Instructional Practices in Enhancing Sight Vocabulary Acquisition of ESL Students with Autism

Teaching sight vocabulary to students with autism is a challenge as these students have different needs from their nondisabled peers. This study explored teachers’ instructional practices in teaching sight vocabulary to ESL students with autism in the natural classroom setting. Data collection included field notes on classroom observation and interviews of teachers. The findings of this study suggested that teachers provided support through bridging second language instructions with the students’ L1 (Malay) to ease learning. Findings also indicated that teachers adjusted their level of vocabulary during instruction to promote sight vocabulary acquisition. Further, results suggested that giving the students frequent opportunities for using words as their nondisabled peers promotes sight vocabulary acquisition.