Guest guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Could people tell me what we should expect and hope for from a special school We have a SEN statement and 1:1 assistant in a mainstream school where our 4 yrs 2 mths daughter is doing fine EXCEPT no speech except babbling We have started a 2 day mainsteam/ 3 day special school split placement (where she is in a class of 8, with 8 teachers). What additional things should a Special school do to primarily help her speech? Because if they arent doing any more than mainstream My dream was: PECS - advise us exact details so we can replicate at home ABA - becasue people say it is great - again we need to replicate it at home I keep asking the Special school what ADDITIONAL HELP (compared to mainstream) they are providing, and am unable to get an answer Thanks for any help on this xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 >On the subject of PECS make sure the school are really doing PECS and not just using that name to describe a very basic picture schedule.'s school started by telling me they do PECS, then changed it to not pure PECS, then came out and admitted not PECS at all.The fact is all the special schools here say they do PECS the truth is none of them do, check who has been on what courses. It's not the same here as Mandi's experience in that asking will not ensure they actually do go out and get trained but you can force them to remove it from their blurb on prospectus thus showing a very embarrassing hole in their communication techniques.Be careful of the word Eclectic, often it mean Jack of all trades and master of none, ofcourse they sell it as cherry picking the best and most relevent, actually the truth is cheapest!Vicky > > > In a message dated 20/12/2008 16:18:16 GMT Standard Time, > peter_2_@... writes: > > " Are there any people here using UK specials schools, if so ,why? " > > > > >>Sam is in an Autism (not Aspergers, not PDD) Independant Special School. > He's there because there is nowhere else for him. > > Early Years was awesome, he started full time at 3.5 years, Class 1 was a > nightmare, 5 different teachers, only two of them any good, he's in class 2 now, > new headteacher, 2 full time SLP's (for 55 kids), new teacher, new > curriculum, great progress. The Red Wing, lower school, 2-13 years are now streamed > for Maths, English and Science, they move around like kids in Senior School. > Manic to start with but they are all cool about it now. > > I introduced PECS at 2 years, he was proficient to Phase 4 before he > started. He was one of only 2 kids using when he started but since (due to me and > LEA ganging up together and forcing whole school training) its what the > nonverbal use. He now has a machine, I forget whats its called, with PECS cards that > talk when pressed, he likes to use it to make the staff stop and start, > thinks its a hoot but is not interested in using it at home. > > If your child does not have a means of functional communication I would > recommend attending the PECS intro course and asking the school how many staff > have been trained. I saw many kids progress to spoken words with PECS, > unfortunately not Sam. > > HTH > Mandi x >On the subject of PECS make sure the school are really doing PECS and not just using that name to describe a very basic picture schedule. 's school started by telling me they do PECS, then changed it to not pure PECS, then came out and admitted not PECS at all. The fact is all the special schools here say they do PECS the truth is none of them do, check who has been on what courses. It's not the same here as Mandi's experience in that asking will not ensure they actually do go out and get trained but you can force them to remove it from their blurb on prospectus thus showing a very embarrassing hole in their communication techniques. Be careful of the word Eclectic, often it mean Jack of all trades and master of none, ofcourse they sell it as cherry picking the best and most relevent, actually the truth is cheapest! Vicky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Jordan's school are really doing pecs properly as a school governor I keep a very close eye on this. All of the teachers in the ASD unit have been on the pecs course after the head was being nagged by myself and a very pecs keen speech and language therapist. It took a while but we got there in the end. The staff were a bit reluctant at first because they thought it would mean more work but they now realise that now that it is set up it is actually making life easier for all. All of the children have their own book and the school has bought and made loads of resources. mariella x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Make sure (most important) that they know how to, and indeed are, phasing the pecs out when it is time for the child to solo regarding their language acquisition. we fought pecs all the way, with our ex SLT - i believed it was a replacement for actually using language. In our case I was right. What i saw as " PECS " in the school and via the SLT's was deplorable. I had purchased the books and dvd, and manuals and they didnt even bother to read them when i gave them to the school. So i decided no pecs. Our boy thankfully has developed speech on his own. Dont let them do what they did to a friend of mine whose child asked for some water in class. She said this verbally, nice and clear. She was (now get this) asked to go and get her PECS water picture. I mean talk about stuffing this child's words back in her mouth. Little things like making sure the child IS NOT asked to put the PECS card back on the wall or in the book, etc. This too is stuffing words back in the child's mouth. I still believe PECS is an easy peasy way of keeping kids in " line " in school, its much harder and takes much more time to " pull " those words out of the kids. Its no use saying " well, its good for kids who dont speak " . This is a self fulfilling prophesy in my view. I know for