Aspergers IEP targets......Unreasonable? Achievable? Measurable? Fair?

[MissesF]

Tom has is 13 with ADHD and AS...mainstream school- no individual TA support on regular basis. I'm told he is at the 'less autistic end of the spectrum'...which at the moment i am sick of hearing.

He is AUTISTIC. Full Stop. End Of. Can we just help him please....!

I got his IEP last week- and am so pissed off.
he is yr9 and they are still using stuff they put on his yr7 IEP ... so does that mean he has not progressed????
(or is it as it looks...just a case of 'copy and paste' off the old IEP...onto the new.....)

AND DESPITE BEING DIAGNOSED AT 7 WITH ADHD AND AGE 9 WITH ASPERGERS....AND HAVING HAD I GUESS 10 LETTERS IN THE PAST 2.5 YEARS FROM VARIOUS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS STATING HIS DISABILITIES..........THEY STILL SATE ON THE IEP THAT HE HAS ASPERGERS TENDANCIES...NOT ASPERGERS SYNDROME (for f's sake...since when has Aspergers Tendancies been a diagnosis?????????)
Basically...his IEP targets are:

1. I will look at a teacher in the eye when they are giving me instructions

2. I will write at least 5 sentances in my best handwriting so they are readable, in each lesson.

3)i will write homework in my daily planner.

so....in a nutshell ...my thoughts are...we have an autistic teenager who has always had poor eyecontact...being expected to start looking people in the eye....which he finds excruciating. He hates being looked at too.

then....handwriting...last year the OCUPATIONAL therapist saw him and recommended to the school that tom use a computer as he has porr hand eye co-ord...and flexible joints..which cause him difficulties controlling a pencil. i cannot read his writing.

and HE has to write homework in his planner.
(no reminding...no help...no checking it is readable....and the rest of the class have left the class and the new class is coming in...and he is still writing in his planner...so he rushes out grabbing everything...dropping everything...shoveling it into his bag...people treading all over his stuff.....and that is to achieve the target of writing in his planner.)

Now....where you all can help (as always)

I need to look at this from a TA/SENCO/TEACHER/THERAPIST/DOCTORS point of view...not from my 'mums' soapbox.

This target to look at people...feels wrong.but if he were at a 'special school'...for autism... are the children taught to endure and offer eye contact?
Or is it accepted.

and the 5 sentances....surely if the OT has stated he cannot write without discomfort...then surely this is wrong to force him to do this 5 sentance thing.

and finally....any thoughts on the recording homework issue....surely they can accomodate his need for help...

Until yestrday, ds1's were 'to work on lifeskills'

buggery awful LOL!

Now theya re:

To learn to ask for time out when needed at palytime

To be able to organise myself sufficiently that I lose less items and know where my things are (so far last week he lost 1 pair shoes (!), 2 jumpers, 1 tie, 1 pair glasses, 1 purse)

Haven't got it typed yet but IIRC other one is related to learning to tell a named adult when he is close to voerload

I think 2 and 3 are fine if thewy're achievable, but 3 makes me watry as well- an asd kid looking someone in the eye is thinking about that far mroe than what theya re being told!

also meant to say we are prepared to buy an alphasmart...but only if the issues regarding others fiddling with it are taken seriously...as though i see his DLA as covering cost of what we need to help him - but... we cannot afford to buy one every month.

oh peachy! here i go again!!!

DITTO the losing clothes etc!!!!!!!

sorry to seem to always agreeing with you!!!

Oh re homework book (just reaidng thread now LOL)- our school posts all the homework on the website each week.

Think ds1 might need an alphasmart actually, or something in that line as his handwriting is unreadable as well, and the physio at BIBIC said he had borderline hypotonia in his wrists. School referring about dyspraxia atm (not convinced, although the dyslexia referral seems wise as dh is dyslexic) and I wonder of the hypotonia is mroe than we thought and thats where the dyspraxia element is coming in, iyswim?

But here seem to be afew referrals in the pipeline atm, so we'll see LOL

The losing stuff drives me amd, aprtly because school chose a supplier 20 miles away (!) but mroe because my dad folows up my every complaint with 'you were much worse'- and I know he's right! I was awful, still am to an extent, can't organise myself with paperwork at all.

Perhaps try the alphasmart again MissesF- the week I bougth one for 75 quid on ebay one ( a more modern one) went for about 40 quid (I bought using Buy Now- couldn't be bothered to bid as I just needed it iykwim).

Not sure what to do about others fiddling- it would be of less interest than a computer, and easier to carry round- certainly lighter.

alphasmarts are deffo lighter and more robust.

there is no point in simply repeating targets, he needs to have them changed.

Do you think that he could manage 1 sentence per lesson? Could he write the lesson Title and the date? Something that is acchievable and measurable.

Could he repeat back instructions to the teacher, to show that he has understood?

Could he take out his homework planner, and open it to the right page, so the teacher could write in the info.

And when these targets are met, move on.

Peachy - Is it hypotonia or hypermobility in your Ds's wrists? Only aask as lots of kids with poor handwriting have hypermobile wrists and/or fingers, making pencil control difficult. Often associated wuith poor shoulder stability.

Often seen with dyspraxia, but presence doesnt mean your child is dyspraxic IYKWIM.

Physio said hypotonia (DS3 also borderline hypotonia in wrists apparently), although WAS a while ago and didnte ver receive anything written- pretty sure it was that though!

He's not doing at all well with writing etc, his Primary teacher has admitted she 'upgraded' his KS1 tests to level 2 tor eflect effort- the juniors is setting up level 1 provision now but still a bit anrked she did it!!

(apaprently he ahs some generalised hypotonia as he always ahs to lean against a wall- school just referring to Physio etc now, 1 year wait though!)

