Legups - Preschool group

Mary has started this term attending the next step up from Hiccups, called Legups (Language Enrichment Group Up to Primary School). The session runs at a Primary School in Bury St Edmunds, the nearest town to us where there is a Unit for Hearing Impaired Children (HIU). The session is run for three year olds until they go into the Year 1. It aims to build on language skills, social interaction and builds their confidence being away from Mum and in the school environment. Not that our Mary needs the confidence building. Sessions are on Tuesday and Friday afternoons for 2 hours.

Mary only goes on the Friday at the moment because she is not yet 3 and still goes to the Hiccups group. We jsut felt that Mary needed a little extra and as they were happy to have her start now we were happy to send her.

Last Friday I left her with my friend, who has been asked in as a teaching assistant. The one whose house we went to on Wednesday. Mary did not even bother that I was not there.

Alternate Fridays there is a session where the parents are invited in to watch the chldren present theri work. It is very nice. The older hearing impaired children of the school also come along to show a piece of work and discuss the work. The emphasis is on talking where the children are capapble but any communication from the children is encouraged. Mary was tired when I first went into the room and she wanted to sit and cuddle Mummy. The other chldren were sat on a low bench in front of the parents. The teacher would pick a child and then bring them to the front to discuss their topic. Then the child would walk round the room and show the parents and other children the piece of work.

Mary watched this for about half the children (6). Then she hopped off my knee and went to get her playdough model, that the younger ones had done ealier and were showing off. She stood with the teacher for a short time and then walked round the room to show the others her work. It was wonderful to see her interacting in this way. She had observed what was going on and wanted to copy. I was so proud. Times like this make me worry less about her abillity to cope in the wider world when she gets there. Perhaps I should worry more about the World coping with Mary!!