All About Autism

[Double E]

Gisten:

Yes, NT leads to ITE. If the results are good enough, one can always pursue a course in poly after ITE. It's a much longer path to attain a diploma compared to those Express and NA students who can go directly to poly right after their O levels. At this juncture of time, we have yet to have anything planned out for our boy after NT, hopefully he can continue his studies in an ITE. My boy likes public transportation very much and has always told us he wants to work in SMRT when he grows up. He learnt from his senior that ITE College West offers a course in Rapid Transit Technology which is jointly developed by SMRT Institute and ITE, and he is very interested in it.

Gistern
My boy loves trains too. I always say he will make a loyal SMRT employee. And I am so happy to hear there is such a course that he could potentially go into when he turns 17 / 18! He is 7 this year, 10 more years but I feel happy for him already!

[sharonkhoo]

Double E:

Gisten:

Yes, NT leads to ITE. If the results are good enough, one can always pursue a course in poly after ITE. It's a much longer path to attain a diploma compared to those Express and NA students who can go directly to poly right after their O levels. At this juncture of time, we have yet to have anything planned out for our boy after NT, hopefully he can continue his studies in an ITE. My boy likes public transportation very much and has always told us he wants to work in SMRT when he grows up. He learnt from his senior that ITE College West offers a course in Rapid Transit Technology which is jointly developed by SMRT Institute and ITE, and he is very interested in it.

Gistern
My boy loves trains too. I always say he will make a loyal SMRT employee. And I am so happy to hear there is such a course that he could potentially go into when he turns 17 / 18! He is 7 this year, 10 more years but I feel happy for him already!

So glad for you! And since our MRT is here to stay, there should still be such a course in 10 yrs time. I was eyeing a poly course for my daughter (in library work), but it has been discontinued (due to low take-up, I guess). The route seems to be to get a job in a library first, then take the WDA courses as and when they are held - not the route that I prefer for her. We're still thinking about what she should do next year.

[Couragemom]

Hi Cool Cool,


My son was 2.5 years old when he entered mainstream N1 pre-school class with the help of a shadow teacher. My son’s receptive language was so-so and his ability to sit still and focus was way-off. But with the support from the shadow teacher, he was slowly eased into the class routine and things got better bit by bit. Not easy and I heard negative remarks almost daily but have to perserve. At the background, my son had to attend various therapy classes and I worked with him at home too.

Like what slmkhoo advised, there is a need to manage our expectation towards our special darling. I told myself that if my son couldn’t cope in N2, I will let him repeat another year since he is after all a year-end baby and has special needs. But surprise surprise, the teachers told me he is very good in his academics (despite him not being able to focus and sit still!!!). Now he is in K1 and still work-in-progress.

[Couragemom]

Hi Cool Cool,


Which part of Singapore do you stay in? Perhaps I can recommend some private pre-school with integrated program to you.

[klh]

Hi, does anyone have any feedback for social skill class conducted by Nurture Pods? The program seems to be related to an Australia’s social skill program for children with ASD. The curriculum looks quite detailed. But still looking for more reviews.

[pinkamoon]

slmkhoo:

Cool Cool:

And as a second thought shall i wait until he understands the instruction? His receptive language is still poor.


When all of your LO joins the preschool, can they understand the instruction and follow?

Thanks.

I would wait until your child can follow instructions, at least adequately. If your child cannot, then you place a great burden on the teacher who has to cope with all the other kids at the same time, and it's no wonder that she tries to avoid that extra duty.

Hi Cool Cool!
I agree with slmkhoo & courage mum.

What I have learnt is to take teachers' feedback seriously because they are frank and open. Friends or family members may not be so open about expressing their views when it comes to talking about our darlings. Not to forget that we ourselves are the moderator if their behaviour, saying 'No' to the many things they should not be doing.

It will definitely be helpful to find preschool with integrated programme,like what couragemum suggested. My son's LSP teacher in his childcare centre was very good. However, she has since left the service.

[Cool Cool]

Thanks slmkhoo, courage mum & pinkamoon.


If I wait until my boy understands the instruction, it could be 4 yrs old or don't know when. If i wait until next year he has to join to K1 class and the differences will be bigger in terms of academic and all other things. I don't mind joining him to lower class. Do they allow to join lower class like N1 or N2 even though the right class is K1 according to the year he born? He is 2012 Oct born baby. So kind of year end baby.

I was thinking if he joins now, he will slowly eased into classroom routine and gradually catch up with the class.