a fact my boy would not have been as good verbally, as he is now, had we used pecs. We celebrated every utterance he made, and contrived situations where he would have to ask/speak and we built from there. A school that uses PECS for all children is blanketing them and many of them do not need pecs. They need time and patience and understanding to give them every opportunity to speak, to form words with their mouths, to strengthen their facial muscles. But for schools, its easier to have children getting a card off a wall or book. > > > > > > In a message dated 20/12/2008 16:18:16 GMT Standard Time, > > peter_2_@ writes: > > > > " Are there any people here using UK specials schools, if so ,why? " > > > > > > > > >>Sam is in an Autism (not Aspergers, not PDD) Independant Special > School. > > He's there because there is nowhere else for him. > > > > Early Years was awesome, he started full time at 3.5 years, Class 1 > was a > > nightmare, 5 different teachers, only two of them any good, he's in > class 2 now, > > new headteacher, 2 full time SLP's (for 55 kids), new teacher, new > > curriculum, great progress. The Red Wing, lower school, 2-13 years > are now streamed > > for Maths, English and Science, they move around like kids in > Senior School. > > Manic to start with but they are all cool about it now. > > > > I introduced PECS at 2 years, he was proficient to Phase 4 before > he > > started. He was one of only 2 kids using when he started but since > (due to me and > > LEA ganging up together and forcing whole school training) its what > the > > nonverbal use. He now has a machine, I forget whats its called, > with PECS cards that > > talk when pressed, he likes to use it to make the staff stop and > start, > > thinks its a hoot but is not interested in using it at home. > > > > If your child does not have a means of functional communication I > would > > recommend attending the PECS intro course and asking the school how > many staff > > have been trained. I saw many kids progress to spoken words with > PECS, > > unfortunately not Sam. > > > > HTH > > Mandi x > >On the subject of PECS make sure the school are really doing PECS > and not just using that name to describe a very basic picture > schedule. > 's school started by telling me they do PECS, then changed it to > not pure PECS, then came out and admitted not PECS at all. > The fact is all the special schools here say they do PECS the truth > is none of them do, check who has been on what courses. > It's not the same here as Mandi's experience in that asking will > not ensure they actually do go out and get trained but you can force > them to remove it from their blurb on prospectus thus showing a very > embarrassing hole in their communication techniques. > Be careful of the word Eclectic, often it mean Jack of all trades and > master of none, ofcourse they sell it as cherry picking the best and > most relevent, actually the truth is cheapest! > Vicky > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 ---that sadly sums it up Vicky .That b..... masters from Birmingham has a lot to answer for. Have known 2 local mums for over 10 yrs , they trusted the system,one even brought pecs to one school,both their sons going to a 36/ 52 week residential in january cos of challenging behaviours and considered severe.So heartbreaking because it is so avoidable. ..Autism-Biomedical-Europe , MaddiganV@... wrote: > > Also on the subject of the much maligned TEACCH, how many of the schools who > say they do TEACCH are actually doing it, how many are properly trained, > again I don't think TEACCH is anything to write home about but it makes me > seethe when these places are allowed to say they are doing something when they are > not. > The other thing which is very important for non verbal children is finding > out what they do with challenging behaviour. In 's first school he was > tied into a Rifkin chair! The only reason I found out was the bruises on his > back from the nob in the middle of the chair, he came home with that and the > clear imprint of an adult hand on his arm. > School assured me it was 's favourite chair despite the fact the marks > were so deep on his skin from trying to free himself. > Once in school watch for behaviours on the journey to and from, used to > try and kick the windows in the car, yet at tribunal the Head stated he > " bounced into school in joyful anticipation " . > Sadly SENDIST thought an M.A. in autism = honesty. > Vicky > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 ---they call them 'working chairs' at my local sld school,used during " circle time " mainly for children with autism...... In Autism-Biomedical-Europe , Eva family wrote: > > they rated Haringey's child protection as good. They look at the > paperwork. they are looking at procedures, target setting, monitoring > etc. If there isn't a bit of paper saying " tie child to Rifkin chair and > beat " they won't get to know. > Sally > > MaddiganV@... wrote: > > > > Thanks Gillian but there was a case recently about a child in Essex > > whose parents went to court over this same issue and lost. Something > > to do with being a danger to himself and others, can't remember now. > > I do know it is acceptable to have these Rifkin chairs so one would > > assume they think it is OK to use them. I think they are used > > primarily to keep children with certain physical conditions upright > > but they are widely used as a restraint for those with challenging > > behaviour. > > Ofsted find lots of things acceptable that parents don't, they rate > > schools as outstanding that imo are just about average, their system > > is flawed. > > Vicky > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ > > > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > > Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.9.19/1860 - Release Date: 21/12/2008 15:08 > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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