DS with PDD has to speak in front of

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2003
DS with PDD has to speak in front of
2
Mon, 01-23-2006 - 2:20pm

Hello, I posted recently about my 10 yr old DS with PDD and how ignorant the school and his teacher is. Well this time I have a question about whether or not you would allow your child to have to say an index card full of facts in front of the class and parents???? My DS's class is putting on a presentation for the parents and then going to each 5th grade class to present it to them too. My DS has a speech and language disorder/delay , both expressive and receptive are an issue. It is hard to understand him at times as well. And he is terrible at memorization! He is in an inclusion class but is the only one with this type of disability. He is terrified of forgetting his lines and I am secretly cringing inside because I feel so bad. Help!

Am I to allow him to go through with it? Do I tell the teacher who up until this point has had very little understanding of my DS's disability that he will not be participating? Any help with this matter would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Mon, 01-23-2006 - 7:32pm

Whew! Your son is in an inclusion class and the teacher doesn't understand his disability? What is on his IEP? He should be being taught by people who understand his disability, this is against the law, actually, or if it isn't, it should be!!! I would so call an advocate or lawyer, at least get his IEP changed to include training in your son's disability for all staff teaching him every year!!! This is a travesty, children with disabilities are supposed to receive a fair and appropriate education, which includes understanding what is up with them and making accomodations so they can learn alongside their NT peers. Not demand that somehow they magically BECOME one of the NT peers...

I would definitely call the teacher immediately, explain again your son's difficulties (yes, again) and demand to know how she is going to make this work for your son. He should definitely have script, file box, someone to hold his lines up at back of room on large placards would work better, like the newspeople do it on TV, whatever he needs to be successful. I can't believe this teacher isn't already making allowances. And, yes, if she cannot find a way to help your son out, I would pull him from the activity (even conveniently sick or on trip that day, if necessary) and then go to the special needs/resource teacher, whoever is in charge of his IEP, start making more demands there. Actually, maybe you want to swing by IEP Board here at iVillage and start asking questions about how to get your son's teacher and IEP and school on the right page?

yours,

Sara
ilovemalcolm

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Tue, 01-24-2006 - 8:36am
EEEK! I'm a special ed teacher and I don't think any teacher at my school would make a child with a disability speak in front of class unless that child felt comfortable enough to do it. I would definitely say something to the teacher. But I do want to let you know that last year we had a student with AS run for student council president. He gave a speech in front of the whole school (about 300 kids) and won.