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Sundae · 03-10-2011, 02:03 PM

Had a GREAT session today with the tiger cub and his Speech Therapist.
He lost focus part way through (I blame the heat of the room - it's always like a furnace in the Special Education Needs room) but then I would of course.

During the First, Last, Next game - which involved pieces of paper, he started flicking them at me when the sequence was completed. But when we moved onto the worksheet he was well focused - if a bit slower than usual - and at the end he looked me full in the eyes to say goodbye without prompting (he initiated it! and he maintained eye contact for all three words!)

The Therapist is so happy with his progress that she will discuss taking his hours down to from one a week to three hours a term. Although I am to receive extra training and stay in email contact.

He's come along so well. Obviously I am following the programme given by the ST, but I'm so pleased to have confirmation that it is working and he is progressing as well as I think he is. We are establishing more and more of a rapport, which although it doesn't necessarily help him interact with all strangers/ adults, does mean that I can work with him in a class setting without him feeling uncomfortable.

I think it helps in a small way that if we work 1:1 during a choosing session (children get to choose what they do - they're only 4-5 after all) I have to send other children away. They are always curious and sometimes quite jealous. Sometimes it's because we play a game each session as a reward. Sometimes it's because they hear the Tiger laughing. But mostly it's because children that age want to be included. One session twice a week the cub chooses one or two friends to join him. Funnily enough, this was instigated to help teach "taking turns". Who was the one I didn't have to speak to about the correct order of turns in Pop Up Pirates? Arrrrgh, you got it.

Happy day indeed.

03-10-2011, 02:03 PM	#6518
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Had a GREAT session today with the tiger cub and his Speech Therapist. He lost focus part way through (I blame the heat of the room - it's always like a furnace in the Special Education Needs room) but then I would of course. During the First, Last, Next game - which involved pieces of paper, he started flicking them at me when the sequence was completed. But when we moved onto the worksheet he was well focused - if a bit slower than usual - and at the end he looked me full in the eyes to say goodbye without prompting (he initiated it! and he maintained eye contact for all three words!) The Therapist is so happy with his progress that she will discuss taking his hours down to from one a week to three hours a term. Although I am to receive extra training and stay in email contact. He's come along so well. Obviously I am following the programme given by the ST, but I'm so pleased to have confirmation that it is working and he is progressing as well as I think he is. We are establishing more and more of a rapport, which although it doesn't necessarily help him interact with all strangers/ adults, does mean that I can work with him in a class setting without him feeling uncomfortable. I think it helps in a small way that if we work 1:1 during a choosing session (children get to choose what they do - they're only 4-5 after all) I have to send other children away. They are always curious and sometimes quite jealous. Sometimes it's because we play a game each session as a reward. Sometimes it's because they hear the Tiger laughing. But mostly it's because children that age want to be included. One session twice a week the cub chooses one or two friends to join him. Funnily enough, this was instigated to help teach "taking turns". Who was the one I didn't have to speak to about the correct order of turns in Pop Up Pirates? Arrrrgh, you got it. Happy day indeed.