I've enrolled my son in an online school this year. It's the same program he did last year. He seemed to do well and he really enjoyed the technology part of it.
I plan to supplement it with my own reading program designed for children with Down syndrome. I will also supplement his school learning with sound cards to help him with his verbal skills.
Our plan is to enroll him in the local public school next year but we want him to be able to verbally communicate much better so that's what I'll work on with him throughout this year.
I was surprised last year by all that he learned through this online program. Yesterday and today we've been doing some review and he's retained quite a bit. One of the fallacies I've heard about kids with DS is that they can't really learn. So not true. My son has learned, and knows, his letters, numbers, many sight words, concepts such as in and out and up and down. He is now spelling his name orally. He can definitely learn and anyone who thinks differently is just wrong.
I'm looking forward to this school year to see what he'll learn and how he'll grow. Mostly, I'm hoping he'll be more verbal by the end of the year so that he can go to public school and be able to communicate with his peers and teachers.
Showing posts with label Verbal Skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Verbal Skills. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
New Speech Therapist Impressions
We met with a new speech therapist yesterday and I must say I was very impressed. She was very attentive to my son. She was patient and gave him such positive reinforcement.
She tested him on sounds and his ability to join more than one sound. He did pretty well. He actually made sounds I hadn't heard him make before. Each time he made the right sound, or even attempted the sound, she gave him a sticker. He started to get a little silly by putting his feet up on the table, but she was very kind and patient with him.
She seemed to be impressed that he kept eye contact with her and focused on the activity she was doing (except when he put his feet on the table). He has a long attention span if it's something that interests him--just like the rest of us. I know that my attention span is that of a three-year-old unless I'm interested. She did a good job of keeping him interested by moving to the floor, giving him train tracks to build for a train, and having him give her high fives.
She showed us some of her materials, including a CD with songs that encourage making sounds, and I am so, so excited for the possibilities. I felt like she was very tuned in to my son and very knowledgeable about what we can do to help him use more verbal skills. She's so enthusiastic and I am grateful we found her.
She tested him on sounds and his ability to join more than one sound. He did pretty well. He actually made sounds I hadn't heard him make before. Each time he made the right sound, or even attempted the sound, she gave him a sticker. He started to get a little silly by putting his feet up on the table, but she was very kind and patient with him.
She seemed to be impressed that he kept eye contact with her and focused on the activity she was doing (except when he put his feet on the table). He has a long attention span if it's something that interests him--just like the rest of us. I know that my attention span is that of a three-year-old unless I'm interested. She did a good job of keeping him interested by moving to the floor, giving him train tracks to build for a train, and having him give her high fives.
She showed us some of her materials, including a CD with songs that encourage making sounds, and I am so, so excited for the possibilities. I felt like she was very tuned in to my son and very knowledgeable about what we can do to help him use more verbal skills. She's so enthusiastic and I am grateful we found her.
Monday, August 27, 2012
New Speech Therapist
Today we are meeting with a new speech therapist for an evaluation. I've been in email contact with her and am excited to meet her. She asked for a video recording of my son in his own environment so she could see how he communicates. She also asked me to provide her with a list of words he says and words he signs. So far, she's asked for more information on him than his previous therapists.
Of course, my son is such a performer that as soon as he saw the camera recording him he started acting silly for it. I did finally get him spelling his name, singing the ABCs, reading a book with sign language, playing with toys that were talking to each other, and doing his favorite thing: playing with his fingers. He likes to use his fingers as people and make them talk to each other and chase each other.
It's hard sometimes not to get frustrated that my son isn't speaking more, but when I look back over the last year or so, I can see a dramatic improvement. He isn't carrying on verbal conversations but he's using more words and trying many more sounds. He's also using more signs. He's definitely progressed in his communication skills and in his verbal skills. I just get impatient at times and wish he'd start talking and tell me what's on his mind.
I'm looking forward to working with a new therapist and hope she'll provide me with definitive things to work on at home with him.
Of course, my son is such a performer that as soon as he saw the camera recording him he started acting silly for it. I did finally get him spelling his name, singing the ABCs, reading a book with sign language, playing with toys that were talking to each other, and doing his favorite thing: playing with his fingers. He likes to use his fingers as people and make them talk to each other and chase each other.
It's hard sometimes not to get frustrated that my son isn't speaking more, but when I look back over the last year or so, I can see a dramatic improvement. He isn't carrying on verbal conversations but he's using more words and trying many more sounds. He's also using more signs. He's definitely progressed in his communication skills and in his verbal skills. I just get impatient at times and wish he'd start talking and tell me what's on his mind.
I'm looking forward to working with a new therapist and hope she'll provide me with definitive things to work on at home with him.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Requiring Verbalization
We've been busy painting and rearranging bedrooms so I haven't had much time to blog.
But, this summer has been great for my son because he's had so much interaction with his siblings. One of his sisters is especially good with working with him. She spends a lot of time playing with him and urging him to use words. He loves to be with her and usually chooses to sit with her or play with her because she's spent so much time with him. I've loved watching their relationship develop over the summer.
We've all made a goal to make him use words instead of signs. Today, he wanted some of his brother's pancake so he made a cutting motion with his hand to indicate his desire. Of course, we all knew what he wanted. We almost always know what he wants, but when we allow him to use signs we aren't helping him to develop his verbal skills.
He asked me for a drink this morning by signing it. I made him say "drink" before I gave it to him. He always signs "thank you" but now we're making him actually say the words. I think if we are more diligent in making him use words instead of signs he'll advance in his verbal skills better.
That's easier said than done, but I need to be more committed in requiring him to be verbal. I think he can be much more verbal than he is but signing is easier so he relies on that. I hoping to pull more verbalization out of him in the next few months.
But, this summer has been great for my son because he's had so much interaction with his siblings. One of his sisters is especially good with working with him. She spends a lot of time playing with him and urging him to use words. He loves to be with her and usually chooses to sit with her or play with her because she's spent so much time with him. I've loved watching their relationship develop over the summer.
We've all made a goal to make him use words instead of signs. Today, he wanted some of his brother's pancake so he made a cutting motion with his hand to indicate his desire. Of course, we all knew what he wanted. We almost always know what he wants, but when we allow him to use signs we aren't helping him to develop his verbal skills.
He asked me for a drink this morning by signing it. I made him say "drink" before I gave it to him. He always signs "thank you" but now we're making him actually say the words. I think if we are more diligent in making him use words instead of signs he'll advance in his verbal skills better.
That's easier said than done, but I need to be more committed in requiring him to be verbal. I think he can be much more verbal than he is but signing is easier so he relies on that. I hoping to pull more verbalization out of him in the next few months.
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