Why is this issue personally meaningful to you?
I have a nephew and a niece who are both on the spectrum and both have experienced speech delay. My niece doesn’t really talk much, she is almost considered non-verbal, and unfortunately does not receive many support services within her school system here in New York City. My nephew is verbal, but does not talk much, and was born with many difficulties. Throughout his childhood, his education took place in upstate New York and through that he was able to get many support services to help. Despite his limitations, he was able to graduate high school and even make it to college. I am hoping to see this type of work and support that my nephew received within our own ECE school systems in New York City so that children like my nephew and niece can receive the help that they need.
Why did you choose this topic to advocate for?
I want to see children get the help that they need so that they can prosper and be more social in and out of their communities. Without the help, these children may always end up being underdeveloped with their social and emotional skills. I believe advocating for this topic is important because it brings awareness towards children on the spectrum and the failings of the school system.
How does this topic impact early childhood educators?
Without the tools or resources to help the many children with speech delays in these ECE schools, many early childhood educators are impacted. Children fall short on their learning meanwhile early childhood educators lack the means to support them. Due to this, these teachers will have to fight for funding and more resources to gain more outside support for these children and their families.
As an early childhood educator, what steps can I take to help my students with possible speech delays?
At first, you should contact your education administration first to see what kind of support services are currently offered. Talk to the parents of your students to see what steps they may be taking to help their child. If there are no means of resources or support that can be provided for your students, do what you can do in supporting them. Be there for them as best as you can and continue to advocate and fight for them so that they can receive more support.
