A young mother with three children began learning English at Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora. for a special reason–to help her son. The family lived in a poor school district, and the mother worried her autistic son would need a special school experience. She believed there were services available for her son that she wasn’t aware of. The mother’s teacher helped her understand how school systems work. Every week they spent part of their time together discussing what would be good for her to do and to say in order to get information for her child.

By the end of the school year at Dominican Literacy Center, the son was scheduled for special testing. The mother was hopeful her son would be placed in a special pre-school with small classes and special teachers. The encouragement and practical advice this mother received from her teacher while learning the English language helped her become a better advocate for her son.