strategy for teaching Functional text.

Strategy to teach Functional text
There are four steps to teach students with functional text. Here are steps instructions;
Step one
State what your students’ strengths and weaknesses are and cater to them. Does he like to look at pictures or the computer monitor? In that case, he is probably a visual learner. Also, determine what subjects appeal to him. Write a list of things your students can and can't do as well as a list of subjects they likes.
Step two
Begin with some cards that covers a word and its picture. Attempt to get the child to associate the word with the picture. If possible, show the students other examples of that item. For example, if have a word card with the word "Pail" on it, in addition to the picture of the pail on the card, walk around the house showing him other pails. Write the word "pail" on index cards with a marker and stick it to other examples of "pail." It may take a few minutes, but they should eventually make the connection that the word and the object are the same thing. If your students can speak, have them say "pail" at the same time. If they can't speak, still say the word; they may start picking it up. If your students are not speaking, it would be a good idea to incorporate with those items as well.
Step three
Teaching action words by getting your child to perform the action. This is much more difficult than words that you can show. Make an index card with the word on it, show them the word, say the word, and then do whatever the word indicates. It will take a lot of time, patience and repetition but they should eventually catch on.
Step four
Repeat to your students as often as you can. It is very important. Make the reading book on a subject your students more enjoyable. Because autistic children tend to be very literal with no imagination, make the books nonfiction or something completely believable with pictures that show events from the story. Ask questions and have your students answer you or point to the pictures. Make the questions very easy that can be answered directly from the text with no hidden meanings.