IEP Content

[Masterbuilder]

Hi,

I haven't posted before but have lurked for sometime. I have a DS age 7.9 years. He is awaiting an assessment for ASC. I have just received his IEP (he is on SA+) and one of the literacy targets is to 'read at home at least 4 times a week. Ask questions about the text to improve understanding'. I guess I'm wondering whether this is a reasonable target, given that it will take place at home. My DS has had IEPs since year 1 and his targets have always been related to what happens at school.

Just to let you know, he is read to every evening and he does read to me most nights (if you can call it that). Most nights it will take him up to half an hour to read 1 or 2 pages. Without fail he will attempt to sabotage by screaming, shouting, mumbling or just plain refusing. Combined with his other behaviours, it is utterly exhausting. He is currently a level 2c and has not made progress since entering year 3 (separate Junior School).

Any feedback would be really welcome.

Bump

Anyone?

Did you have any input for the IEP? Parents and children are supposed to be involved. Children with Asd or similar conditions often have difficultly doing school work at home.

I think you should arrange a meeting with the SENCO to discuss the IEP.

Could you maybe try reading something other than school reading books at home so he doesnt associate it with school.

My Dd2 has dyslexia and reading was thebane of her life when she was at school. We used to do you read a page I read a page. Also I used to tell her any words she got stuck in so that the flow of the story didnt constantly get interrupted.

We used to work on phonics and stuff at different times.

Good luck and get a meeting sorted

Oh and take someone with you if you can.

They must have made a mistake. Obviously they mean 'school' not 'home'. IEP targets should be SMART and detail provision delivered at school - how often, how long for, who by (TA, CT) and have clear steps that can be measured (clear success criteria) toward the overall objective.

I stopped trying to force DS1 and DS2 to read the school books which are often boring and just vehicles for an expansion of vocabulary. I used voice to text kindle so that they could experience good writing and story telling. I got them to read in other ways eg singstar karaoke PS3 games, scooter magazines for DS1 and minecraft stuff for DS2.

You need to take away the anxiety around reading first and foremost IMO. You want him to be motivated to read. Nobody choses to do something they have come to hate

Text to voice not vice versa

Thanks for the reply. I've tried all your suggestions, to varying degrees of success. I don't always read his reading scheme books as he can often find them dull. However, when he is interested he can read very well - probably better than his reading levels suggest. I'm probably being over sensitive, but having this target seems to imply that this kind of thing is not done at home.

He also has a social skills target of talking to the class about his special interest (gymnastics). Am I underestimating him by thinking that since he finds groups really hard that this target would be very difficult to achieve and will cause enormous amounts of anxiety?

Neither I nor DS has been consulted with this.

Hi, I'm afraid I'm not an expert on IEP but DS (y2) is on SA+ and his targets have always been school related.
Maybe as a footnote they'll write something like parents to continue to support his reading at home but nothing specific.

DS (ASD) really struggles with reading and would do all the things you say your DS does to avoid doing it so I know exactly how you feel.
Something that has really helped has been doing it earlier in the afternoon. We have a routine of coming back from school; change into comfy clothes; a snack and drink if needed; playtime for 1/2 hour where he would just normally chill out with his Lego; 10 minutes trampoline or gym ball exercises and then reading. I give him a choice of two reading books so he feels he has some control over it.
After reading he'll probably have a bit more bouncing on the gym ball or run backwards and forwards 10 times. Then we'll do numeracy for 5-10 minutes, he likes working with real money!

After that he's allowed to do his preferred activity until dinner time.

If he is fidgety, a wedge seat might help him. I remove all distractions from the table (toys etc) and make sure there is good lighting and a quiet environment. He likes fiddling so I let him fiddle with something while reading, I've notice it helps him concentrate.

Of course every child is different but I hope some of the ideas might help you.

The IEP has smart targets for maths and literacy and details the support strategies along with who provides it. The reading at home and social skill target don't look as if they are SMART.

I guess I'm going to have to be a pain again and ask school to look at it. I feel so worn out by it all.

They are good suggestions Tambaboy, I shall definitely look at re-jigging things at home. Like your DS he is very distractable and fidgets a lot.

DS is on SA+ and up until now have only ever mentioned school related targets. His first IEP at junior school was written by the SENCo, this one has been written by the class teacher.

I'm so worried about him, he has loads of support and hasn't moved a sub level since leaving Infants in September.

His IEP does sound somewhat wishy washy and it should have been done in consultation with you rather than being presented to you.