Another thing is he can only attend 2 weekdays PM section. He got sleeping problem. He sleeps late and can't get up in the morning. Last night he fell asleep only at 2 am and woke up at 11:30 am this morning. If he sleeps a bit early like 11 pm, he will wake up at 4-5 am and plays. Then he will be sleepy again around 8 am. He also got chewing problem. He doesn't chew the food and straight away swallow and causes chocking. So we feed him mashed cooked vege, meat, soft rice and soup and have to be very careful. So can't attend the whole day child care unless childcare is near and we go and feed him lunch.

Couragemom, i live in Jurong East.

[sharonkhoo]

Cool Cool:

Thanks slmkhoo, courage mum & pinkamoon.


If I wait until my boy understands the instruction, it could be 4 yrs old or don't know when. If i wait until next year he has to join to K1 class and the differences will be bigger in terms of academic and all other things. I don't mind joining him to lower class. Do they allow to join lower class like N1 or N2 even though the right class is K1 according to the year he born? He is 2012 Oct born baby. So kind of year end baby.

I was thinking if he joins now, he will slowly eased into classroom routine and gradually catch up with the class.

Based on my daughter's experience, I think you cannot expect him to \"ease\" into classroom routine and behaviour without explicit teaching and guidance. That is something that has be modelled and trained, and if the child is not able to follow instructions, that is unlikely to happen by just being in the classroom. Academic type instruction can be taught at home, at his own pace, if you want to.

Why don't you ask if your child can be placed in a lower class next year? With a diagnosis, schools should be more flexible.

[ImMeeMee]

Cool Cool


When my daughter was diagnosed at 3 yo, we placed her in a 5-day EIPIC program, and supplemented with private therapy. She did not go to any mainstream CC until she was 6 years old, and by then my objective was for her to have some social interaction with NT kids.

Back then she attended a 3-hour daily afternoon program at the CC. It was a small CC setting and the P and teachers were kind and accommodating towards her. They tried their best for her to integrate with the rest of the children, but it was only to be expected that there were limitations. Lessons were conducted in the mornings, in the afternoons they did some reinforcement worksheets or hands-on activities. So my daughter missed out on the main lessons but she joined the rest in the reinforcement activities.

In all, I find that the experience was at best our attempt to give her some exposure in a mainstream environment, and adding on that little piece of memory for her. These days she still talks about her teachers and the school, but that it all to it. Was there any significant achievements in academics or social interactions? Maybe in the larger scheme of things that is unknown to me.

I am not discouraging you from going to kindy at this stage. Just sharing my experience, and you may want to think about your priorities. For our children, its never too late, and its one battle at a time.

JMHO

[seoulover]

Hi Cool Cool,


I completely understand your urgency about exposing your child to a mainstream environment. I told myself the same thing! Like your son, my girl is born in 2012. She was in childcare since 20 months old but I pulled her out just before she turned 3 so that she could attend EIPIC. The timings clashed so I had no choice but to settle only for one. Back then (this was 6 months ago), I told myself that I must send her to mainstream school again latest by the time she reaches four.

Just want to share that when she was in childcare back then and it was time for her to move up to N1, she was retained at the playgroup level due to her being non-verbal. It was the childcare centre that proposed it and I accepted their arrangement.

I have switched her to a different EIPIC (with a slightly better timing) this year and had to look for another mainstream environment that was near enough the EIPIC centre to facilitate travelling. I set out wanting to place her at one level lower than the norm. Though she has started to talk, she is still very far behind her same-age peers, especially in speech development. My experience has been this: childcare centres are fine with \"deferment\" while kindergartens are not. A kindergarten principal discouraged me from placing her in her school, saying that kindergartens are more academic in nature and because they are managed by MOE, delaying the child by one year is not encouraged (An appeal letter has to be written in to MOE, she claimed.) I finally found a suitable childcare centre for her and she is in N1 (She just started school this week ) Coincidentally, there wasn't any N2 vacancy so I settled for N1.

I hope this answers your question as to whether schools allow children to be placed in a lower level class. I know it's tough not to worry (I worry a lot too). It's good that we have this forum for support. Personally, I do agree with the rest that it's a must for your child to understand instructions well enough first. If he can't follow instructions well, there's a high likelihood that he will be left aside while the rest of the children continue with their activities. I would suggest focusing on that first (EIPIC should help with that, if not, ABA or OT). Then once your child reaches 4 this October, or 4+ at the beginning of next year, he will be better equipped for school. Jia you!