AS as a LD for services

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I think Aspergers/HFA should be viewed as an LD so high achieving kids can get the services they need. My rationale is this: AS intereferes with the ability of a child to focus, maintain attention in the proper way. Therefore, the child might be up to grade level, but this might not be a true profile of his abilities due to his/her inattention, hyperfocus on interest, unique manner of processing/earning that is not aligned with a Piaget model of learning (most schools incoorperate this model into their curriculum).

Many kids with AS are denied services due to their seemingly average ability/scoring on achievement tests. Yet, they should be receiving a modified instruction tailored to meet their academic needs. Once, the academic area is a good fit, the social becomes easier to manage. If the child doesn't feel access/comfort with style of learning and can't access knowledge/information that he/she wants to, there is a frustration, a shutting down of sorts and a turning away from the social piece as the child feels disjointed and must compromise, on a daily basis, his/her unique way of thinking, in essence his/her person. A child with AS, we all know, is most confident not when there are lots of friends, but rather lots of learning opportunities and room to explore interests.

Eventually, they make friends that share interests and it works out just fine.



Any thoughts?

equinn

In the eyes of most schools, a child will only have a learning difficulty if they are under achieving in comparison to there peers and essentially jeopradise the good results of the school and thus positions in league tables.
Over the summer, due to concerns about my progress at Uni, partly what eventually led me to here, I was diagnosed as dyslexic and dyspraxic. This somewhat shocked me, since at school, I had been in top sets , achieving good marks etc. and so had never even considered it. This at the age of 21, at the end of my penultimate year of University.

Ultimatey, I think it comes down to the fact that there are so many low achievers (through general low intelligence etc) that if someone is achieving a decent mark it doesn't matter whats wrong with them, its still a passing mark for no effort on the schools part.

If you want your child to be better catered for by schools, sadly, you are most likely better of going for private education

Interesting observation. I suppose you're right. Maybe my son would be better off in a program that supports AS kids with tailored instruction to meet unique needs.

Private school, I would think, is even more rigid.

I'm coming from a UK perspective, in private schooling there are much smaller ratios and so any under achievement is likely to be picked up, there is usually the money for extra tutelage and screening etc.

The best tutelage would most likely occur in a one to one environment (the way education is meant to happen) as it would be tailored soley for the individual. The problem with this is lack of socialisation.

I have often wondered exactly what you are talking about. My son J has struggled with school in the past ( is still being evaluated) at home he is the complete opposite. Example; a same age child was out our house and had bought with him a school reader from the advanced reading program, this child was struggling with this reader. J (who was then in a reading program for apparently kids that couldn't read at their year level ie slow readers) read the book with no problems. I told his teachers this but they wouldn't believe me, they said they dont see it. They didn't see it cause the accustics in the reading room ( according to J) were hurting his ears, he didn't like the teacher or the other kids in the group, and the books were boring, he even fell asleep a couple of times lol. I know from observations and from listening to J, he learns differently and this is not being taken into consideration, hence he is under acheiving I think any way. Another eg J has been able to install and play his own computer programs since he was a toddler, at school he has to play the same stuff as the other kids which is boring to him he is doing ok in IT at school but if left alone I think he would be excelling.
Any ways that my 2 cents lol