Special schools and inclusion for kids with speech delay in Germany

Last Updated on November 18, 2024

In Germany, there are different forms of education for kids with speech delay and speech development problems. These can be pure special schools for children with speech problems, general special schools for children with special needs, and inclusion (education in regular classes). In each specific federal state, this can be only one of the options or a combination of them.

In this post I will explain why these special schools for kids with speech delay are nothing to be afraid of, what is good about them, how they differ from regular schools and inclusion and where to find them in different federal states in Germany.

4. Child with speech delay – where you can find help. Speech therapist in Germany
3. Non-Speaking child. Speech delay treatment in Germany
2. Non-speaking child. Speech delay causes
1. Speech delay by children. Norm and problems
Bilingual child speech development
Bilingual children. Strategy and rules
Asperger Syndrome empathy, speech and emotions
Asperger autism symptoms by age. Aspies in Germany
Asperger’s syndrome without outdated clichés. Part 1

What is a school for kids with speech delay in Germany

Special school vs regular school

It is the most important to remember: special schools for kids with speech delay in its pure form is a school for children with normal intelligence. Its program coincides with the program of a regular school. If your child gets into this school, it does not have any consequences for him.

As soon as a child begins to speak normally or almost normally or better enough, he is transferred to a regular school and no one remembers about the special school anymore.
Your child can get a recommendation to any type of secondary school. For example, my child with a severe speech impairment got a recommendation to a gymnasium. Not that I was stupid enough to send him there. But for those who doubt, once again: no opportunity will be closed.

About gymnasiums in Germany and why I don’t like it:
German Gymnasium school. Profile choice, marks and inclusion
German Gymnasium. Grade 7
Gymnasium in Germany. First year
4th grade. Gymnasium or Realschule?
What is PISA shock and why is it the norm and not the exception

Another thing is that most children do not get into a special school just like that. And this underlying reason will most likely affect their education in a regular/secondary school.

Many children also have difficulties with reading and writing, which is related to problems with speaking. Some children have a diagnosis of “fragile chromosome syndrome”, which means some decrease in intelligence (not enough to prevent them from studying in a regular school, but it limits secondary school choice). And almost all have problems with memory and concentration – this is a typical accompanying symptom for children with speech problems.

The difference between a special school and a regular school is that:
– there are more teaching hours, which are spent on additional German, individual speech therapy, and rhythm
– more teachers per class
– half as many children in a class
– more events, such as visits to the library, theater, outdoor lessons
– sometimes additional types of therapy are possible (dog, horses)

Special schools vs inclusion

Federal states are obliged to provide the possibility of inclusion, but this can be done in different ways. Some states make inclusion the main form for children with problems
– in social development
– speech
– learning.
Other states have the possibility, but they maintain special schools and do not encourage the choice of inclusion.

The states’ websites describe in detail the assistance from special educators, advanced training for teachers of the regular schools for inclusion, etc. That is, in theory, everything about inclusion looks good on the websites of most states, except for Saarland and Saxony, where the issue is covered minimally. The question is how exactly it looks in reality and how much it differs from the picture. Of course, I can’t tell you about all the federal states. In addition to my own extensive experience in Baden-Württemberg, I also have a little insider information about inclusion in Brandenburg (spoiler – rather sad and superficial).

Let’s take a look at how it works in Baden-Württemberg so you can understand what to look out for and what questions to ask in your federal state.

If a child has been recognised as needing special assistance (Förderbedarf), in Baden-Württemberg parents have a choice between a special school and inclusion. The option “I don’t believe your tests and demand a regular school without any inclusion” is no longer available to them. This is explained by the need to protect the interests of the child himself.

Inclusion here:
– consists of 1 or 2 hours a week. However, these hours are not always additional, that is, the child may be taken out of the main classes for them
– inclusion hours are most often held in a group, not individually
– children are learning in a regular class (ca. 23-28 children in one class)
– the teacher may not be in the profile, that is, not a teacher with speech therapy training
– since there is a catastrophic shortage of specialists, children with different (speech, learning and social) problems can be combined in one group
– parents may be required to send their child not to the nearest school, but to the one where the specialist comes and in the case of inclusion, they do not have the right to transport to this school, but must deliver the child themselves.

Therefore, in my opinion, inclusion from the first grade in Baden-Württemberg is suitable only for children with not very serious speech impairment, since in most cases these are simply additional German lessons at school a couple of times a week.
In the first and second grades, children with speech problems really need small classes, an individual approach and targeted assistance. No speech therapist once a week (who often does not know what to do with the child) and 1-2 hours of classes with an unprepared inlcusion teacher in a mixed group will give the desired result.

In grades 3-4, options are already possible. At this age, additional speech therapy does not always help, you need to cope with what you have.

