Gifted, dyslexic, dysgraphic boy
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 1:17 pm
I'm not sure where to start, or exactly what advice I'm looking for. I feel like I'm going round in circles and maybe outside eyes might be able to point me down a new path. Apologies if this turns into a long post.
Background
My DS (9yrs in Year 5) has always had problems with handwriting but very good at maths.Infants school said wait until he gets to the Juniors, they have more experience. So we did. They screen all pupils on entry and said, mildly dyslexic. However the end of year report - Year 3 - contained some (negative) comments by his class teacher which set alarm bells ringing. By this stage I had discovered 'dysgraphia' and then I discovered a dyslexia centre who knew about it. Off we went for an assessment by an educational psychologist.
No surprise when he said yes, dysgraphia including a hand tremor, and severe dyslexia because there was a gap of 50 points between his upper and lower scores on WISC III subtests. What absolutely rendered us literally speechless with shock, and I am not exaggerating - we drove back home in stunned silence, was the level of some of his scores. For example, Mental maths at level of 14 year old - he was 8 years when tested.
Year 4 - present report to school, they swing into action. OT, fine motor skills groups etc - result is his handwriting is now a more appropriate size and can be read. He is still phobic about writing anything more than a paragraph. There was great delight amongst the staff when he wrote a piece that covered one side of paper. It contains 100 words.
From infants school he has always had some support for his abilities.
Where are we now?
Year 5 - motor skills and 'writing and higher order language support' group. When we attended parents evening the teachers had his various assessment scores, and there is still a 40 point spread between his best and worst scores - 93 at bottom and 139 at top.
So what's the problem?
His reading age is above his chronological age so he's not eligible for a statement. The focus last year on his handwriting as a physical activity has seen improvements in that, but he still can't get his ideas onto paper. Perhaps the new writing support group will help with this?
We have arranged to have his educational psychologists report updated to support our secondary school plans - see post in independent schools forum in due course. He will be re-assessed on WISC IV.
Any ideas about literacy based activities we can try at home, particularly non-threatening (in his world) paper-based activities.
Does anyone have experience of school based dyslexia support - what types of things do they do? I'm concerned that because nothing has been provided/offered under the 'dyslexia' label that he's missing out.
To be honest I don't know where to focus my energies:
- on what he's good at - Maths and Science
- on what he struggles with - literacy
- getting specific dyslexia help
- preparation for entrance exams(!)
Any help or suggestions or guidance would be gratefully received,
Susan
Background
My DS (9yrs in Year 5) has always had problems with handwriting but very good at maths.Infants school said wait until he gets to the Juniors, they have more experience. So we did. They screen all pupils on entry and said, mildly dyslexic. However the end of year report - Year 3 - contained some (negative) comments by his class teacher which set alarm bells ringing. By this stage I had discovered 'dysgraphia' and then I discovered a dyslexia centre who knew about it. Off we went for an assessment by an educational psychologist.
No surprise when he said yes, dysgraphia including a hand tremor, and severe dyslexia because there was a gap of 50 points between his upper and lower scores on WISC III subtests. What absolutely rendered us literally speechless with shock, and I am not exaggerating - we drove back home in stunned silence, was the level of some of his scores. For example, Mental maths at level of 14 year old - he was 8 years when tested.
Year 4 - present report to school, they swing into action. OT, fine motor skills groups etc - result is his handwriting is now a more appropriate size and can be read. He is still phobic about writing anything more than a paragraph. There was great delight amongst the staff when he wrote a piece that covered one side of paper. It contains 100 words.
From infants school he has always had some support for his abilities.
Where are we now?
Year 5 - motor skills and 'writing and higher order language support' group. When we attended parents evening the teachers had his various assessment scores, and there is still a 40 point spread between his best and worst scores - 93 at bottom and 139 at top.
So what's the problem?
His reading age is above his chronological age so he's not eligible for a statement. The focus last year on his handwriting as a physical activity has seen improvements in that, but he still can't get his ideas onto paper. Perhaps the new writing support group will help with this?
We have arranged to have his educational psychologists report updated to support our secondary school plans - see post in independent schools forum in due course. He will be re-assessed on WISC IV.
Any ideas about literacy based activities we can try at home, particularly non-threatening (in his world) paper-based activities.
Does anyone have experience of school based dyslexia support - what types of things do they do? I'm concerned that because nothing has been provided/offered under the 'dyslexia' label that he's missing out.
To be honest I don't know where to focus my energies:
- on what he's good at - Maths and Science
- on what he struggles with - literacy
- getting specific dyslexia help
- preparation for entrance exams(!)
Any help or suggestions or guidance would be gratefully received,
Susan