[nhook]

Our son is going into preschool in a couple of months and he is still struggling very much with the language. I think he understands it but it is very difficult to understand him.

He is around kids a couple of times a week now and hasn't picked it up more. We have him do fridge phonics and flashcards every day. We cannot afford the expensive Hooked on Phonics systems and we have already checked with our school assigning him a speech therapist but they said it is not special needs but language barrier. I really argued about that, but unless they think it is necessary, they won't pay for it.

I keep hearing how people say their children get into school and pick it up. Our son has been home 13 months and is still struggling. He has a fit whenever we do word and letter things, but we do them anyway. HENCE the WHINING. Any suggestions?

[kretzklan]

Do you read with him everyday - short picture books? That will help him connect the pictures with the sentences. It might be worth it to pay for a speech evaluation on your own dime that you could use to show the school that your son has a right to services.

[waitinginnj]

My daughter started pre-school after being home for 9 months. She had done well with language, but was still adjusting. Three months later, when I asked about her language I was told she speaks better than 1/2 of the class - all her age or slightly older - all American born. It made a huge difference for us.

I did have the state evaluate her at 6 months home and it was determined that she was two months behind. She didn't qualify for services, but it gave me guidance on what to do and what not to worry about.

I hope that pre-school works for you too!

[Kasey]

Can you get a speech eval thru the state or your doc? Maybe that will help ease your mind?

I noticed a huge and fast change when my son entered the 2 yr old group at school--it amazed me that he went from just single words to 3 word sentences so quickly-it was like he became this little talking machine overnight?
I agree with storybooks and songs, even the same ones each day really help. I felt that the songs did the most help with him remembering certain words and phrases.
Another thing we do, which he loves is tape him, he loves to hear how he sounds on tape, which then makes him want to say or sing more.

Best wishes with the preschool!!

[nhook]

HAHAH

Yes, we read picture books to him everyday but he talks the whole way through the reading (even though you can't understand him)

[LisArno]

I’m in the process of adopting from Poland (girls almost 10 and 4, and a boy 2 ½). I’m also a special education teacher for students with learning disabilities and emotional impairments, so I am familiar with our rights as parents.


The National Center for Learning Disabilities has information about IDEA 2004 (Individual with Disabilities Act), the federal special education law. http://www.ncld.org/content/view/925/456088/ is the direct link to the requesting an evaluation page. The process is the same regardless if for a learning disability or speech/language impairment. On that site there’s even a sample letter to request an evaluation (select “IDEA Toolkit,” then “Sample Letter Requesting Evaluation”).


When you say you do not understand your son, do you mean his speech/articulation (the sounds in his words) or his language (the words he chooses, sentence construction)? Start writing down specific examples or even taping (audio) your son in his usual environment. That way when you meet with the Child Study Committee (not just the speech/language therapist), you will have solid ‘evidence’ to present and you won’t have to think of examples on the spot. You will also want your school’s ELL/ESL teacher present at the meeting; make sure you request this in your letter.


There are statements about English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learners (ELL) when deciding if a child is eligible for special education. Do you have any documentation that your son also had problems with language in Russia? If so, that would benefit your case. Although I hope that none of my children have academic difficulties, I was “thrilled” to receive documentation that our oldest girl is beginning to have learning problems in school and they are recommending an evaluation once she is adopted.


http://www.asha.org/default.htm gives info about ELL. I typed ELL in their search box. http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/easl.htm is “Acquiring English as a Second Language”. One paragraph from that article: “Children may also manifest a common second-language acquisition phenomenon called the silent period . When children are first exposed to a second language, frequently they focus on listening and comprehension. These children are often very quiet, speaking little as they focus on understanding the new language-much, in fact, as adults do when traveling in foreign countries. The younger the child, the longer the silent period tends to last. Older children may remain in the silent period for a few weeks or a few months, whereas preschoolers may be relatively silent for a year or more.” That last sentence is interesting, though your child speaks.


Another resource (recently shared on the Polish adoption part of this forum) is http://www.adoptionarticlesdirectory.com/ . I’ve just started reading some of those articles.


I would not suggest the Hooked on Phonics for your son. You need to help him in short bursts using “real life” examples and make learning into games – the activities have to be meaningful to him. My school speech/language pathologist has recommended www.helpforkidsspeech.com/ to parents and there’s a link on that page to “Language Stimulation Ideas: Follow Your Child’s Lead”.


