It is their choice. After the activity time, children return to share their experience. Johnny, who speaks in broken sentences and limited vocabulary, received support from classroom peers who helped him with explanations. They served as verbal and physical models. Barbara Snell, instructional assistant in Johnny's current kindergarten class, says it is exciting to see Johnny articulate clearly and show independence.
Children move between the two classes.
When Johnny became involved, he began to demonstrate higher skills. If you are in a class with only children with special needs, you sometimes lose sight of what a typically developing child can do. It is amazing how capable these children can be given the opportunity. Parents are helped to step back and the child learns to trust other adults. Next year, Johnny's options include being mainstreamed into the regular education classroom an opportunity, most agree, that would not be a part of his future without the early intervention services of Monterey County.