Express Education

During a recent visit to England, I was educated about the lack of education that special needs kids receive in many parts of Britain. The teacher I talked to has an autistic child who attends a public primary school. One would think that in a 21st century western school setting, with the great mounds of research done regarding essential services for those with special needs, a rich country would readily provide everything necessary to assist those recognized with learning difficulties. Let me describe the school setting and you tell me if you think there is anything amiss.

The school sits in a pleasant neighborhood, and is accessed by a stroll down a lovely shaded path. In the morning uniformed children run and play on the grounds with friends while parents gather to chat on the basketball courts. At the appointed time, each teacher gathers her charges and troops them off to the classroom. Imagine if you were the parent of a young boy or girl who is very bright, but has trouble interacting with others without pacing about the room. Imagine also that your child is but one of THIRTY. Then imagine that the school will provide no special services for your child, not even a teacher aide in the room. Finally, imagine what will happen when the child reaches the ripe age of 11, and must sit (in some--not all--areas of Britain), a four-part test that will determine the quality of grammar school the child will attend. If your child is highly verbal with a high IQ and adult vocabulary, but cannot concentrate to write well for any length of time, you know s/he will not likely pass, as writing and math are weighed double that of verbal reasoning.

It must be frustrating for parents with a talented child who nonetheless needs special accommodations but does not receive them, and agonizing to wait as the exams get closer. According to the child's mother, she and her husband are resigned to receiving the news that their child will not be admitted to grammar school, which is basically the college-track route. This 9 year old child has enough science knowledge to easily pass my grade 10 biology course now, as long as the exam is not written! It is a sad situation when a school has such a high stakes exam for such young children. Shameful, really.