She has been verified as having an intellectual impairment. Her IQ test came out as between 56-67. Intellectual Impairment is 70. Jess has poor fine motor skills so it was hard for her to do the activities that involved drawing (she is having OT fortnightly to help her with her fine motor skills). Jess's IQ will again be tested in Year 3. This labelling means she is under the care of the Special Education Unit at the school and will receive extra support.
Our personal educational goals for Jessica are that she is:
a) achieving her intellectual potential.
b) enjoying school.
c) accepted and has friends.
So far these goals are being attained.
Jess had an IEP which came up from Pre-Prep at the ECDU and she is starting on an EAP now she has been verified.
Jess is happy to go to school most of the time. She understands 'school life' and follows the expected routines and she sits on the floor and listens etc. She joins in most activities and loves movement, dance and singing activities. Jess has learnt her ABCs, numbers, months of the years, days of the weeks, shapes and phonics from songs. Jess's talking has improved amazingly - she speaks in sentences and is well understood. The children in her class adore her and 'baby' her - the teacher has to tell them to stop doing things for her. They even argue over her. Schoolwork is modified for Jess if she is not able to do what the others are doing. For example she can tell a story but does not have the hand control or spelling ability to be able to write a story, so it is dictated. The teacher has an Ipad which has activities on it just for Jess. Visuals have been put up in the room to help her behaviour. A behaviour plan has been implemented at school and is backed up at home. Jess does do 'runners' so the classroom is locked and visual strategies are being put into place to help stop her from taking off.
We were having trouble with Jess before school going to the out-of-bounds playground and sandpit (her two favourite things), and then we were having to physically remove her from them as she didn't want to leave.... so she now goes to her classroom and plays games as soon as she gets to school. Problem solved.
We cannot reason with Jess....so we have to put in strategies that she will understand. She is a visual learner (the Guidance Officer confirmed this with the IQ test).
So though there have been some challenges this year, we are learning how Jess works and finding solutions to these challenges.
The GO told me that Jess is in the right place for her to be...and as long as she is coping that is where she will stay.
Go Jess! We are so proud of her :)
© 2012 by Jenny Woolsey
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