Question
My son is awaiting his test for APD but the consultant is pretty sure he has APD. The problem we have is that my son has been offered a place at a local independent specialist school with a maximum of 6 children per class. Sadly we cannot afford the fees. We asked our Local Education Authority for help, but they are saying it is best to place him in a mainstream school in a class of 28. Is there any research anywhere into optimum class numbers for children with APD?
Answer
I have selected several websites that have information about the move to reduce class sizes across the country. Since I don't know where this child is, I was not able to focus on the local education authority itself, but did find quite a lot of information on the topic in general. One important caveat is that while most educators acknowledge that reducing class size is helpful for all students and is especially helpful for students who are struggling with learning, simply placing a child in a smaller class will not be the only solution. But everyone seems to agree that smaller is definitely better, especially in the elementary years. I'd say that a class size of 28 is going to be difficult for a boy with APD.
Dr. Deborah Moncrieff is an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut. She specializes in Pediatric Audiology and Auditory Processing Disorders. Her research is focused on assessment tools for APD, the prevalence of APD in school-age children, and brain mechanisms underlying APD across the lifespan.
Deborah Moncrieff, PhD
Assistant Professor in the Communication Sciences Department at the University of Connecticut
Deborah Moncrieff received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1999 in Cognition and Neuroscience. She is an Assistant Professor in the Communication Sciences Department at the University of Connecticut. She uses several different methodologies to investigate how the brain processes auditory information, including standard clinical behavioral tests of auditory processing, multi-channel electrophysiology, and functional magnetic resonance imaging. She has examined the prevalence of auditory processing disorders in school-age children, especially in those with dyslexia, and is investigating the presence of temporal processing deficits in children diagnosed with specific language impairment (SLI). Across all ages, she is especially interested in how to provide remedial training and intervention when an auditory processing disorder has been diagnosed. Her long-term goal is to provide deficit-specific training designed to help individuals overcome the processing deficits that interfere with comprehension and communication.
Related Courses
1https://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/course/assessing-auditory-functional-performance-goals-33024Assessing Auditory Functional Performance: Goals and Intervention Considerations for Individuals with Hearing LossFunctional auditory assessment and continuing assessment is critical in order to determine the current level of function, develop appropriate goals for intervention, and achieve maximum outcomes. Learning to listen drives everything else: speech intelligibility, language competence, reading, academics, and life-long learning. This course offers a detailed look at functional auditory assessment and intervention, to provide audiologists with a better understanding of hearing loss in children in terms of the broader speech, language, learning and academic contexts. Additional videos to demonstrate key points will be included.auditory, textual, visual
Functional auditory assessment and continuing assessment is critical in order to determine the current level of function, develop appropriate goals for intervention, and achieve maximum outcomes. Learning to listen drives everything else: speech intelligibility, language competence, reading, academics, and life-long learning. This course offers a detailed look at functional auditory assessment and intervention, to provide audiologists with a better understanding of hearing loss in children in terms of the broader speech, language, learning and academic contexts. Additional videos to demonstrate key points will be included.
2https://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/course/school-audiology-and-community-partnerships-30988School Audiology and Community Audiology PartnershipsThis course will focus on the critical partnership between educational/school audiology and community audiology services. Issues that maximize educational and communication outcomes for school-aged children will be highlighted.auditory, textual, visual
This course will focus on the critical partnership between educational/school audiology and community audiology services. Issues that maximize educational and communication outcomes for school-aged children will be highlighted.
3https://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/course/supporting-families-children-with-hearing-36381Supporting Families of Children with Hearing Loss: What Parents Want from their AudiologistParents and caregivers rely on their audiologist to help develop their understanding of their child’s hearing loss. According to recent research, parents' needs go well beyond the use and care of their child’s hearing technology. Within the framework of Self-Determination Theory, this presentation will discuss the topics and resources families value as being most important.auditory, textual, visual
Parents and caregivers rely on their audiologist to help develop their understanding of their child’s hearing loss. According to recent research, parents' needs go well beyond the use and care of their child’s hearing technology. Within the framework of Self-Determination Theory, this presentation will discuss the topics and resources families value as being most important.
4https://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/course/classroom-learning-series-nucleus-technology-31775Classroom+ Learning Series: Nucleus Technology in the ClassroomEducational audiologists are asked to work with a wide range of technologies in the classroom, and technology for children with cochlear implants is changing fast. Please join us to review current Nucleus technology, discuss the selection and fitting of remote microphone technology for children with cochlear implants, and hear about the unique connectivity available for today’s Nucleus recipients.textual, visual
Educational audiologists are asked to work with a wide range of technologies in the classroom, and technology for children with cochlear implants is changing fast. Please join us to review current Nucleus technology, discuss the selection and fitting of remote microphone technology for children with cochlear implants, and hear about the unique connectivity available for today’s Nucleus recipients.
5https://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/course/giving-children-voice-in-their-37407Giving Children a Voice in Their Hearing Care Appointments: Using Ida Institute’s My Hearing Explained for Children in Your Daily PracticeHow can pediatric hearing care professionals meet the challenge to support the 1989 United Nations “Convention on the Rights of the Child” rights in a family-respectful way? What are the benefits of following the principles of a new model of child-centered care and tools to ensure that children are at the center of hearing care? In this session, we will introduce a conversation guide, My Hearing Explained for Children. My Hearing Explained for Children is a free pediatric tool that helps hearing care professionals empower children and their families to make informed decisions about their hearing care.auditory, textual, visual
How can pediatric hearing care professionals meet the challenge to support the 1989 United Nations “Convention on the Rights of the Child” rights in a family-respectful way? What are the benefits of following the principles of a new model of child-centered care and tools to ensure that children are at the center of hearing care? In this session, we will introduce a conversation guide, My Hearing Explained for Children. My Hearing Explained for Children is a free pediatric tool that helps hearing care professionals empower children and their families to make informed decisions about their hearing care.