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Language is a classroom skill.
By Julie Neenan | September 20, 2008
I was recently in an IEP where we (the family and representatives of the family) suggested an IEP goal that the student would “verbally demonstrate knowledge of learned ideas or concepts each day”. The point was that, assuming that this child was in school to learn, and, assuming he is taught something every day, he should be expected to demonstrate that learning occurred in the classroom. But we were told that “verbal” targets would need to be listed on the IEP as a Speech/Language goal to be monitored by the Speech Language Pathologist (who sees the student weekly).
What?
Aren’t students expected to talk in class? Aren’t typical students asked questions every day? Don’t we teach them to raise their hands and give an answer? Why shouldn’t an ASD student be expected to do the same?
I don’t know the answer. I suspect it’s because our school districts are still learning how to teach the growing population of ASD students. They are influenced by an over-generalized perception that ASD students are “visual learners”. And they are still influenced by years of lowered expectations for students on the autism spectrum. But, we are seeing the results of effective teaching strategies for more and more ASD students, who are raising the bar for themselves and others. ASD students can be and often are “verbal learners” as well as “visual learners”. For those ASD students who can use verbal language, their IEP goals should include increasing language in the classroom.
Topics: ASD in the Classroom Environment |