You may want to stop the direct word/letter activities for a while. You don’t want him disliking school activities before he even starts kindergarten! For words, label items around the house (my school ESL teacher has already suggested that to me) and have him help you attach the labels; you could add a couple labels every few days. Point out letters/sounds around the house and in your community to make him interested in them. If you have time and are energetic, you could take digital photos of him with the items and them make a booklet (or PowerPoint or slide show) for him to tell others about. You could do the same of activities he does, such as if you go to the zoo, take photos, then later add captions “I saw the elephants. I saw the tigers….” to make a repetitive booklet. When rereading them, you can start the sentence and he could fill in the animal name. He will probably memorize them and can then “read” them to others (memorizing is good). I’ve also looked at some electronic toys recently that help with letter names/sounds for 3-6 year olds; there were two major brands at the toy store I was at.


Definitely keep reading to your son. Find short, repetitive books (such as those described above) – maybe he’ll be quiet for the minute or two it takes you to read them. See if he’ll “take turns” reading with you, and you can model being quiet while he “reads” a page.

I hope some of this info is useful to you (and others).

[nhook]

Thanks. I will definitely stay in dialogue with the schools. I live in Minnesota and we have some of the highest state taxes in the country, much going to education so I know that I deserve to have my child learn the same as others.

Here is an example of words that he has known since last summer but still pronounces the same.

Downstairs--He pronounces it DASTAS

Upstairs--He prounces it USTAS

He also talks really fast and so he just pronounces the tip of the syllables. He has major problems with V, R, S and F. We work on certain words all of the time. The flashcards are helping when we do them and then he starts talking about something in conversation and he talks so fast and he doesn't fully pronounce again.

On a positive note, the man I spoke with on the phone said that our preschool would likely refer him to the elementary school for speech therapy and get that started before he enters kindergarten. He says they have over 50 people on the waiting list right now for therapy.

Thanks for your help.

[LisArno]

On the www.helpforkidsspeech.com/ site there is also a link to a "Speech Sound Development Chart" which shows at what ages kids are expected to make which sounds. Based on the chart, 50% of kids correctly make the 'f' by the age of 2 1/2 and 90% by age 4 and the other three sounds you listed are later developing. These sounds are made in Russian (I just looked up a Russian alphabet/pronunciation guide), so he would have been hearing them since birth (if the sounds weren't in his first language, then it would be more difficult for him to learn them now, and the school would have a stronger ELL/ESL case).

I can't believe there is a waiting list for speech therapy. If it is interfering with a child's education, they have a right to services. Maybe this waiting list is for children who are only misarticulating a few sounds - a specific number of sounds must be misarticulated in order to truly qualify for special education speech therapy (I think the number varies depending on your state or even school district).

Until you can get your son tested, the school should be able to provide you with "home therapy" suggestions, but that will be impossible now due to the summer break. They should also give you suggestions to slow down his speech and to help with the omissions (not saying some sounds in words).

Perhaps you could start a thread asking if anyone is a speech/language therapist and could give you advice/suggestions? Post it in the Russia forum as well as a place where others may read/respond.

[GCS]

I would say keep working with him, looking for alternatives in getting him some help and let him go to school.

He will begin to pick it up more, and you may end up with a teacher who can help him one on one.

A teacher at our school took a special interest in Sam and is tutoring him one day a week to help him learn his letters. We were talking with her about how concerned we were that he would be behind his peers in letter recognition and writing this year and she volunteered to put a special program together for him. (we, of course insisted that we pay her for her time - it is still much cheaper than going through a formal program). If you ask around at the school you may find out about additional ways to get him some assistance. Also, I think you can get the Hooked on Phonics tapes at your local library. I saw them at mine. You may want to look into that.

Good luck!

Christina

[leeinmemphis]

two years ago and putting them in preschool was great for their language development. I was also sure that they would need speech therapy and we had them go to the local elementary school and the testing was quite extensive i thought (about 4 hours for each child)

our youngest son in particular had some pronounciation problems but they said that there were a lot of sounds that kids cant even make until they are a certain age.. they did give us some tips though about the "th" sound and told him to pretend that his tongue was a dog and that his teeth were a fence and to not let the dog out of the fence to help with the "th" sound.

They also said that several (i cant think of them right now) sounds kids werent expected to learn until they were 7 or so... who knew?

good luck!

alli

ps i wrote all of this to say that really, preschool forced them to have to learn english and how to communicate so it was good for us.