Outreach worker wants to implement a workstation and TEACCH. No, no, no, no!

[adrianna22]

How can I convince school that TEACCH or a work station wouldn't be appropriate for DS now.

Thanks for replying.

It's not that I'm against TEACCH or workstations. But I feel DS needs a more play based approach for now- one to one. Not to sit by a work station.

Ds 8 is in a ms school and has a workstation at school and he loves it, it helps him focus and reduces his stress. He is given the choice throughout the day to sit with the other children if he wants to and he does for certain things. His CT and 1:1 TA try to include him as much as possible in the general class activities so he is not isolated.
It works for my ds but he needs constant 1:1 to keep him on task and the workstation seems to reduce the number of prompts needed.
School is going to try ear defenders next.

• because I fear DS would regress.

I'm not anti- workstations, but for now, they need to work with DS through structural play. Workstations can come later on.

They want to implement one simply because he has a diagnosis of autism and I also feel like I have to justify myself every time if I don't agree with a typical autism intervention programme.

Instead of placing DS on the workstation- they can be using that time to work with him one-one, interaction etc.

I use to volunteer at my local ASD unit and don't get me wrong, some kids did need and benefited from working at a work station, but for some kids, who were able to work and listen within a group setting, but needed some directing. I feel like with those kids, with the right intervention could of improved with the skills they already had. But because they were teachable and complaint, they were pushed into working at the workstation, the skills that they did have were not pushed and they did regress.

When I viewed an ABA school, it didn't replicate the usual ASD units that I've seen. It was very intensive, one-to- one. I want a school like that for my DS.

The type of TEACCH that they want to implement is the tray thing... Don't know the proper name for that.

I know what you mean when professionals recommend a workstation or visual timetables just because the child has a dx of ASD. It looks like a lazy exercise of copy and paste, I'm afraid.

School implemented other strategies before using the workstation for ds in y3. Your ds is much younger, isn't he? so I do understand your frustration.

To be honest zzzz- I've never tried ABA with my DS- so I don't understand the comment about me being against everything that is not ABA.

I think Makaton, PECS, speech and language therapy is helping my DS loads, I don't know if I'll ever try ABA with DS. But from the schools I've seen, they just seem very intensive one on one. I also liked the ASD specialist schools that I've also seen, that use a range of approaches- not just TEACCH. But most of them are independent and very expensive.

I'm not refusing the workstation because it's a typical ASD intervention, but I'm saying it looks like that way towards the school.

DS, 5, has a severe language delay and communication needs. This needs to be addressed first so that he is able to access the curriculum. If they put him on the work-station, I doubt they will work on his language and communication needs whilst his on the station.

He will regress if they do not work on his speech, language and communication needs. You can implement a work-station (TEACCH) approach later on.

Ok, I now understand zzzz.

Yes you are right that being submersed with language is not really that good. But I guess he also needs the language and the understanding of language to learn also.

DS can actually work in class setting and does do some of the work. But sometimes lacks the motivation and needs redirecting because he has low attention skills.

Education is important too and there can be other ways- other than TEACCH, to implement English, maths and so on. He is not that interested in pictures, but loves to learn through play.

For now, I would prefer a less directed teaching method. As he gets goes into year 1, they can do the whole TEACCH workstation set-up

That's my exact worry and I do think it would end up being the case.

adri what parents feel is right has a strong tendency to be right.

It is just when the ASD specialist folk come in and put in some of the standard stuff without a careful analysis of the pluses and minuses for your individual DC, it is time to look out.

I doubt the trays will do much harm (but only because I heard an expert saying that the trays were not a TEACH programme), but the workstation being used as a 'keep him quiet' alternative to meet his social skills needs seems a really valid concern.

If you can get the documents/reports/assessments behind this being recommended it may show up whether it is 'gut reaction' or carefully considered.

Then a meeting with your concerns about use/overuse of the workstaton on the agenda

Obvioulsy having an independent expert to see if you are right or not is another, but pricier way to go

Hi Senvet

We actually had an independent report stating that a work station/ TEACCH programme would not be good for him, they told me this without me even mentioning it to them and confirmed that he actually needs a very play based approach for now ( as he responds to it better).

zzzzz DS is very complaint, so he would do as he is told. Though I doubt he will understand the pictures, trays, left-right set up thing.

