The Teaching Of ESL Reading Comprehension To Autistic Students: Challenges And Enablers

Abstract

This article investigates the discrete challenges faced by teachers while teaching their students diagnosed with autism reading comprehension in English as a second language (ESL). Visible characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are unique challenges in social communication and interaction, which also affect the intellectual activities of individuals with autism such as their reading comprehension ability. The paper presents a review of existing literature to identify the obstacles faced by teachers while dealing with their students with autism during their reading comprehension lessons. These obstacles include challenges in communication, sensory processing, abstract thinking, and language structural deficiencies. The study also highlights the availability of effective enablers that facilitate teachers in improving their students’ reading comprehension skills development such as a whole-school approach and immersion in research learning communities focusing on the use of visual support, scaffolding, and multisensory approaches. Additionally, a supportive environment for developing teachers’ capabilities can be fostered through the implementation of a whole-school management approach and team collaboration. Engagement with current research and development through participation in structured opportunities such as research learning communities can also help teachers develop themselves. The paper implies that enabling inclusive education demands ongoing commitment to professional growth, emphasizing contextual learning and social practice-based learning.