DS "needs to stay focus on tasks"

[bigbluebus]

Have just had DSs short report through in preparation for his annual review. In virtually every subject the teachers have written "DS needs to stay focused on his work and not doodle".
DS (HF ASD) is YR 11 so doing GCSEs this Summer, although he has done some modules already. He is in top stream for every subject and wants to stay on at school to do A levels. However, he is just coasting and not achieving the very high grades that he thinks he will get! The doodling has been allowed in lessons as a way of preventing him becoming involved in more disruptive activities!
The other issues is that a couple of subject teachers have commented that DS "resents having a TA in the classroom". He has 25 hrs 1:1 although they have tended to keep their distance at our/DSs request and only step in when he fails to stay on task and starts distracting other pupils. He has had ample opportunity to prove he doesn't need these TA's but so far has failed to show that he the teacher can manage without a TA being in class.

I was wondering if anyone's DC is on any sort of medication just to help them focus and if so, what? If he was able to focus and stay on task then he wouldn't need a TA at all, and he is keen not to have to take TA's with him to 6th form - although as it stands, he will have to.

Sorry that should have said DS needs to focus on tasks

'DS needs to stay focused on his work and not doodle'

FFS. Send the report back with an ammendment:

'Teachers teaching ds need to keep him motivated to focus'! Why do they put the onus on him?

Probably because he is very bright and they do not understand why he is unable to concentrate! He has a diagnosis of ASD but doesn't display many of the traits that the average teacher would recognise as ASD now. His biggest problem is being unable to focus and attention seeking by winding people up deliberately! It is the TA's job to keep DS on track, but unfortunately DS does not like having a TA anywhere near him, so often he will play up if the TA intervenes!! He doesn't think he needs a TA anymore and it has been experimentally withdrawn in one or two lessons where DS does not seem to pose a problem!

Well, I think difficulty in concentration and focus (especially away from any special interest topic) is part and parcel of an ASD diagnosis and this should be supported.

It could be a whole host of reasons: he needs to doodle to think; he is distracted by the sensory environment; he is tired; he lacks motivation; he is bored and looking for a way out!

With a TA and a statement (which I assume he has), school should be looking at ways of encouraging and supporting his engagement and not just be whinging about it to you.

Star is right - ask them what they intend to do to support his focus and attention. My son doesn't like a TA watching his every move but that is no excuse for not providing support. They will have to ask for advice from the EP etc.

Sadly, the EP - IMO - is a waste of space. They came to see DS before Christmas about another issue that school was concerned about. I wasn't aware they had been in until I got a survey from them asking what I thought of their service as I had used it recently. I had signed a consent form, but assumed I would be advised of the outcome of the visit once it had taken place!!! Silly me!
School weren't whinging to me about DS and his lack of concentration as such, it was just a progress report that had been filled in by staff teaching DS so that the SENCO and we could see how he was doing in readiness for the discussion at his AR. Obviously, the issues surrounding his concentration,and what can be done to improve it, will be a big part of next week's meeting.

I would really challenge this statement. It's a 'wheelchair skipping' one. DS gets them all the time 'DS must learn to work in a group'. No dear teacher, what you mean is 'I need to find ways to engage DS in group learning.' Sounds like you're on it, but I just wanted to say you're not wrong to be [bangry] about it.

Sort of agree with the above posters.... but....
Obvious ASD in early childhood can be very different in the teens, and is sometimes almost indistinguishable from predominently-inattentive ADHD. which medications do often help.

If the child learns how to "do" social, learns how to painstakingly overcome "communication" and uses their high IQ, good memory and willpower to compensate for 'social-imagination'... they still have the executive function deficits.