I totally get it.
So maybe ask them for a copy of all the referral documents and if, as we all half-expect, they have failed to send your indie report when referring, then send it on to the ASD teacher and whoever else they are inviting to give a view

If it was me I would add a simple covering letter saying little more than 'here is the report which says

1. DC needs to learn through play
2. DC must not be given a workstation
3. DC should not be given TEACH'

And if those folk still come out with work station and TEACH , then make them justify it in the face of your expert's report.

Good Luck

I too don't understand your complete refusal to engage in TEACCH or workstations - maybe you should try it and see how it goes? You seem to have fixed ideas about what you think will help your son. That's fine - I have suggestions for my child's progress too but I work with the school - I know my child best but they have years of experience of ASD children and so I take their advice on board.

You have reiterated that your DS's speech needs to be worked upon before anything else. My DS also has a severe language delay (non verbal at 4.5 until three months ago). But I know his speech issues are part of his autism and not separate to them - therefore they need to be worked on them together. From your posts on this forum (and I may have misinterpreted this) you believe that your DS's main problem is his speech and it seems like you are having a hard time accepting that your son has autism and this might be why you are so resistant to typical autism interventions.

I can only speak for DS but he is not left to his own devices when he uses the workstation, his TA supports him. He finds it really difficult to focus when surrounded by other children so the workstation works really well for him. As I said before he doesn't spend all his time there. He does small group work, carpet time and loads of other things with the other children.
My DS is really compliant like yours so he would happily sit there all day but the staff make sure he does participate in class as much as possible.
The trays and visual schedules work well to promote independence. I use that sort of trays at work, they are good for organising yourself.

JJXM- With the greatest respect, I know my child has autism and I have accepted this a long while ago. Just because I don't agree with typical
'autism' interventions, doesn't mean that at all.

I think his main issue is communication (social) his speech is secondary.

I'm an advocate for ABA- that's (mostly) an autism intervention- but researching lots about to it to see if it would be right for DS.

There are mums that's I've met that don't agree with most 'autism' interventions.

As a parent, I have right to question why they want to set up things (interventions) for my DS. Usually the conversations with the school start like this "...xxxx we should set up a work-station for DS...", me: "Why?", School: ... Cause children with autism benefit from structure".

Ok, yes DS has autism. But they look at the autism first, then at the child. They don't explain to me WHY this would be beneficial for DS. If they said ".. DS gets distracted in class- blah blah blah and the workstation would help him to focus...", then I'll be more inclined to listen and take their advice. But if every time I question something and all I get is "..all children with autism.." and they can't explain why this would be beneficial for DS (... because they haven't seen to see him in class). I'm going to retaliate.

I think they should work on his communication, through play. I'm not dismissing the workstation entirely, just saying it can be used later on.

No zzzz, he won't have a one to one.

I'm not sure about TEACCH (I always get confused), but they did set up a workstation for DS ( well he had his own desk and chair in a quiet place in the class room), just to see if it helps I guess. He didn't like it. But this could be because he didn't really understand.

But I just want to point out. I'm not dismissal of the workstation at all, just saying that this could be used when he is entering into year one.

I don't understand why I'm getting so much stick for not agreeing to something and believing another way is better for DS.

zzzz- But how do you know that I haven't worked with the school, set up up targets etc

They are using some aspects of TEACCH with him already. They are proving to not be working with him. But we are still persevering.

I do not go in and argue with the professionals and reject every idea they tell me. I listen, I question and we compromise and set up targets.

My issue is that they are ONLY interesting in implementing ( workstations and TEACCH) and not on his communication skills. They have not taken into account any of my ideas. They need to work on other skills as well.

He doesn't have one-to-one as he is very compliant, sits with the class, does the work.

I am my child's advocate and I do want the best for him. That's why I'm fighting for him.

But if the school is ONLY implementing their way and not taken into account of any my ideas. You expect me to just sit back, keep my mouth shut and nod my head. Well sorry, I'm not being that parent.

When they recently told me that they want to implement a workstation, I was annoyed because I thought "oh" they didn't listen or take into account any of my suggestions (again).