Asperger's and Irish

[What to do]

If your child has Asperger's/ASD do they attend an Irish school?
Is so, how do they get on? Do they participate and speak the language?
Ds in an Irish scoil. We will have to decide on secondary school's soon.
He hates Irish and makes little attempt to speak it.
He struggles socially and the only reason I would maybe consider an Irish sec. is
that all his friends are going. The Irish schools tend to be smaller and not as sporty as
say some of the large boys only schools around us. I feel he would be swallowed up
in a large boys school.
I had all along discounted sending him to a Gaelcholaiste but now Im doubting myself.
He has no strong opinion only that he wants to go where most of his friends are going.
How would you be thinking?

[Posher]

There is no way in hell I'd send a child to an Irish speaking secondary school if they didn't like Irish as a language. Regardless of Asperger's being in the mix I still wouldn't do it. He will meet lots of new children in a new school and therefore make new friends. A lot of the time friendships change when they go to secondary school so I wouldn't let where the friends are going be the main reason for choosing a school.

[Rita]

I don't have personal experience but dd's friend (who would be good at Irish and went to a gaelscoil) said it is hard enough in a gaelcholaiste as you do everything through Irish and you would want to like it ...really if he doesn't like the language I wouldn't send him there. Then again that is me basing it on my ds who hates the sound of it! It is like a sensory thing with him.
He will make new friends in secondary.....in fact he may flourish in an English speaking secondary. Are there other options other than a large boys school?

Now then again this gael cholaiste may be perfect for him, what kind of help can they offer him? Do you know other children with aspergers who go there?

[Thatgirlcandance]

There is no way I would send my child to an Irish secondary if he hates Irish. My sister has Asperger's and secondary school was difficult enough without it being through a language she hates (she also hates Irish).

I don't think his friends going (even if he struggles socially) is a good enough reason to send him given the language circumstances.

[Darva]

Children tend to make totally new friends in secondary school. I would change.

[Unnamed]

If he hates the language and makes little attempt to speak it then surely that is an additional factor working against him mixing socially as well as contributing in class. Sounds like an utter disaster.

There'd be no guarantee he'd stay friends with his existing friends. (He might but I wouldn't want to rely on it).

I'd be looking for a school that has experience of pupils with AS and a positive approach or attitude in that regard. Are there any co-ed schools (aside from the Irish one) that he could get to?

[Shivvy]

No way on earth would I send a child to a Gaelcholaiste if they have no interest or make no effort in primary school with the language, asd or no asd.

In secondary, friendships change. Who he is friends with now may not be his friends in secondary.

I would look into schools that have good supports for kids with asd in the area. I wouldn't worry about size of the school tbh.

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[What to do]

Thank you all. Look I know myself he cant go to an Irish sec. Ive always know this.
But you know when you get these moment of doubt and when you hear all the other parents
planning the same school. His "friends" and i do use that term loosely are mostly going to the same school.
He struggles so much socially with people he has known since he was 4 that I just cant imagine him
making new friends in a new school.
Secondary school has been my biggest worry for him for years.

How would you know or find out if schools have a good support for ASD kids? Going into them?

Thanks for reading. I know the answer but sometimes you still have to ask the Q

[socky]

I would consider support for his needs before anything else, and a small Gaelcholáiste could well struggle in this regard, aside from the language issue. If he doesn't like speaking Irish that is a huge consideration. Their friendship groups change a lot in secondary and he might have more chance of meeting like-minded friends in a bigger school.

[Shivvy]

What to do I would advise contacting the schools & arranging a meeting with the principal to find out what supports are in each school.
Also look on their websites & maybe talk to the primary school as they should be helping with transitioning.

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[CocoRose]

I would meet the Principal.

I know it's different but just to say I grew up in a town with no secondary school and went to a school a half hour away and didn't know a single person. I'm still in daily contact with the first girl I met on day one. You just have to trust that he will make a friend, even if it takes a while and he only needs the one.

[Unnamed]

Often primary schools will have a 'sense' of the secondary schools and be able to give some high level opinion.

After that, contact the secondary schools and ask to meet the principal and/or resource head.

Other parents can be a godsend. I had parents (who I had never met) happy to talk to me at length and in detail about the schools where they had their kids. And I would do the same for parents making decisions also.

[Rita]

My ds would struggle socially and has a new group of friends since starting secondary, best thing ever for him really was going on to somewhere he didn't really know anyone.
Does your son get any services as sometimes they can advise on secondary schools but often it is other parents ...maybe ask around?
Definitely contact the secondary schools too and ask to meet with the learning support head.