Low Functioning Preschoolers

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Low Functioning Preschoolers

by Michelle

Apr 26, 2018

I am an early childhood special education teacher. I teach students ages 3-5 with disabilities. I have a student with Down syndrome who is also displaying some characteristics of Autism. He is nonverbal, and very sensory seeking. He loves things with strings and will lay on the floor and dangle things in his face. Besides this, his only other interest is a show he watches on tv. He is beginning to use PECS to communicate but it is very difficult to find things to interest him. I have been trying to brainstorm ways to use strings or the characters from the show his watches to engage him in activities. He shows interest at times but has a very short attention span. I have purchased some sensory toys he enjoys but don't want him to just stim all day. Does anyone have tips/advice on engaging low functioning students or simple activities for them? Thank you.

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men52 I had male students, both fives, years ago in my multiaged preschool class and one had those same limitations. The first boy I had had years earlier was high functioning.

The one I had with similar limited interests like your student was very challenging. He also had ingrained negative behaviors that warranted constant supervision to keep...See MoreI had male students, both fives, years ago in my multiaged preschool class and one had those same limitations. The first boy I had had years earlier was high functioning.

The one I had with similar limited interests like your student was very challenging. He also had ingrained negative behaviors that warranted constant supervision to keep the other students safe from his impulses. The difference I had from you which I consider a huge advantage, was that he was in a classroom of typical students. Having a room full of typical classmates gave him a lot of role models. Those children copied my patience and interactions with him as we searched Possible activities that might interest him. (He had been kicked out of every preschool in the county due to his behaviors before the parents found my school) I had him for two years

. He always made a one bead stringing necklace that he called his "shaker" which I am assuming is what you meant as "stim" since he would swing it in a circular pattern(I do not have special ed training so I don't know the lingo). He was allowed to do that in designated places in the room so that he had boundaries. One thing that I recalled that he could engage in were rhythm instruments. I kept a basket of those in the shelf and either I or a small group of classmates would sit together, sing and play instruments. I sang to him often especially when I needed him to respond to directions. I recall both boys I had with Downs had a strong connection with circles. They even ran in circles. I am not sure if that is something you can connect with your student or not.

The female students with Downs had none of that non interest problem at all. I got them as 3 year olds before bad habits were formed and the boys were five year olds the first time I had them. As you know with these children, although it might take them longer to learn something, once they do, it is next to impossible for them to "unlearn" a formed habit. I was getting my training the year I had the two little girls in class. My mentor was there to observe that class and she said something interesting to me. She said that the only reason those two girls stood out from the rest of the class was that everything they did was so exact and perfectly executed. They were as different from each other in all ways, but they both had great work habits.

My classroom always had plenty of opportunities for real work to be done - sweeping, cleaning, dusting, feeding animals, watering plants, preparing snack - all meaningful activities that all of the students enjoyed doing, even the young man I wrote about above.

I don't know if any of my experience will help you or not. When I had all those special needs students that last year, the inclusion law went into affect that next year. Five of those students went into typical kindergarten classrooms. One ended up transferring to the state's blind school, two got withdrawn for homeschooling, and the other two, including the boy with downs were taken out of their classrooms within months and put into a contained special ed classroom with 7 students. I loved those years of working with those kids. I hope they have the same fond memories that I do. I know they all had a profound positive effect in their typical classmates. All of them are adults now.

I hope you find what works for your little guy. I remember the frustration of trying so many different activities that ended up not working. Best wishes

Apr 29, 2018

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