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READING can help children on the spectrum with their speech and important life skills, while also immensely benefiting children without special needs, according to a Bahrain-based behaviour psychologist.
“Reading has a magical way of opening up the world to children, regardless of their developmental differences,” Board Certified Behaviour Analyst and Reach Behaviour and Development Centre founder Mona Tadayyon told GulfWeekly.
“I’ve seen how stories with simple language and illustrations aid children who may struggle with verbal communication or social cues. Repetitive language helps youngsters with speech delays, or language challenges, to better develop their vocabulary and communication,” she added.
Children’s books often feature easy-to-read words, fun pictures and exercises that offer young readers an interesting experience while also creating an avenue for learning.
“The structure of a story provides a sense of predictability, which can be comforting to children who thrive on routine,” Mona explained.
“It’s through these stories that they begin to grasp important life skills and break down complex topics, like empathy, co-operation, kindness, fear, and love.”
There’s been a growing trend to explore educational themes within children’s story books, which is what former Bahrain resident Gianne Middleton discovered while researching for the best topic for her latest title.
“I noticed that many parents focused on educational topics, especially with millennials starting to become parents,” she said.
Her book The Grubbies: Little Grubbie Saves The Sea, the first in a four-part series, is an underwater adventure where a group of unlikely heroes embark on a mission to save the sea.
“Young readers will discover the beauty of the ocean and the importance of keeping it clean,” Gianne added.
Her three other books offer lessons in protecting biodiversity, sustainable farming, and urban sustainability, and the series revolves around the adventures of Mummy Grubbie, Daddy Grubbie, Grandpa Grubbie and Little Grubbie (@the.grubbies on Instagram). Each title features activities, offering children an immersive experience.
“In Little Grubbie Saves The Sea, readers can match the different types of trash to the correct recycle bin. The book ends with helping Mummy Grubbie get from point A to point B, leading to the ‘next journey’ (the next book),” the 35-year-old, who currently works in the energy sector in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, revealed.
Gianne grew up in Bahrain and continues to visit her parents who live in Manama. She has always been passionate about teaching - from playing ‘classrooms’ with her siblings to helping out at nurseries as an adult - and believes it’s important to start education at a young age.
“Reading about sustainability to children is like planting little trees in their minds. It helps them grow into caring and responsible adults,” she explained.
Amena Shahrukh, the founder of Shahzaib’s Club House – a local community of differently abled people – endorsed the benefits that reading provides by citing an example of a family she knows from her days living in Saudi Arabia before moving to Bahrain 10 years ago.
“This family has two sons – Basil is a mainstream child and the younger one, Raed, has Autism Spectrum Disorder,” Amena said.
“Their parents started reading to them when they were four and two respectively, as part of a school initiative, and noticed considerable improvements.”
Autism, also called Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of deficient reciprocal social communication and the presence of restricted, repetitive, and inflexible patterns of behaviour.
“The exercise helped Basil clearly express himself even at the age of five and his vocabulary improved. He went on to take up reading on his own, a habit that continues to this day – he is 26,” Amena added.
“Raed was able to recognise letters early and quickly grasped each letter’s sound. His grammar skills and imagination developed and improved. He read comic books as a teenager, which are easier for children on the spectrum,” she added.
The club house has more than 50 families and, last month, launched Special Sparks, a newsletter featuring information and inspirational stories. To contribute to the newsletter, follow
@shahzaibsclubhouse on Instagram.