Special schools for children with speech problems in different federal states in Germany

It should be said that “pure” special schools for kids with speech delay are not available everywhere. In remote areas they can be combined with other types of special schools. And in some lands there are no separate speech schools at all.

If there is no separate school, then such children can be combined with children who have problems in the intellectual (most often), social or psychic sphere, which is not good at all. But if classes are formed not according to the principle of “everyone with everyone”, but separately according to problems, then a combined school can be considered acceptable.

What to do if there are only “united” special schools in your region? This is a difficult question, depending on many factors: the level of speech problems, financial capabilities, work, etc. Sometimes inclusion is possible. Sometimes a school is ok. You need to find out in advance whether the school really helps children or teaches them at a minimum level as deep disabled people. Go to open door days, festivals open to visitors. And ask yourself: is this option acceptable for you or do you need to think about moving?

The following list is not exhaustive. Each specific city should be looked at separately. If you are having trouble finding opportunities in your area, you can write me and I help you with searching.

Sonderschule, Förderschule – special schools in Germany
Sprachheilschule or
Förderschule / Förderzentrum mit Schwerpunkt “Sprache” or
Sonderpädagogische Bildungs- und Beratunszentrum mit dem Förderschwerpunkt Sprache – special school for children with speech problems

Baden-Württemberg
Almost everywhere there are separate Sprachheilschule schools, with the possible exception of remote regions. Usually special schools are located in the centers of Landkreis. Inclusion is possible

Bayern
Bavaria has moved a little on from a completely backward approach to children with special speech needs. There are a very small number of completely separate schools, as well as separate classes in integrated schools. Inclusion is also possible (at least in theory).

Berlin
Separate Sprachheilschulen: Ahornschule, Liebmann Schule, Selma-Lagerlöf-Schule.
Schilling Schule and Reinfelder Schule have separate classes.
Inclusion is possible

Brandenburg
Separate school only in Potsdam, other cities unite children with special needs. Inclusion is possible

Bremen
Inclusion

Hamburg
Inclusion

Hesse
Separate schools in Bad König, Darmstadt, Frankfurt am Main + a small number of united special needs schools, but judging by the fact that the number of separate schools has decreased since the first time I looked, Hesse will have more inclusion.

Saarland
One school in Sulzbach.

Meklenburg
Inсlusion

North Rhine-Westphalia
There are many separate schools and also united. Inclusion is possible

Lower Saxony
Many separate schools or regular schools with special classes. There are also a number of united special needs schools. Inclusion is possible

Rhineland Palatinate
Separate special schools (SFS in list on the state’s website) in Mainz, Neuwied, Frankenthal, Singhofen, Rülzheim, Idar-Oberstein, Hachenburg. There are also united special needs schools (mainly together with the profile “learning”, SFLS). Inclusion is possible

Saxony
Separate schools are in Leipzig, Dresden, Zwickau, Chemnitz, other are united.

Saxony-Anhalt
Inclusion

Thüringia
Inclusion. Some united special needs schools.

Schleswig-Holstein
Inclusion, except for complex cases, for which one boarding special school

Organizational aspects. What to expect in a special school

Of course, I can speak for Baden-Württemberg; in other states things may be arranged a little differently.

1. In classes from 8 (complex cases) to 12-13 students (normal cases). Complex cases are selected by diagnosis, simple ones are combined by territorial criterion.

2. Lessons are held from 8 to 12.30 three times a week and from 8 to 15 hours twice a week. On long days, children receive a hot lunch (costs about 4 euros).

3. Children are transported by buses (free for parents). The bus theme greatly worries all new parents without exception. But after a couple of weeks, all doubts about “How will he travel, poor thing” disappear for the vast majority. Although, of course, the process does not become simple. You always need to be there when the bus arrives, make extra calls if the child gets sick. No one has canceled worries about the quality of delivery either.

From the third grade, a child can be transferred to public transport. It depends on whether the city pays for older children or not.

4. There is usually more than one teacher working in a class: two, sometimes three.

Not all teachers have the right to teach German, but only those who have additional training. Thus, most often there is one teacher responsible for German and science/culture, and another one responsible for mathematics and working on a pick-up basis in other subjects.

Sometimes one teacher works, and the second one goes, for example, to inclusion. Or, as in our case, performs the duties of the deputy director. And sometimes they work together, implementing an individual approach within the class.

5. Interviews with teachers twice a year are mandatory for parents. Based on the results, a large paper is filled out with a detailed description of the problems and proposals for their solution.

4. Child with speech delay – where you can find help. Speech therapist in Germany
3. Non-Speaking child. Speech delay treatment in Germany
2. Non-speaking child. Speech delay causes
1. Speech delay by children. Norm and problems
Bilingual child speech development
Bilingual children. Strategy and rules
Asperger Syndrome empathy, speech and emotions
Asperger autism symptoms by age. Aspies in Germany
Asperger’s syndrome without outdated clichés. Part 1