Question: My daughter is two years old with speech delay. During the developmental check up, the doctor said she has language disorder. He asked me to let her take a formal hearing test and enroll her in a regular pre-school/play school where she could interact with other kids. I am hesitant about this since she does not talk yet. I worry that she might have problems when she’ll be in school. Is it okay to enroll kids with delayed speech or those who don’t have clear speech yet this early? What should be my expectations about it just in case? Should I enroll her in a SPED school or in a regular school?

Teacher Genevieve says:

Whether or not children benefit from early formal schooling has been the subject of debate among early childhood educators, child psychologists, and policy-makers in the education sector from the time the first kindergarten was established way back in the 1800s.

Until now, no consensus has been reached regarding the long-term benefits of early childhood schooling, particularly for children below the age of four. However, from the standpoint of a special educator, providing early intervention for children at-risk of developmental delays can be the key to optimizing their potential during a critical period of “maximum readiness.”

From the ages of zero to seven, children’s brains are developing at a rapid rate more than any other time during the child’s life.  Research would show that providing a rich and stimulating environment improves developmental outcomes and minimizes the impact of possibly disabling conditions in the future.

Learning Beyond School

It is important for parents to realize that learning can be acquired not just thru formal schooling but thru many other everyday experiences that would contribute to the total development of the child.  An important component of any early intervention program is its capacity to engage the family in providing a home environment that is conducive to growth and learning.

At every teachable moment, the child’s attempts to communicate should be acknowledged while encouraging verbal expression whenever possible.  For instance:

• Learn to wait for the child to ask for what she wants by gesturing or saying “give” instead of anticipating what the child wants.  Create the need to talk!

• Limiting TV viewing and encouraging her to play with developmentally-appropriate toys would increase your child’s chances of learning language concepts thru discovery and exploration.

• Sing action songs with her as she learns to appreciate rhythm and  rhyme, while improving her imitation skills–a pre-requisite for early speech development.

• If you have other children, plan family activities that are interactive and fun.  Bringing your children to different, interesting places will build the foundation for language, widening their vocabulary and conceptualization of people, places and things.

• If she is an only child, arrange for a regular play date with a cousin, neighbor or peer.

• You can also bring her to places where she could spontaneously interact with other children such as parks, concept bookstores and play gyms.

• Expose her to a variety of books that would arouse her interest in reading and build on her receptive language skills.

Since your developmental pediatrician recommended that you enroll your child to a preschool/play school primarily for socialization and language development, there are early childhood programs which are less structured, nurturing the other intelligences and aiming to enhance the child’s self-esteem and love for learning above academic goals.

Now that summer is just around the corner, there are many summer programs wherein your child could have the chance to meaningfully interact with other children in the context of play woven around developmental objectives.

Music and movement classes, arts & crafts sessions, and parent-child group swimming lessonscould tap your child’s other potential gifts while promoting socialization with other children. This would prepare your child for formal schooling when she is ready.

School-readiness and Developmental-appropriateness

Since all children are different, there is no “set formula” for determining WHEN a child should start formal schooling, WHAT kind of school she should go to, and WHERE she should be placed educationally considering her unique needs.

When she should start formal schooling would depend on her readiness to work on structured tasks (following school routines) in a structured environment. For children with developmental delays, it is always better to intentionally prepare the child for formal schooling by gradually transitioning her to such an environment.

Individual occupational and speech therapy sessions can facilitate and remediate for deficits in language development. This should always be complemented by a “home program” wherein the family is tasked to follow-up on achieving the objectives of the occupational therapist and speech-language pathologist in a more natural environment such as the child’s home.

As the child catches–up on age–appropriate language skills, the child can be part of a dyad or small group that would progressively build on communication skills alongside other alternative programs that would encourage meaningful interaction with other children.

In special education, what is important is for teachers and other members of the interdisciplinary team to begin at the child’s level of functioning before moving up to more complex goals. Placing the child in a traditional school which sets unrealistic academic goals achievable only by the top 20 percent of the class would place unnecessary demands on the child with special needs. This could lead to frustration and learned helplessness in some children, instead of building their self-esteem and motivation to learn.

The advantage of special schools is the small class size and competency of teachers to provide differentiated learning activities appropriate to the special learning needs of the individual child. 
However, as best practices show, the school should continue to set high expectations for special learners within reasonable bounds.  Low expectations can lead to underachievement.

On the other hand, regular schools would have the advantage of providing typically-developing role models who can provide the needed language-rich environment for the child with a language disorder.  If the child has been gradually prepared for formal schooling, the child can benefit from such placement and exceed expectations by being able to learn optimally alongside children without special needs.

Nonetheless, in the inclusive classroom, the teacher should still continue to differentiate instruction as needed in a child-centered environment.

Children will be Children

When a child is diagnosed as having special needs, it is natural for parents to worry about school placement and the future seems to loom nearer than it is supposed to.  However, from time to time, it would help to be reminded that the child with language disorder is first and foremost A CHILD no different from the rest.  She wants to PLAY, feel SECURE, and LEARN at her pace in the comfort of a loving HOME and a SCHOOL which accepts her uniqueness and values her the way you do.

The author  is the executive director of ALRES-PHILS. and the chairperson of the SPED Department of Miriam College. A pediatric physiotherapist and special educator, she is currently pursuing her doctorate studies majoring in Special Education at U.P. Diliman. She is a staunch advocate for children with special needs.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask our SPED specialists. Just send your queries to youth@mb.com.ph