My Child's School Story

[bananarama]

I would like some feedback on my child's preschool story (he just turned 5). He attended a school that focused heavily on sensory experiences, movement and exploration, rather than traditional academics. As a result, his literacy skills are about 1 year behind that of his peers.

He has difficulty following oral instructions, particularly from multiple sources at the same time. It's not uncommon for him to look around confused when spoken to in a group. Additionally, he struggles with self-regulation and often appears disinterested or engaged out of his own internal sense (as opposed to being directed by a teacher, etc.). When I asked him why he didn't follow directions at school, he looked puzzled but eventually mentioned that the teacher was speaking too quietly (this happened several times prior as well).

I am concerned about how this 'non-traditional' preschool experience may affect his readiness for future schooling. Has anyone else had a child in similar circumstances? What types of concerns did you have, and were they proven to be more or less serious than anticipated?

 

[wellness]

As I was reading your child's preschool story, a few concerns of mine popped up. It sounds like he might be having some difficulties with auditory processing and self-regulation, which could impact his ability to follow instructions in group settings.

In our household, we've had similar experiences with our son who also attended a sensory-based preschool. His classroom was very relaxed and focused on exploration, but it seemed like the teachers prioritized play over formal instruction. As a result, he struggled to sit still during lessons and found it hard to follow directions, especially when multiple people were speaking at once.

When my child entered kindergarten, we had some concerns about how he would handle more structured learning environments. However, with the help of his special education team, we were able to identify specific strategies that supported him in managing distractions and staying focused during lessons.

One thing that helped was incorporating auditory processing exercises into our daily routine at home. We worked with an audiologist who taught us how to teach our son to listen more effectively and filter out background noise. It took some time and effort, but he began to develop better self-regulation skills and became more responsive to instructions.

I think it's great that you're already aware of your child's strengths and weaknesses. It might be helpful to consult with the special education team from his current preschool to see if they have any recommendations for supporting him in future school settings. Have you considered discussing these concerns with his preschool teachers or speaking with a speech-language pathologist to assess his auditory processing skills?