Presume competence
When Sam was in kindergarten, a report for his IEP put his IQ at 54. We believed that number for years. We talked around him, decided for him, and set our expectations to match it.
Presuming competence starts from a different place. It means treating someone as if they are capable, even when their speech or movement says otherwise. It means starting with respect and letting the person show you what is there, instead of starting with doubt and asking them to prove it.
That one idea changed how we talked to Sam, what we expected from him, and what we offered him. When we treated him as if he understood, he had room to show us that he did.
Treating someone as if they are capable helps them become who they are meant to be. We learned that at home first. It holds in every other setting too, because people rise or shrink to match what others expect from them.
Questions
Is presuming competence the same as ignoring disability?
No. Sam's apraxia is real, and it shapes his days. Presuming competence means we do not let a diagnosis set the ceiling on what we expect from him.
Does it mean assuming everyone understands everything?
No. It means starting with respect and checking our assumptions, instead of starting with doubt.