Homework - Accommodations or more time?

Your son needs to have his homework amount reduced, you are both spending entirely too much time if it is taking over your lives. We reduced spelling words by half until he was able to master them and gradually added to them, we do odds or evens with math homework(my decision based on what the work is). Until times tables are mastered, consider the use of a multiplication table if it is fractions or division, that way if he knows the method but not the math facts readily, he can at least do the problems. Some of this can be done with classwork too, especially the spelling words, don’t test 20 words if your son is doing 10.You will need to talk to the teacher about all this, they are not difficult things to implement but if she isn’t willing and your son has an iep, then call a team meeting and get those in his iep.Sure hope this helped.

Agreed with everything amyf said. One thing we also found with the spelling words, was our son struggled miserably with the written test, but would test fine on the oral prepping at home. We included, for a while, on the IEP that he would be tested for half the written words, then tested orally for all afterwards. If he simply misspelled a word, then it was wrong on the written, however, if he reversed letters or transposed letters and then could spell it right orally, the grade was based on the confirmation of his knowing the proper spelling when taking the pencil out of his hand. Hmmmmm, even the teacher was a bit surprised at final results. ;)

Too bad we could never get it through the next year teacher’s head that the math done upside down and backwards was still done correctly if you looked at it the way our son did. Oh well, “you win some and you lose some”; also said as “win, lose you some some”.

Regards,

Andy

In fact, research studies show that any homework prior to 5th grade tends to be counter-productive, setting up antipathies in the student that result in reduced performance later in school. U.S. News & World Report had an article in it early last year.

The others have given excellent recommendations. I would urge you to advocate vigorously for your son to reduce his load. IMHO, an absolute maximum would be 1 hour a night 5 nights a week. (Personally, I would go for 1/2-hour a night, but that’s me.) Every child needs time to unwind, de-stress, and pursue learning opportunities other than academics. Social skills and personal creativity are important too!

One thing we found that helped *enormously* with learning the math facts is Quarter Mile Math software. We used it for 5 to 10 minutes a day with me keyboarding. (More drill than that at one time is deadly.) Website for this software is http://www.thequartermile.com.

Mary

Thanks to all of you. I’m beginning to realize that some of his spelling issues are related to the dysgraphia, and writing the words 5x each has no effect on him learning the words. Even if he passes the test, he misspells them the following week.

I looked at the math software suggested and it looks worth a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

I happen to think what he’s expected to do is too much for any child (ex: 2 worksheets w/ 100 math problems, a page of dictionary work, a page of handwriting, 20 spelling words 5x each - this is considered a normal amount of work?). Now if I could just convince his teacher! Any of you want to come with me?

My son is a 4th grader as well. His teacher doesnt believe in homework but studying for tests and reworking his reading story takes so much time. I always feel we have to “let something go”. I was planning to speak to teacher at conferences this week but some have already spoken and spelling lists will be handed out on thurs to be taken next thurs-allowing weekend study. Before it was on mon for friday-and reading, health, math geography testing on fridays to boot. There simply isnt enough time in the evenings unless you keep them up late

Sometimes teachers honestly dont realize what theyre piling up on us- and I do mean US! So try talking to teacher, but if that doesnt work, use the IEP. My son does all 20 spelling words but is not responsible for spelling in other subjects-he has to know where connecticut is but cannot be penalized for misspelling it. Of course the teacher has already “forgotten” this twice and misgraded him. I feel they think that he’d get it IF ONLY ID WORK WITH HIM! I already work with him and as soon as they find me an extra 3 hrs/day, Ill work with him more.

I dont know much about dysgraphia but it certainly doesnt sound like a child with it should be writing spelling words-I mean, duh! Id agree to do all the different kinds of homework, just not the amount. And id definitely lose writing those words-type them maybe??

Sadly yes. My own son has dysgraphia and dyslexia so homework takes forever - if he can do it at all. Both he and I have been scarred by our homework experience.

To help with it all, we listen to books on tape or I read outloud. I also allow him to dictate his answers to me and I type as he talks. That helps. In a pinch, if I need to, I’ll even done the assignment particularly when it’s a long and pointless one.

I’d recommend having a conversation at the school about this. My son’s school was not receptive but that doesn’t mean your won’t be.

Extra time as an accomodation for homework doesn’t work. How much extra time is healthy when extra time becomes all the time?

Reduced work load is a better accomodation as it still offers him a childhood through his education.

Good luck.

The very methods used to teach spelling to most kids actually hinder the learning process for a dysgraphic kid. Writing the words several times or writing 20 sentences simply becomes torture for all and nothing is learned in the process, other than “writing is horrible!” (for the kid) and “there has to be a better way!” (for the parent). There are better ways: lightening the load, using oral practice, dictation, keyboarding, going back to the basics of language…we are just getting there ourselves with our 4th grade son. Good luck.

Been there and still am there. Any of you happen to be from NJ? You’re experience is multiplied thousands by others. Just have to say I felt good reading this only because tonight I just had one of those episodes with my six grader-SLD - language/math. Her expression of frustration is so heartwrenching but some say she is just “playing” us. I’d like to let them come into my house and see what we have to go through.

Your are so right about the amount of homework. No time for enjoying life. Daughter complained again about so much homework and not “getting it”. She wants to quite school and get home schooled because as she says, you’d have more time to understand it and get work done. I think our kids are much smarter than the teachers.

Unfortunately, I believe, our education system is manipulated by the corporate/business world. THey want smart people, people who can make money for hte company so that means they have to be prepared and be able to handle the technology. IN the meantime, special education has been having problems of its own and when you had the education reform movement several years ago and the revamping of curriculum, the expectations were higher. Our kids have still been battling to learn. Not that higher expectations are bad but what our kids are doing at grade now, we did one or two grades later and I think we had a better chance at learning (just my opinion!) What is has resulted in for our children, are late nights, frustration, anxiety and less time to relax and smell the roses. Now, Bush wants to revamp the special education system.

Just keep advocating for your child, make sure anything you believe should be institutetd is in the IEP otherwise they’ll use every excuse not to do it.

I feel for all of you I am having the same problems with my 5th grader we spend about 6 hrs a day on homework it is such a struggle to work with my child I feel like I do all his homework for him but NOONE will listen!!!!!!I know my kid best and they all seem to think they know more than I do.Any suggestions????
Thanx Sonia

I have heard of parents asking the school how long should be spent on homework and then spend no more than that. Six hours is unbelievable. You are compenstating for your child’s disability and so they don’t see the trouble that there is.

You also could pull your child out and homeschool them in less time and with less stress.

Do you have any experience with this. I’m thinking about looking into it because I’m at my wits end trying to figure out how to help my sixth grader make it through school. She hates it.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I suggest you post on the LD homeschooling board. I did it part time last year because of a difficult situation at school. There are lots of people doing it very successfully.

Go for an adaptive technology evaluation through your school corp. (spell checkers will save the day, so it won’t matter in the long run if he learns to write those words.) Using a keyboard should be implemented, not torturing him with trying to write. My son is fifth grade and has similar trouble. He is getting an alphasmart next week. I am disappointed that it has taken this long to get started with an adaptation that will be useful for the rest of his school career and life. It could have been started years earlier. The school has access to loads of technology and programs , once you get the right people involved…

best of luck,
Cyndi