On Monday we start our new school year. I have our materials. We have books, primers, videos, computer materials. I was going to enter all the lessons into the scheduler we use but then I realized that wasn't necessary since the lesson plans are laid out by the curriculums. And the tools needed to adapt the curriculum materials to my son are already available. So I will be entering the information each day as we finish lessons. All I have left to do is clear out the work area and edit some videos. I should have that done by this evening.
Last week we managed to get in a trip to McKay Books in Nashville with a friend. As a result, we know have ~100 beginning level readers that are just a step up from the ones we used last year. Between the ones we already had and the new ones we should be able to read a book a day throughout the school year, without repeating much, if at all. By the way, if you haven't been to McKay Books, it's definitely worth the trip. We got most of the books for under $1 each. Although we did pick up a few that were more. Good thing I had a good stash of books and videos to exchange. My girlfriend found one of the Dick and Jane omnibuses for one of her sons, along with quite a few other books she is happy with.
On a different front, I just discovered that Munchkin's tutor's husband will be the new principal at Munchkin's old school. I had been hearing a lot about things going on at the school from parents who had kids that were/are still attending it. And I've been hoping, for everyone's sake, that the new principal would be able to fix the relationships between the teachers, parents and school community. This gentleman's wife was an amazing tutor who worked hard with Munchkin. She was flexible and willing to try new things. She did a lot of "off time" work to try to teach Munchkin. If her husband is anything like her, then good things should be in the future for that school. I'll keep fingers crossed and good thoughts.
And for really good news - Munchkin is talking! He is talking at that cross over level between baby and toddler which means that sometimes Mommy needs to translate. And every once in a while, someone else translates to Mommy. He is using speech much more often than ever before and surprising us with new words and whole sentences. He also seems to be truly getting a grasp of the give and take of conversing. While his vocabulary isn't anything amazing- yet- it is more than it has been in the past. Well, actually given who it is, it is amazing! Some words have become really, really clear. Mainly those words that he's actually been using for a long time. Other words come out jangled. And he still doesn't repeat things which can make it frustrating when you don't catch it the first time. But it's not the empty "singing" of the past. And the periods of being completely nonverbal have decreased drastically. The improvements can make me smile and want to cry at the same time. It definitely makes my heart sing and my spirits lift. There are still issues with him talking to anyone that's not part of his regular life, as in it typically doesn't happen, but then every once in while he surprises me. So I'm sure it will come.
One thing that has lead to this is that we respond to him whenever he verbalizes something. Not just me, but the other families we know and spend time with. If we aren't clear about what he said, we try repeating it back to him and asking him if we got it right. While he won't repeat himself, he will let you know if you are right. Sometimes its frustrating if you didn't get enough to know what he wanted. But it's helped him a lot in understanding that his communications are important to us no matter how small, regardless of whether we understand them or not, which has encouraged him to communicate more. It's been a slow process, a year and a half now, but it's working. And I'm so incredibly grateful that it is.
We have discovered a lot of deficiencies in his vocabulary. I know the schools worked with him on some of these words. I think the problem is based in his inability to connect most graphics with the real world. So we are working on this from two angles. The first angle we've been working on for a while. I've been trying to teach him to use a kid camera. I don't care what he takes pictures of, just that he starts to make a connection between what he sees in front of him and the picture on the camera. It's been hit and miss so we're going to try a little harder this year by making it something we do at least 3 times a week.
The second angle is both simpler and harder. I am trying to stop using pronouns as much as possible in my verbal speech. Well, at least when I'm talking with Munchkin. I've been doing it for about two months and it is showing some progress. He is beginning to make connections between the words he knows and the real worlds objects. In fact, I can tell when he's having a difficult day by how many objects he suddenly has problems identifying. When his body is giving him fits he will default back to a basic level. Over time that basic level adds things but it takes time. I have to be patient. He has to be patient. And yes, he gets frustrated by it. That comprehension says a lot about the differences that have occurred through the last year and a half. On difficult days I just slow down. I make sure he is focused on me when I speak, forcing eye contact if necessary. If he still can't process it, I walk him through whatever it is. Generally the first couple of seconds is enough to kickstart him. Sometimes it's not. I remind myself that at some point in the past I wished for more patience. Now I'm learning it.
I'm looking forward to seeing what the new school year brings. I have a bright eyed mischievous boy who seems to want to take on the world. Hopefully I can help him do that.
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