Salright - I was trying to work out how you could be hypotonic in just your wrists, but makes more sense if generalised!

at 1 year wait! (sure he's not on my wating list?)

Not unless you'e in Newport

Ours vary depending on which part of the service youre waiting for, but can be up to a year.

Did you know that 74% of graduating physio students cant get a job - no wonder waiting lists are so long.

But thats another rant.

Hi this is my first msge posted so hope it works as I'm a bit of a technophobe.My son (is that who u all refer to as Ds?)has AS.diagnosed at 4.5yrs and has a statement.The school is v supportive but his target for handwritng for the 3rd term running is to keep it small,consistent and on the line,which he is finding increasingly difficult(He is 8.5 yrs)strangely enough in his last school year it was smaller and more consistent but has now deteriorated.He says he can't help it.I was wondering if anyone knew of any OT tools he could use?someone mentioned about their son having flexible joints(missesF I think).
Why might his handwriting be getting worse.Its getting me down as He's trying to keep up with the otherkids and speedwise he just can't.He's very competitive...any suggestions?! thanks for listening.x

Hi CFroggatt,
Yes, DS means dear son, DD means dear daughter, DH means dear husband, etc

Alas, schools are told that all children have to be neat with their handwriting. Strange, because the minute they leave education, they'll probably never touch a pen and paper again. It's all computers and keyboards.

But here we are, stuck with a system that makes nearly all children write, neatly.

I have AS, and I find neat handwriting to be almost impossible. In common with many of us with ASDs, there's some dyspraxia as well, which means co-ordinating a pen on a piece of paper is Very Difficult. I had extra handwriting help from a young age (the one thing they helped with! ) which helped a bit, but not much.

I suspect you're right - he's trying to write faster because there's more to write, and so he's now struggling more. How are his other physical skills - sports, riding a bike as confidently as his schoolmates, balancing, catching and throwing a ball?

"must be able to express his feelings at any given moment."
Sorry Jenk1, but that made me laugh bitterly . Exopress your feelings at any given moment. Oh yes. That's easy, I dfon't think.
In terms of the OP the IEP targets do seem to be either pointless or placing undue pressure on him. With regard to the eye contact I agree with those who say that it may actually do the opposite of what the school wants, ie that it may hinder his understanding. The handwriting is something I can also identify with as I had appalling handwriting as a child and adolescent, resulting in me being given special lessons in it. Fortunately for me there were no provisions that I write a set number of legible sentences in my lessons each day, I was lucky enough to have teachers who deciphered my scrawl and looked at what I was saying. The homework, well, if he's as disorganised as I was (and still am) then I can see where they are coming from with this, but he needs the teacher checking he's done it before he leaves the classroom.

Hi

Rubbish IEP

Should be more measurable.

Can I say the way your son is standing in the photos is sooooo like my chap its untrue. My chap(also year 9) can now do shoe laces following two lots of OT a week! From his handwriting your son clearly has lots of ideas but it is illegible. My son's looks about the same as a 5 year olds. We've all decided that it's pretty pointless harping on about it - he needs to use a keyboard instead.

What a crap IEP. Every target set is supposed to be SMART i.e.
SPECIFIC
MEASURABLE
ACHIEVABLE
REALISTIC
TIMELY
(if i remember correctly). Those IEP targets don't make the grade.

He doesn't need to robotically be made to improve eye contact - the teacher needs to understand why making eye contact causes him difficulty and the child needs to be procatively taught just WHY people like you to make eye contact and then there is a purpose for them doing it.

Just proves yet again that knowledge of Aspergers / ASDs is woefully lacking in many teachers / SENCOs.

yea
as ans aspi adult myself
i cant look people in the eye with ease as or writeing heh,
in class for everything except spelling tests, assuming he still has them, a cheap eeepc should work. as for the targets it sounds like what happened when i was at school the goals remain the same as they havent been met
no point telling someone to run 10 miles when they still cant walk 3 i you get my annalogy

I agree with everybody here. In my opinion the IEP in place for your DS is pointless and will not help him. It seems to have been completed by someone who doesn't care about your sons additional needs. I'm in the process at the moment of trying to discover what issues my DS has. He was screened for AS and scored to low at school (not at home) to be diagnosed. They are reluctant to screen for ADD/ADHD and dyslexia (although his 2 uncles on hubbys side are dyslexic!!). I feel like I'm fighting a loosing battle and that I'm constantly trying to jump red tape. My DS IEP has been in place for a term and 50% of it still hasn't been put into action!!They're on about reviewing it ready for him starting his next school year. Why?? They haven't even done anything about this terms IEP yet!!!! I understand how you feel. Does your area have a parent partnership service. They are very good at supporting parents and will even come with you to meetings to speak on your behalf if you find it difficult (as I do). Hope you get things sorted. Be strong. You only get where you need to be by knowing your rights and push, push, pushing....

at the eye contact
I was once asked at primary school if i thought it a good idea to put it on ds's iep.
'not if you want him to listen to you as well' was my reply
That is a rubbish iep MissesF...the fact that it hasn't changed in years means it is useless.

You need elasticated laces for trainers/shoes missesf.Ds wears them for school (also cannot do up laces) You just knot them and leave em. Ebay do them cheap.

Your ds clearly needs more help. Does he have any funding? Ask for it.
Ds has help with his planner re homework. it is used like a home/school communication book ...i write in it every day and so does a TA. He only gets 15 hours funding a week...but they use them well. He either writes his homework down or a teacher/ta does. If it isn't in the book it doesn't exist and it is seen as a failure on their part (not ds's)

your post could have been me when ds was at primary.It is so blardy frustrating isn't it? He is being so badly short changed.

I would want a meeting with the senco to discuss funding and support.