tests for dyslexia

Ask the Scottish Rite center what tests you should request.

The tests I found most useful were the LAC and CTOPP. (You can find explanations of these tests in the “LD in Depth” section of this website, under “assessment”.) It’s also good to get the SCAN (a screen for auditory processing problems). Typically these should all be included, along with a test of reading ability (such as the GORT-e), if you request “a complete speech and language evaluation”.

I would make the request for additional testing (specifying the tests you want that were not done) ***in writing*** to the school district. If they refuse, then you can say you disagree with the results of their testing, and you can file a request for an IIE. An IIE means outside evaluators do testing, and the school district foots the bill for it. Most school districts will grant a request for IIE, because it is cheaper than their legal fees if you challenge their denial in court. It helps if you are aware of all of your child’s legal rights, and make sure that they know that you know what your child is entitled to.

The “assessment” and “IEP” sections of the “LD in Depth” section of this website provide a lot of useful information to parents about the process and sequence of steps necessary to get testing and services. I would advise you to do a lot of reading there to become informed.

I think it is much more common to take a school district to court over services than over testing. I wouldn’t throw in the towel yet.

Mary

On the other hand- The Woodcock Johnson was just renormed and issued last year. If you school did the full battery-cognitive and achievement- then he has been through a fairly thorough evaluation already. The new battery addresses phonological awareness and rapid naming and a lot of the issues current in LD research. I would also ask Scottish Rite to suggest more. Do they want to do the assessment instead of the school?

Robin

No they say the school has to do it.He had the Woodcok Johnson both Academic and Cognitive testing done in Feburary.This is what the school based his classification under and his teachers opinion to.He does go to speech therapy and has since he was 3 1/2.He was found to have discrepancies in basic reading skills,written language,reading comprehension,mathmatics calulation .He is classified SLD.Hr had a LD tutor from last feb till 3 weeks ago but she was only for 30 mins a day and not enough help for him now he goes to a Sp. Ed class for 90 mins a day for spelling,phonics,and writing.He does reading, math,science and social studies with his reg. ed class with writing modifications only.He is okay in reading as long as it is weekly tests and he has heard the stories several times and knows generally what the story is about he can figure it out.But a Unit test has nothing to do with the stories they read each week they are passsages he should be able to read he cant he confuses similar looking words and guesses on the words he dont know.he failed the unit test he got a 40 % but no his teacher said he reads on grade level.He read the passges at home and got 3 out of 10 words wrong.he is 9 and in 3rd grade.Robin G wrote:
>
> On the other hand- The Woodcock Johnson was just renormed and
> issued last year. If you school did the full
> battery-cognitive and achievement- then he has been through a
> fairly thorough evaluation already. The new battery addresses
> phonological awareness and rapid naming and a lot of the
> issues current in LD research. I would also ask Scottish Rite
> to suggest more. Do they want to do the assessment instead of
> the school?
>
> Robin

It sounds to me like his reading program needs to be altered so that he is getting some direct instruction in basic reading skills like decoding. I am not hearing that from your post. I don’t know that this requires more testing- but it certainly requires a different sort of program. He needs to learn to read the words.

Check in the LD InDepth section of this website under reading. There is a lot of good information there.

Robin

he now is getting a different form of phonics called Saxon phonics but he started at lessaon 25 for this year instead of the beginning since the class was already at that point.He does the work sheets okay not perfect but okay.However he dont remeber these skills when he reads at other times.he confuses similar looking words all the time.he has many reversals in print and some in cursive writing and numbers too.I have been told by his teachers the reading they do in the Sp.Ed. class is too easy for him .The reading in his reg. class he compherends after he hears it but cant read it all for himself without numerous mistakes.They really dont have nothing else to offer him

I have seen only negative posts about Saxon phonics from homeschoolers who have tried the method. What you might want to do is buy the book “Reading Reflex” ($16 at most bookstores) and try tutoring him yourself at home using that methodology. Many parents have been successful with this approach, and you don’t need special training to do it.

The reversals are a red flag for developmental vision delays. I would recommend taking him to a developmental optometrist for evaluation, since vision therapy is often very helpful if this is part of his problem. You can find developmental optometrists at http://www.covd.org. You can read more about vision problems and how they affect reading at http://www.visiontherapy.org, http://www.vision3d.com, and http://www.children-special-needs.org. Medical insurance will often cover all of this exam, or at least the part that corresponds to a regular eye exam. (A developmental vision eval includes about 20 tests of visual function not performed in a regular eye exam.)

Mary

He has went to a develpomental optometrist and he said he did not think vision therapy would work but we gave it a 6 month try it did not even after 2 times a week for that 6 months .he did put prisms in his glasses it has hepled some .I asked our local beekstore to order that reading reflex book will get it inabout 1 week.

would be Audiblox or PACE (although PACE is very expensive). Both are cognitive training programs that include directionality exercises — which can help with reversals. Audiblox costs about $80 (book, video, and starter kit of manipulatives) and requires about 1/2-hour per day of one-on-one work with the child, doing the exercises. Audiblox and Reading Reflex would be a good combination to try.

Audiblox website is http://www.audiblox2000.com. PACE website is http://www.learninginfo.com. PG website (Reading Reflex support) is http://www.readamerica.net

Mary

Thank you for your positive comments and directing people toward behavioral optometry. My husband is an eye doctor (optometrist) who specializes in childrens’ vision. His studies involved a very large component of behavioral optometry. His work with patients needing visual therapy has been very rewarding, but not enough people are aware of the benefits. Since reading is primarily visual, it makes sense to assess a child’s vision (and not just whether the eyesight is 20/20 - you can be 20/20 and still be unable to read!!) at the same time as beginning learning assistance to rule out a visual-perceptual component.
Thanks again!