Which option describes best practice for developing functional reading skills for a student with severe reading difficulties?

Which option describes best practice for developing functional reading skills for a student with severe reading difficulties?

• A. Providing one-on-one instruction in reading sight words using discrete-trial training
• B. Using pictorial materials that represent real-life experiences
• C. Having Carlos practice reading common sight words in connected text with a partner
• D. Using interactive books that will help Carlos prepare for class outings in the community

Answer: (A)

For developing functional reading skills in someone with severe reading difficulties, the most effective approach is explicit, repetitive, one-on-one instruction that focuses on high-frequency sight words using a structured method. Discrete-trial training provides clear prompts, immediate feedback, and consistent reinforcement for each target word. This setup reduces guessing, supports errorless learning, and makes it easy to collect data and adjust prompts as the learner improves. As sight words become automatically recognized, the student gains functional reading ability that supports daily tasks. Other approaches can be helpful in broader contexts, but they don’t offer the same level of focused, step-by-step practice with immediate reinforcement and precise progress tracking for foundational sight-word recognition, which is crucial for functional reading in severe disabilities.

For developing functional reading skills in someone with severe reading difficulties, the most effective approach is explicit, repetitive, one-on-one instruction that focuses on high-frequency sight words using a structured method. Discrete-trial training provides clear prompts, immediate feedback, and consistent reinforcement for each target word. This setup reduces guessing, supports errorless learning, and makes it easy to collect data and adjust prompts as the learner improves. As sight words become automatically recognized, the student gains functional reading ability that supports daily tasks.

Other approaches can be helpful in broader contexts, but they don’t offer the same level of focused, step-by-step practice with immediate reinforcement and precise progress tracking for foundational sight-word recognition, which is crucial for functional reading in severe disabilities.