Anyone familiar with the high/scope method of teaching?

[catski]

I am having such problems getting any help for my son (ASD). The only thing we have been offered is a program based soley on ABA, which I don't feel is appropriate for him (he doesn't really have any problem behaviour that we have to modify and already has good levels of engagement, attention and has recently become much better at copying).

We are looking to put him into a nursery to encourage his social interaction, but it seems unlikely there will be any additional help or resources on account of his ASD.

One of the nursery's we are looking at uses the high/scope as the basis of it's teaching philosophy. I don't know much about it but it seems to encourage children to learn by doing and interaction, and to use the teachers as facilitators to extend the child's social, intellectual and emotional abilities.

Do you think this would be an appropriate base for a child with mild autism? I know it's difficult to say without meeting the child in question - all I can say is that his symptoms are very mild. He has weaknesses in expressive language (it's improving although he doesn't always use it in a functional way), imaginative play, and interaction with children his own age (great with adults, pretty much ignores the kids). Although he was diagnosed in february, the local child psychologist who met him for the first time yesterday said that from what she saw he didn't currently meet the diagnostic criteria for autism. I think that's why using ABA feels to me a bit like cracking a nut with a sledgehammer.

www.high-scope.org.uk/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High/Scope

Any views would be really welcome, because I'm getting feck all advice IRL!

My DS went to a SN nursery that followed the h/s way.

I didn't like the nursery, but I'm not sure it had much to do with the h/s approach tbh.

Is it a SN nursery or m/s?

In DS' nursery there were some very serious behavioural problems in evidence, DS was small and has physical disabilities so his balance and mobility are poor (he also couldn't speak or makaton when he started).

He went from being happy to be left to being petrified as the bigger more boisterous DC generally pushed him over or dragged each other around by the hair. I saw lots as I had to stay every session for a whole term after the first 2 weeks as DS became distressed every morning when we left the house

Apparently it was the human rights of other children to run up to him and greet him in a way that made him sacared and pushed over - they were just expressing themselves. I expressed myself rather alot about this crappy attitude.

I took him out when he was 3.9 (he could have stayed until 5) into ms (it had been shared 3/2 sn/ms followed by 2/3 sn/ms when I was very unhappy with proceedings but it was my only way at the time of accessing SALT) he has come on more than I could have imagined in the nurturing, gentle environment of his pre-schopol.

I think my experience has more to do with the namby pamby pc-ness of longterm charity employees than the h/s approach?

I used to work in a high/scope nursery and am a great advocate of it. It's all based around a 'Plan, Do, Review' method, in simplest terms.

We used to work with a small group and at the start of the session, each child would plan what they would like to do. It encouraged the children to listen to each other, too, and make their own decisions.

Then, they would (hopefully )carry out what they had planned and we would facilite where needed, just as you said. We always encouraged independent thinking and individuality.

In the 'Review' part, the group would come together again at the end of the session and talk about their experience. For example, if someone had planned to make a model, he/she would be encouraged to bring it into review time. The children were always supportive of each other. If something hadn't gone according to plan eg a model wouldn't stick together, the child would be encouraged to look at ways he/she could improve it.

I can't speak for all nurseries, but ours had a really lovely atmosphere, where each childs' individuality was recognised and supported.

My dd1 has various SN and I find that she struggles with decision making and recalling what she has done. I home-ed her and use 'plan,do,review' with her.

IMHO, I think its really valuable, but you know your ds best and know whether or not it would be the right environment for him. Good luck

Oh, I forgot to say, the nursery will be set out in a way that promotes independence -the toys and equipment will be zoned,easily accessible and pictorially (sp) labelled. This reduces the need for adult intervention and is another way of ensuring active learning.

Hi - many thanks for your replies. I also found this paper which suggests that they use an approach which would work alongside Floortime (which is the method I think would work best with my son) www.highscope.org/file/NewsandInformation/ReSourceReprints/Autism.pdf

In principle I think it sounds quite good, but like you say, it also comes down to the individual nursery (it's a m-s one btw). I don't have a fantastic impression of them so far - they never return calls or emails for example and it's very hard to get hold of someone to talk to. I know they are busy and are a popular nursery (in part because it's one of the only english speaking ones in town), and maybe that would change once my son actually starts there, but in terms of 'personal attention' which I think a child with special needs requires it doesn't bode all that well.

My other option is a local m/s nursery who don't seem to have a particular teaching philosophy and no real experience of children with ASD, but they would have a special pedagogue go and give them some coaching (although I don't think the special pedagogue has much experience with ASDs either!)

I think you're right that it's very much down to the individual nursery and how closely they follow the high/scope approach.

I worked in a nursery that said it used the approach, but actually, it just too the elements it fancied, and ignored the bits it didn't .

When it's done well, it is fantastic. The children's self esteem, independence, team working and thinking skills are greatly improved.

If you don't have a fantastic impression of the nursery generally then I wouldn't consider sending your ds there until you have spoken at length with the manager about the sort of support they would be able to provide.

Have you spoken to the Early Years SEN team about which setting they suggest would be most appropriate for your ds?