KANATA LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM - Autism Ontario

KANATA LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM(Structured Reading and Listening Comprehension Activities)What is the Kanata Language Arts Program ?KLA (Kanata Language Arts) is a part time program for older teens and young adults withautism and/or developmental disabilities.Where is KLA located ?KLA is implemented in a classroom space, generously donated to the program by theFellowship Baptist Church, on Klondike Road in Kanata. The program runs everyWednesday and Thursday from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.What are KLA’s language goals ?- To expose the participant to a wide range of topics- To improve one’s comprehension of text read aloud- To improve one’s concentration and attention skills- To increase the participant’s vocabulary- To practice the skill of acquiring information from textWhich topics does KLA cover ?KLA is suited to those who have often avoided contact with reading materials.The literacy materials provided at KLA are written in everyday familiar language andnever assume pre-existing knowledge.Texts written in simple and concrete vocabulary cover an array of topics, including butnot limited to:- Countries of the world – history and cultures- Religious and non religious holidays – their origins, meanings and traditions- Plants and animals science- Nutrition and Fitness- Famous people in history- Famous and historical landmarks- Movies and movie reviewsWho is KLA for ?The minimal requirements for all KLA participants are basic reading skills which includesome reading decoding abilities and at least 200 words sight reading vocabulary.Participants need not know writing nor spelling, as multiple choice answers as well aswhole words/phrases clozes are provided allowing everyone to respond andcommunicate. To those with minimal verbal abilities, this system is ideal as it serves as ameans of augmentative or alternative communication.What are KLA’s fees ?There are only nominal fees to cover materials used for some of KLA’s craft sessions.Participants however must be accompanied by a worker or parent or sibling who willfacilitate the session at the learner’s level.KLA will assist families requiring support in finding a worker-facilitator.The standard fee for a worker-facilitator at KLA is $15.00 per hour.For additional information, please contact:Simy Illouze B.A., B.Edlogme@rogers.com or 613-823-5360