Need some opinions on my son's preschool class (sorry so long)

I’m so conflicted and I need some advice on what I should do, if anything.

DS is 3 (almost 3.5). He currently attends preschool in our school district in an integrated class (typical students join on MWF). They administer his IEP throughout the week. He gets group OT, group speech, individual speech, and PT. The therapists also come into the classroom and do segments within their discipline.

I had his first teacher’s conference earlier this month and both mine and DH’s, as well as his teacher’s, biggest concern is his social speech. She told me he was on the lowest end of skill level in the class but the highest level of academics. There is a big disconnect.

A week before the conference we had a field trip and I got to meet his classmates (both the 3 and 4 year old class attended). Without knowing who was in which class I definitely could see that their ability to socially communicate is way more advanced than my sons. It kind of made me worried.

At the conference the teacher and speech therapist validated my concerns, indicated that they are working on it and had said that its only been two months and we have to give it time.

Then yesterday I was his class’s mystery reader so I got to spend a half hour with the class. And I couldn’t help but feel extremely worried about it and unsure if I should be doing more, insisting on more help or just trust them to work on it with him.

My son can communicate when he wants to. He can tell you exactly what he wants. He can do short sentences. It’s just that you can’t really converse with him socially. You can act him factual questions and he will answer. But he won’t tell you what he did today. How he is feeling. He doesn’t talk about other kids. Whereas these other kids seemed to be able to have conversations with me. OK, so granted I couldn’t tell which ones were typical and which ones were special needs but it seemed most of them were able to do it.

Is it necessarily a bad thing that he is behind the entire class? Should I look at it like a good thing because he has so many models? I just hate that he is in a preschool disabled integrated class and he is so clearly below level with this. What do you think?

Re: Need some opinions on my son's preschool class (sorry so long)

Re: Need some opinions on my son's preschool class (sorry so long)

ITA with Kerri.

Re: Need some opinions on my son's preschool class (sorry so long)

I am a teacher of children with special needs and though my students have been much older than your DS, I will say that if ever there was a time for his brain to be more receptive to social modelling, it is NOW. The brain is so malleable now and I am willing to bet he gets more from his classmates than you think. If he were older than say 7 or 8, I might think differently, but I don't know your son. Good luck.

Re: Need some opinions on my son's preschool class (sorry so long)

Thanks ladies...that is very reassuring!!!

I know in his case being at the top level is not going to help him at all. Just wanted to make sure that being at the very bottom wasn't equally a bad thing. But I guess that just means he has even more models to learn from. I guess as long as he can keep up with the pace and the activities I shouldn't worry so much and none of that seems to be a problem. OK, phewww. Let me mark that off of the worry list this week.