Wednesday, August 5, 2009

By Jove I think he's got it!

My summer job the past two summers has been working for a wonderful special education preschool here in Westchester called the Alcott School. They are a school that provides children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Speech Delays, OT/PT issues, and other LDs with services incorporated into the 2.5 hour day. I have learned tons in the past two summers and met some adorable kids.

This summer this is a great little guy in our class. He has some oral issues that make his speech very delays to pretty much syllable sounds, mainly vowels and a few consonants. He tries very hard but is obviously wanting to tell us so much more. The speech therapist tried the photo system of communication and he refused to take it. They tried a speech board and he was uninterested. He is too on the go to carry those around!

He began to sign "car" a few weeks ago and the director (mind you this is a school with an oral approach!) thought that it may be time to send home a book of 50 signs and get the parents on board since his speech isn't getting to a verbal level. So I have taken this as a lets get him signing approval!

I have been doing simple 3 year old needed signs with him. Car, finished, eat, more, bathroom, water, drink, apple, play, funny, cookie, home, mom, sit, and a few more.

Today was a big day for him! After circle we instructed him to go to the cars/trucks/blocks center. Other kids often go "I want this" or "I want to go there" but this little fella goes along with anything. He often signs "car" to let us know, but not always. NOT TODAY!! After getting his instruction he walked over to the books instead, did his sign for no (he can say that word too) and SIGNED BOOK!!!!! Well he must have thought we were a bunch of idiots clapping and cheering for him and of course for that he got to go to books!!!

I began to sign pretty much every word for him and he would do some back. I then also laid out a bunch of toy food, then signed "apple" without vocals and he gave me the apple! He did it for cookie, milk, and bread. He is so darn smart and we are finally giving him a way to talk until his speech progresses!

Katie (the speech therapist) and I made a basic signs he has been learning sheet and sent it home hoping the parents do it too!

We are all so proud of this little fella and hope he blossoms more now!

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