A Better Classroom
Dear Ruth,
My eight-year-old son has just tested at beginning to mid first-grade reading level, which means he has made no progress in reading for the last eight months. He has expressive and receptive language problems, with communication skills at or below the five-year-old level.
Last year he was in a Severe Language Handicapped class taught by a speech pathologist. He made dramatic progress. This year he was placed in a Special Day Class. These students have a wide variety of learning disabilities. I know that the Language class is better for him, but the school district says it is is "most restrictive" and will not provide him with enough inclusion with the general education students. They say that he is at a "learning plateau" and will make progress when he is ready.
I want to request a trial placement back to the Language class. I know my son far better than the district or teacher, and I am sure that his progress will be very noticeable. How do I convince the district too?
D.T.
Dear D.T.,
I am even more concerned with your son's spoken and listening language than with his reading. From your description I assume that he continues to qualify for special education speech and language services despite the dramatic progress last year. It sounds as if his language is three years delayed, very significant at his young age. The concern is that these kinds of gaps may tend to widen if they are not addressed directly, consistently, aggressively.
The speech/language pathologist is the professional who is qualified by training and experience to diagnose and treat language deficits. As a classroom teacher, the speech/language pathologist is in the best position to integrate language stimulation and treatment throughout the subject areas, throughout the day.
Special Day Class services do not take the place of the services of a speech/language pathologist for the language-impaired child. Your son's reading depends most of all upon his language growth. Children who have distinct deficits in language do not typically 'become ready' without some concentrated efforts at the roots of their difficulties.
The law requires education that is appropriate to the needs of the student. A more restrictive environment is acceptable when the nature or severity of the problem requires it for satisfactory results. And children who need 'most restrictive' classrooms can be integrated into regular classrooms for parts of the day.
Best Wishes,
Ruth Alice Jurey, M.S.
Speech/Language Pathologist
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