Sight Word Instruction for Students With Autism: An Evaluation of the Evidence Base
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Spector, J. E. (2011).
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41(10), 1411-1422.
This review investigates the effect of sight word instruction on reading skills in students on the autism spectrum.
Not stated
From 1980 to 2009
Experimental design studies; quasi-experimental design studies; single-subject design studies
9
This review found that all students, including those with no history of receiving reading instruction and those who were non-speaking, learned to read a prescribed set of words. None of the included studies evaluated the effects of sight word instruction on broader literacy outcomes.
"Analyses of intervention features across methodologically rigorous studies provided evidence in support of a massed trials approach to sight word instruction featuring student response to a succession of items, systematic prompting, differential positive reinforcement, and use of visual supports (e.g., pictures, concrete objects)" (p. 1420). "There was [also] sufficient evidence to identify the use of least intrusive prompting, adult-directed intervention, and modifying task characteristics as promising elements of sight word instruction" (p. 1420).
