Considerations When Planning Literacy Instruction for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

National Center on Improving Literacy
Jun 23
1 min read

Updated: Jul 2

Students with intellectual disabilities can obtain higher levels of reading achievement. However, deficits in working memory can make learning early reading skills more difficult.

Students with intellectual disabilities should receive:

Comprehensive evidence-based instruction in all five components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
More intensive, explicit, and systematic instruction.
Intervention that is individualized and occurs over an extended period.
Lots of consistent practice in skills until learned to mastery.
Cognitive processing and behavior modification strategies, as needed.

10 Research Based Tips

Plan Keep big-picture goals in mind as you plan.
Goal
Ensure you have a clear picture of the student’s current skills and set meaningful, measurable goals.
Instruction
Use an evidence-based core reading program and align supplemental materials to this program as needed.
Intensity
Provide intervention with sufficient intensity to accomplish goals.
Professional Development
Seek out professional development opportunities to deepen understanding of the complex process of learning to read.
Language
Remember that language abilities are the underlying foundation for reading skills.
Scaffolding
Support working memory with images, objects, letters, and words.
Target
Target specific parts of a scope-and-sequence to focus instruction.
Data
Use data to guide instruction and adaptations.
Partner
Partner with service providers and family members to assist in adding more practice of learned skills.