Baby L.T.N. loves to draw superheroes and often brags about his work – PHOTO: PHAM THU NGAN
Cannot imagine how a classroom is!
Ms. Huong (living in district 8, HCMC) sighed when she described the day she registered her son to first grade – L.H.L (8 years old). His medical certification about autism spectrum disorder “prevented” his chance to attend school. Because of autism, L. had no skills for school, and the principal was afraid the school had no one could manage him, so if L. had any problem, no one could take the responsibility.
“I was both scared and sad when I heard that, so I didn’t dare let L. go to school”, Ms. Huong said, “when he was 2, he still could not talk, couldn’t communicate to others”. Ms. Huong took him to a doctor then realized her son was an autistic boy.
Getting older, L. had been hyperactive. If there were something he didn’t want, he would push mommy, or when angry, he banged his head to the wall. “He has no friend in the neighborhood. No one wants to play with him”, Ms. Huong said.
Our family took him to the intervention very soon (using many strategies to support and reduce the symptoms of an autistic child – reporter). Then, they took L. to an intervention center with four million per month (3 sessions/week). After a while, Ms. Huong decided to change to therapy sessions to reduce the cost to 2 million and a half per month. She said, “my husband is just a mason, and I always stay at home, receiving orders to sew. L. has a sister who is studying in a secondary school. We were afraid we couldn’t handle it any longer, so we changed L.’s class. It was a hard time, but when L. started to talk or dressed by himself, I was delighted”.
I am L.H.L. in a meeting at Ms. Dung’s house – PHOTO: PHAM THU NGAN
Behold her child’s progress; when L. was 6, she applied to first grade for him but failed. A few months ago, thanks to some introductions, she let L. studied at Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung’s house in district 8, HCMC.
L. is one of many autistic students, was studied with Ms. Dung. She always advised Ms. Huong to let L. learn 1st grade at a public school after the intervention. However, Ms. Huong struggled with many questions such as “will L. be fine?” or “can L. handle with his friends in class?” etc.
L. looks exude intelligence and sharpness. Ms. Dung believed that L. being beautiful thanks to his parents’ love. There were not many cases like this; K. (16 years old) is an example. He is attending an intervention at Ms. Dang Thuy Hong’s class.
Ms. Hong said K. has to suffer the most in all of her students. “Mother left when K. was very young, and the father is over 80 years old, not caring about him, even can say that he discriminates and avoids his son. For more than a decade, K. just stayed at home. When he was 15 years old, his aunt took him to my center and asked me to allow him to live here. Monthly, she visits and pays the fee by all her pension.”.
K. (under intervention at Ms. Dang Thuy Hong’s facility) and her teacher performed a piano performance – PHOTO: PHAM THU NGAN
After all, to Ms. Hong, K. likes other students, talented. “K. has visual disturbances and talks nonsense. But K.’s handwriting is exquisite. He’s good at musical instruments, martial arts. He has good hands either” Ms. Hong is proud.
“Lost” in school.
Talked about her child – L.T.N (11 years old), Ms. Loan (living in district 8, HCMC) blamed herself. She said, “The most painful is my child has autism, but I am poor”.
Ms. Loan said her family was broken. With two children, she rented a house and became a worker. “I always work. That’s why when N. didn’t talk and got confused with the letters, I didn’t think much. Until he studied 1st grade, something happened on the first day at school. Instead of getting in the class, my child got into 3rd grade. The whole school had to look for him, using the school loudspeaker” Ms. Loan said, “Immediately, the principal met me, asking me an application to stop his emulation in class. Ms. N. signed the application but did not know it was allowed or not. After that, I let N. quit.”.
“I felt sad sometimes. Wonder who will handle N in the future. But since he studied Ms. Dung’s class 2 years ago, behold him speaks, reads, and understands what I say; I was satisfied. In the past, I prayed for my son can speak fluently every day”, Ms. Loan said.
Ms. Dung said N. has a language disorder and cannot remember the order. For example, N. will say “Teacher hello” or “Teacher goodbye” instead of “Hello teacher”, “Goodbye teacher.”. After practicing, N. can do better now. Unfortunately, N. is over the prescribed age to study 1st grade (according to current regulation, children with disabilities, underdeveloped physicals, or mentally can get into 1st grade at an older age but not over three years – reporter).
N. is now over the age limit for entering grade 1. N.’s mother still picks her up every day to Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung’s class. PHOTO: PHAM THU NGAN
According to Ms. Dang Thuy Hong, her center has many children who have to face the feeling of “desolate” and “lost” in school. T. (10 years old, living in district 2) was autistic, hyperactive, afraid of loud sounds. The tactile sensory disorder made him always bit his hands and feet to feel balance. In the past, T. lived in Hanoi. His parents realized his autistic symptoms so let him get the early intervention. When he was 3, he went to HCMC and studied with Ms. Hong. Until 6, he studied in an inclusive school but still lost. During some break times, T. lay on the schoolyard.
“It hasn’t told that all of my students, some were teased until they exploded and hit friends. The parents and teachers commented so they must quit one year for school. After interventions, their family struggled a lot for them to go back to school. Although they were stable, they still get a lot of comments and are going to be rejected by the school”, Ms. Hong said.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thoi-su/tre-tu-ky-mo-hoa-nhap-1381810.html
