulary Monica Gustafson
Building Better Readers Shari Robertson
 Read with Me!
Family Book List
ECHO READING
Bears in Pairs Niki Yekai
Brown Bear, Brown Bear Bill Martin, Jr
Capering Cows (also paired reading) DR Shari Robertson
Dinosaur Roar! Paul & Henrietta Langdon
Down By The Bay Raffi
Goodnight, Moon Margaret Wise Brown
I Went Walking Sue Williams
In the Small, Small Pond Denise Fleming
Quick as a Cricket Audrey Wood
Where is the Green Sheep? Mem Fox

PAIRED READING
But Not the Hippopotamus Sandra Boynton
Each Peach, Pear, Plum Janet Alhberg
I Love My White Shoes Eric Litwin and James Dean
Jump, Frog, Jump! (also predicting) Robert Kaplan
My Cow Can Bow DR Shari Robertson
One Duck Stuck Phyllis Root
Pants on Ants, Go By Goat, The Bark Park,
Elizabeth Redhead Kriston
Sail by a Tail DR
Silly Sally Audrey Wood
Time for Bed Mem Fox

FRIENDLY QUESTIONS AND PREDICTING

Bark, George! Jules Feiffer
Dear Zoo Rod Campbell
If you Give a Mouse a Muffin (series) Laura Jaffe Numeroff
Is Your Mama a Llama? (also Reader’ Theatre) Deborah Guarino
Lift a Rock, Find a Bug Chris Santero
Look! Look! Look! Tana Hoban

©Dynamic Resources, LLC

Reproducible for Educational Purposes
 Read with Me Book List, Cont.

FRIENDLY QUESTIONS AND PREDICTING (CONT)

Mary Wore Her Red Dress Merle Peek
Raincoats and Rainbows DR Elizabeth Kriston
Rosie’s Walk Pat Hutchins
Shivering Sheep DR Shari Robertson
Who is Driving? Leo Timmers

WORDLESS BOOKS
A Boy, A Dog, and a Frog Mercer Mayer
Changes, Changes Pat Hutchins
Good Dog, Carl Alexandra Day
Goodnight, Gorilla Emily Arnold McCully
Hug Jez Alborough
The Red Book (and others by this author) Barbara Lehman
Spotless Spot DR Alexandra Crouse
Tuesday David Weisner

READER’S THEATRE
Clap Your Hands Pat Hutchings
Five LIttle Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Eileen Christelow
From Head to Toe Eric Carle
I Can Do That! DR Suzie Lederer
I Love My White Shoes (Pete the Cat series) Eric Litwin
The Napping House Audrey Wood
Run, Turkey, Run! (also Paired Reading) DR Peggy Agee
Shake My Sillies Out Raffi
The Seals on the Bus Lenny Hort
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Helen Oxbury
The Very Busy Spider & The Very Hungry
Eric Carle
Caterpillar
The Wide Mouthed Frog Kevin Faulkner
You’re Just What I Need Ruth Kraus

DR
Available from Dynamic Resources www.dynamic-resources.org

©Dynamic Resources, LLC

Reproducible for Educational Purposes
 Evidenced_Based Direct Vocabulary-Building Activities

To Actively Engage Students in Becoming More WORD CONSCIOUS~

PUT MAIN EMPHASIS ON TIER TWO WORDS

10
S. Robertson, 2017
 Create your own story!
the went for a walk

THROUGH the

ACROSS the

DOWN the

OVER the

AROUND the

and UNDER the

and got home just in time for

 Create your own story!
the went for a walk

THROUGH the

ACROSS the

DOWN the

OVER the

AROUND the

and UNDER the

and got home just in time for

Reproducible for Educational Purposes – Dynamic Resources, LLC

15
S. Robertson, 2017
Building Better Readers

{
BRACE MAP
(PARTS)

(TERM)

(DEFINITION)

194 Reproducible for Educational Use- Dynamic Resources

 Vocabulary Resources

PICTURE
EXPLANATION
SEEP

EXAMPLE
STEM

Reproducible for Educational Use- Dynamic Resources 193

Free Printables for K-12 Education www.STUDENTHANDOUTS.com