Targets are supposed to be SMART ones:-
Specific, so that it is clear what the child should be working towards
Measurable, so that it is clear when the target has been achieved
Achievable, for the individual child
Relevant, to the child’s needs and circumstances
Time-bound, so that the targets are to be achieved by a specified
time

If you feel his needs are not being met on SA plus (and it may well be that he is not getting the levels of support he needs) then I would start applying to the LEA in question for a Statement of special needs.

You are your child's best - and only - advocate.

I've just been on the phone to the SENCO who has agreed that the targets are not SMART and is going to look at them with the class teacher. His level of support has been increased as well - which was not on the IEP.

I think that I'm going to apply for a statement in the future so I have started information gathering.

Both DS1 and DS2 can bore talk for England on their specialist subjects, without the need for a single written note

Also, speaking to the class as a whole (who have to listen to you and remain quiet) is completely different to reciprocal conversational situations with a group or even with a single other person. It's a monologue not a dialogue iykwim. In a lot of social situations monologueing (is that even a word?) is a definite weakness but can be a strength in others.

I agree with Attila - I did not apply for SA for DS1 until the end of year 5. As the whole process took so long, and as things only got progressively worse, he ended up unable to attend the local m/s secondary the LA named and was out of school until the LA conceded to OOC indi ss on the day of the tribunal hearing. I thought I was doing my best trying to focus on the IEP and making it as good as possible but nothing really happened until I applied for SA and he was officially on the LA radar. LA's will delay as much as they can but the longest delay ime was caused by more than one primary school. Schools ime minimise provision for non-statutory children.

With DS2 it has been similar. Each new academic year is year zero. Any issues in the first term are due to 'settling in'. At the end of the second term the school will focus on one recent positive event and suggest that everything will be OK. Then by the end of the summer, they throw their hands in the air and admit that nothing seems to work consistently. Then it's back to year zero after the summer hols.

I was told DS2 would not get in class support unless he had a statement (he is now in year 3 and has been on SA+ since reception) because that wasn't how they did things. But then, beware, once you apply for SA, the school will try to prevent the child from becoming statutory by pretending that everything is fine and, ime, falsifying progress data where they can. I applied for SA, was refused, appealed, LA conceded before hearing and now he is being assessed.

Apply now - you will have plenty of time to collect information (initial application to placement for DS1 took 18 months but would have been an extra 4 months if the LA had not conceded and he had to wait for the tribunal to rule)

I would suggest that you apply for the Statement asap and actually without further delay.

IPSEA's website www.ipsea.org.uk is good and has model letters you can use.

(To my mind anyway IEPS are not known as "Individual Empty Promises" without reason).

Thank you for your insights, you have all been very helpful. I did mention applying for a statement to the SENCO, who said that he would not get one. She said that I should wait for a diagnosis and that since she has sat on the panel, she thinks that based on how things are at the moment he would not get one. However, she did concede that in all likelihood he will need one in the future. I have spoken to IPSEA who suggested that given the amount of support he gets, I probably won't get one at the moment. IPSEA said that I need to show a lack of progress over a period of time and the LA would only look at progress at his current school, which he has only been attending since September. I suspect that if his Infant school had been it an all through primary things would be different. Hence, I'm starting to build my case because deep down I know that he will need one as he gets older.

There are a lot of us who have been told the exact same thing (what a surprise - not!). I was told DS1 (statemented at indi ss) would never qualify for a statement and that I should wait for DS2's official diagnosis (more delay given the waiting list for ADOS even though the consultant paed said she would give an ASD diagnosis regardless of scores on the day). The process takes way too long but eventually, if you keep going, your DS will get what he needs. But YOU need to start the process. The 'other side' will try to put you off starting the process. Don't let them add what really is unnecessary delay. It will never be the right time for the school/LA.

How much support to your knowledge is DS actually receiving?. What sort of support is he getting and for how long each day?. My experience of SA plus is mixed to say the very least; the support albeit daily was patchy and certainly not for the duration of a whole lesson.

I would still be applying for the Statement and ignore any naysayers like this SENCO who seems determined to put you off from applying. Also you can already show a lack of progress over time; your son has not made any progress in the last six months.

Also you can apply for a statement prior to any diagnosis that may be given.

I han't thought about how patchy it can be. I find that towards the end of term his provision can be chopped and changed (causing anxiety) or not happen at all. For instance, his maths group was cancelled just before the end of term as a large proportion of the group were off sick. His social skills was cancelled because of topic performances.

He gets 1:1 in the classroom (Friday afternoons). 1:1 playground support as and when he needs it, reading group, individual reading, maths group (first class number), individual maths programme each morning, and social skills.

Thinking of it from how changeable his provision is according to the needs of the school, I think I will go for a statement.