The most common way starts with a referral from the child's teacher for a speech-, language-, voice- or fluency problem that has been noticed in class. Johnny may not say his r correctly; he may say "wabbit" for rabbit. Or Suzie may have difficulty saying certain words, such as "buh-buh-buh-balloon". In recent years, teachers have also begun to refer students for problems with listening comprehension, an ability that affects phonics, spelling, reading, following directions, paying attention in class and acting appropriately in response to oral communication. The process of referal involves filling out a short form and sending it to the Director of Special Education. Parents are also encouraged to refer their children if they are concerned about their communication skills.
Once the referral form is filled out, it goes to a committee called the Child Study Team where the case is discussed and appropriate recommendations are made. The names referred to the team are completely confidential.
If the team decides that the child needs to be tested by the speech therapist, the parents are invited to a meeting to discuss the teacher's or their concerns. Their viewpoints are very important as they can provide valuable insights into their child's difficulties. If the team agrees that an evaluation is needed, we ask the parents to sign a form granting us permission to test. Written permission by the parents MUST be obtained before a child can be evaluated.
A comprehensive evaluation tailored to that child's needs can last up to 2 1/2 hours, although it generally does not take that long. After the evaluation, a meeting is scheduled with the parents to discuss the test results. Suggestions will be given to the parents at this time on how to help their child improve his/her communication or listening skills. If the test results show a problem, the therapist may suggest enrollment in speech-language therapy and discuss with the parents what this entails. If you are concerned about your child, please contact Mr. Phil Martinez (Fairbanks school principal), Mr. Bill Sanderlin (Morenci Jr. High) or Mr. Bryan Boling (Morenci Sr. High). If you have questions about the referral process, or your child's rights under the law, please feel free to call Rosalie Christenson, Director of Special Education for Morenci School District at 865-3501. |
