SPECIAL NEEDS...Asperger's/ADHD in MAINSTREAM SECONDARY SCHOOL

[MrsFrostgetful]

(i posted this on special needs...but wondered if any sencos or teachers/TA's could offer some thoughts???)

i sent a letter to tom's school in oct... detailing his Asperger's as I saw it...where i felt he would have difficulties at school...how well he conceals his stress...and stategies to help .

well...nothing happened...and this week he was very distressed. He is struggling to keep up in class cos he has poor handwriting and difficulties copying from whiteboard...drawing charts etc,,,,

so last night i was about to write another letter...but didn't...then today a copy on a SENCO memo appeared in the post.

it came on it's own...no covering letter...no 'action plan' for future support etc...just a blank compliment slip...

however...my gut feeling is its a positive step.

basically it starts off saying that we wrote voicing concern...and suggesting strategies etc...

it then detailed almost word for word what i had detailed...which was largely along the lines of

"tom struggles with this...which i believe is because of .... and to help you can do this....."

it suggests teachers look up ADHD,Aspergers (he has these diagnosed)..and DYSPRAXIA i(no diagnosis...but i feel they agree with me that he has this too)

it suggests using computer as often as poss so that he can get the chance to put on paper what he is thinking...where writing is so difficult for him....i had stressed that he has fantastic ideas...but loses them in his effort to write.

basically... iim assuming that if they have 'word for word' given MY strategies to guide his teachers...then they must be in agreement that he is showing the difficulties i referred to?
And that they must agree that what i suggest is sound...as they'd not recommend it otherwise???

i just was not expecting this...i was ready to battle...write a strong letter...now i have been caught out...theyu are NOT disputing me.

so....i will instead write thanking them for the letter...ask them what happens next...when is his IEP review etc... and i think seeing as they have ststed he use a PC as often as poss...then i steer them towards a laptop for him...they said it was possible he would get one...if they deemed it necassary...i have photocopied loads of examples of his difficulties writing direct from his school books..to use as proof....apparently he can have a laptop even tho he's not statemented (?).....

also i thoought i'd ask wheteher ALL his teachers get the memo they sent me....as he has grief from 2 teachers (art and english) ref his presentation and so called 'lack of effort'.....and i like to believe that up to today they were not fully aware of his difficulties.... and though i requested all were told from day 1...maybe cos he is so 'well behaved' as he is on meds for ADHD... that he has been struggling unoticed...and now they are settling into the real schoolwork...ratger than the initial settling in stuff...banding etc...then his probs are surfacing.

i suppose i want to hear the magic 'statementing' words...as i was told by my TA friendwho knows tom well....and she works with SEN kids at his school...that she believed that within his first year they would start statementing off....she said he came fom primary with glowing references...so the SENCO put no special provisions in place....i'd rather he'd had a laptop from day 1...but the senco said cos he had not had one at primary..they wanted to see howe he managed at secondary.

WHY do they insist our kids in mainstream have to fail b4 they put help in place???