Testing for Preschool

Sledding at the local park

My daughter has successfully completed all the assessments to enter preschool when she turns three. The first part of the evaluation took the form of a home visit from her Speech Therapist. She asked my daughter all kinds of comprehension questions and was surprised by the response. For example, several objects including some keys were placed in front of my little girl. Then the therapist asked, "Can you give me my keys?" My daughter picked up the keys and handed them over. The same with balls, cups and other objects by name. Then it was time to name items of clothing. Socks, pants, shoes, shirt, coat, hat, she knows all kinds of them. Of course she signs everything. She doesn't speak a single word, but she comprehends a surprising amount and I'd say her vocabulary has grown to upwards of fifty signs!

Part two of the evaluation was a visit to the special ed school my daughter has been attending for the last year and a half. There she and my wife met with my daughter's current teachers and a woman representing my daughter's new school. They looked at her social skills, communication abilities, mobility and other things. Turns out my daughter's interpersonal abilities are very similar to those of a typical three year old. She just can't communicate very well and her imagination hasn't really appeared yet. With her signing and crawling it puts her at about the middle of the pack for the children who will be in her preschool class. I was so happy to find that out. She could have been disqualified from this particular class if she was too advanced, not likely, or not advanced enough. I was scared about that. Looks like my fears were for nothing though.


The three of us will go to meet my daughter's new teacher next week. There my wife and I can discuss any concerns we have and the goals we have for our little one. It should be a good meeting. And after the current discussions in the 1p36 group about busing, I'll be sure to ask about how long the ride is!