Retro reading – Mon 21st Nov 2016
By Jeannette | November 21, 2016
I’ve always loved to read, from as long as I can remember. As a child, we’d spend time in East Sussex with grandparents and, as well as lots of cuddles and hilltop walking, it was always a chance to dive into the bookcase full of classical stories.
Enid Blyton was always a favourite and I also discovered Agatha Christie from an early age, as well as a book of ghostly tales from around the UK that still fascinates and terrifies me to this day (I found my own copy on eBay).
A good book has the capacity to make you laugh or cry, make you ponder and transport you into whatever world the author has prepared for you.
When D was newly diagnosed with autism (at age 4.5) and struggling in a mainstream nursery setting, we were told that they were not sure if she would read because she was refusing to read phonetically and, as that is how they taught and refused to be flexible, it was a struggle for an already stressed D, who additionally had very stilted speech.
Shortly afterwards, she went to a SEN setting – once statemented – and our extremely anxious little girl because visibly happier and settled in the calmer, smaller classes setting.
She still refused to read phonetically, instead memorising the words.
It’s been a long haul but helped by her love of numbers and letters, we’d point out house numbers, prices on shop shelves and letters of her name within street signs. We didn’t pressurise her but knew – as with so many other experiences – that our girl would get there, in her own way, at her own pace.
A vtech storio helped. Massively.
And yesterday, this happened.
This was D’s reading book from school, Enid Blyton!
It was a lovely feeling hearing our girl read those words and tales that I’d read. Read with masses of expression and she really enjoyed it too. There were some unfamiliar (to her) words like “lozenge” and she listened as I explained the meaning. Fantastic.
On the very rare occasion that I can D get into town shopping (she gets anxious around crowds and strangers), I’ll ask her if she’d like to choose something and her answer is invariably a book. The quieter surroundings of a bookshop are a bit of respite for her too.
So pleased we have a daughter (and a son) who love reading as much as I do. It took some time, but we got there!
Leave Your Comment