I met last week with all my daughters teachers. She is in the first grade, and is dyslexic. She goes out to the Resource Room for reading, language arts and math. We are also lucky that by the grace of God she got into the Mason’s Learning Centers for Children where she recieves O-G intruction 1:1 twice a week after school. Her resource teacher for reading and language arts does not seem to know my daughter. She says ” I see NO word retrieval issues in here at all.” Which is amazing, because at times she still cannot recall her last name. This is one of her greatest difficulties. Also- she says that my daughter is reading. She gave her an “S” for satisfactory on her report card for Reads Well Orally. When I said, I don’t see her reading now, her teacher said, Oh yes she does. (The books are like A doll, a chair, A party ect where she looks at the picture). At the conference with the reg ed teacher, she says my daughter is not reading yet. The thing is, that all the children in reg ed are not even assigned a grade for Reads Well Orally in this marking period because many of them are just learning to read. They get an N/A for not applicable. I feel fortunate that we have this program in place for my daughter. This resource teacher was hire for her O-G experience, and her experience with dylsexia. I requested that my daughtre get O-G in school. (they use Recipe for Reading and Explode the Code). But, I am a little concerned about this teachers inaccurate assessments of my daughter. I say nothing now, but I wonder if the grades on her report card might haunt me at the end of the year when it is time to rework her IEP. I hope I am not wrong to let this go now, as you know, we choose our battles. Any thoughts?
PS- I know that she is at the begining of First Grade, and am not concerned that she is not reading yet. I am jsut concerned about this teachers inaccurate documentation of my daughters skills.
Great Answer!
I agree with Susan early intervention can make a world of difference. Never heard of the mailing to yourself, but what a great idea. Good luck. I’ll never forget my evaluator saying “She will read as well as anyone else - just in her own way”.
Re: Follow your instincts
What a great idea! Can I ask, where would I get a Basal reader, and will it have on it what age level for which it is appropriate??
Basals
Most public schools use some kind of reading series: Macmillian, McGraw-Hill, Scott Forseman are a couple of big series. Ask to borrow one for a weekend. They have old copies of previously used sets.
Remember, these are designed to be at instructional level—not independent level. IOW, if a child is in 1st grade the basal (allegedly) is written at 1st grade instructional level. The child can read 90-95% of the words independently, but require help with other words. Comprehension would be above 75% but not quite 90-95%.
So, ask the school at what level your student is currently functioning independently. Then borrow that basal. They should be able to read it effortlessly.
If you child is a 1st grader, then recognize that you’ll need to supply up to about 08% of the words from the 1st grade basal. This would be about 8 words out of every 100 word passage.
Realize that passages at the beginning of stories are typically easier than the end of stories. Pick 100 words from beginning, 100 from middle, and 100 words from the conclusion of a story. Make a copy of the pages and mark each miscue while your student reads. Record them at the same time. Work a story from the beginning of the basal, not the last few stories. Typically, those would be done in the second semester and require more skills.
Discuss with teachers from the copy of the recording. (The origianal is tucked away safely.) I will enjoy hearing their pleadings and excuses…I hope you all will post them. :-)
Re: Kind of Worried
Let me put a different slant on this. If I were her resource teacher and the child was doing her best, of course I would give her “satisfactory” on her report card! I have taught children many years below grade level and I graded them based on their effort. Some kids take longer than others. I’d never penalize a special ed. child on his grades. I grade them where they are.
Not sure why she wouldn’t have noticed the word retrieval issues, but maybe she just hasn’t had her long enough yet.
Just curious, how did you get a diagnosis of dyslexia at the beginning of first grade (or before?)?
Janis
Re: Kind of Worried
Well, that is my point. She should be graded on where she is. She was not. All the reg ed kids don’t even get a grade assigned under this category in the first semester because they are just learning to read, as is my daughter. My daughter’s effort is extraordinary, but reading she is not, yet. She will, hopefully about the same time as many of her peers since she is getting the help she needs so early on.
The diagnosis was made by a neuropsychologist late last spring based on many tests, including the CTOPP, and RAN. And informal assessments as well. She had tremendous difficulty learning the names of the letters, and still struggles learning the names of the numbers.
I am not entirely hung up on what they call it, but am determined to get her the appropriate help at this young age. She is very bright (high IQ) and, more importantly, eager to learn. This is the time to make sure things are done right for her, it can make all the difference.
Re: Kind of Worried
Star,
Do you know what the resource teacher uses in teaching reading? If you are getting good quality remedial instruction after school, it might be better for your child to remain the classroom as opposed to going to an inadequate resource program. There will be other children in the regular class who are not reading well yet as well, so it’s not like she would be totally out of place. Of course, it would be helpful to know what materials both the regular class and the resource program use to teach reading. Does she receieve speech/langaueg therapy? That might be a better place to address the phonological processing and RAN issues.
Janis
Re: Kind of Worried
The resource teacher uses Recipe for Reading and Explode the Code. She is in the room with 5 other children, two first grade like her (they just joined, where she has had the benefit of interventions for over a year and does now know her letters/sounds) and three second graders. Yes, I have wondered if she would be okay in the reg ed class for reading now. I put all this in place before she was accepted at the Learing Center. (She was accepted in Sept and started in Oct.) She also seems to have all the concepts of math, but gets messed up because she doesn’t know the name of the numbers. Hopefully, once she gets this she may be in reg ed for math. (she wrote a page of about 50 math facts on her own with sums upto 11. Loves math.)
Yes, she gets speech/language therapy twice a week. They are mostly targeting her articulation. I would like them to work more on the phonological aspect. ( cut it with a life, I am infused, I begot) But she also needs the articulation. We will get there.
My verdict is still out on the benefit of the Resource Room for her as far as reading. For math she is one of three to the Special Ed teacher and I do feel this is working for her. She cannot recall the number names above 8, and still has difficulty counting.
But, like all children, she has many gifts. She is very artistic and creative. She is my twinkling star. :-)
Re: Kind of Worried
Well, Recipe for Reading and Explode the Code are sound materials. The only concern I would have is that the OG tutoring after school may not correspond with the school lessons and I would think that would be confusing. They definitely should be working on auditory skills in the speech/language therapy.
You know, I have a little girl much like yours. She is also very visual and artistic. I adore her just the way she is. So I know what you mean. :-)
Janis
Document everything. Here is an excellent documentation for oral reading:
Carefully select a passage from a Basal reader that is absolutely at first semester of 1st grade level. Have the child orally read while you tape record (unknown to the child.) Next, copy the tape (to use to compare with later recordings) and package the original securely. Send the original via the mail to yourself but *do not* open the packaging for any reason save a due process hearing preparation with an attorney. Those with attorneys could send the original certified to the attorney to hold for possible later need.
Now, be sure that the IEP goals are truly measurable: E.g., Goal: Suzie will read a first-grade passage at sight at 60 wpm with 95% accuracy. Obj1: Suzie will recognize 95% of CVC words accurately at sight in a 1st grade word list. Obj2: Suzie will regonize 95% of all silent-e words accurately at sight on the 1st grade word list. (Note that reading “at sight” is different than reading a passage that one has practiced and practiced… At sight means “cold” and without practicing the passage or word list.)
Now is the time to be concerned. Early intervention is the name of the game!