I have a date set for speech and language (receptive/expressive) testing at a local university and I’m dreading the idea of telling my son he’s going to take “another test.”
I’m know he already feels “something must be wrong” with himself because he has had so much testing over the last 2 years. Sometimes I wonder if he would be much better off if I just discontinued testing and did “fun activities” to help with areas of weakness.
And then again, maybe it’s best to know just how strong or weak these areas are?
Re: Dreading telling child he's being tested - again!
I know how you feel. I try to explain to my son what the information will be useful for–for example, could you say we’re trying to figure out exactly what to do next with x, we don’t want to waste your time and energy, and this will help us know. I always tell him he is really smart but his brain works a bit differently and thus is a bit of a puzzle. Then we always go out for ice cream. Or lunch, depending on when the testing is. This helps make it into more of a special occasion.
Beth
Re: Dreading telling child he's being tested - again!
Does he balk at testing? I think my son thinks this is something every kid does. He never minds it.
If he has concerns I would be open and honest about it. When my son started vision therapy I told him there is something wrong with his eyes but we will get it fixed. He was fine with that even relieved because he knew things were not right already. It was a relief for him to have some level of understanding and a solution.
I kind of approach it like any visit to the doctor. There isn’t anything wrong with you but there is a problem with your ears, eyes whatever and that is what this doctor specializes in.
Re: Dreading telling child he's being tested - again!
Thanks for the reassurance! Since this is a university I once attended many years ago, I’ll try to take him on a tour and make it kind of fun. They told me it will be only about two hours of testing. Today I got a note from his elementary school that he has completed speech services(for articulation), so it may seem odd to him that he’s going to receive more language testing. Although maybe I can point out that we want to make sure his speech and language skills are “right on target.”
Self-esteem....and timed fluency "races" between k
Thanks for the suggestion. Right now I’m really trying to build his self-esteem and help him realize he’s doing quite well, even though he has a hard time seeing this.
By the way, — I realize I’m jumping to another topic here but the whole thing about self-esteem has me thinking about this — today at reading intervention my son’s teacher had timed fluency “races.” Does this sound appropriate? He told me he read the paragraph 20 seconds slower than the child he read against.
To me this doesn’t sound that encouraging. Shouldn’t timed readings be an individual thing with children competing against themselves? Am I wrong?
Re: Dreading telling child he's being tested - again!
In general my son has been patient and positive about testing, but the last time he was tested at school they tried to perform all of it on one day. He got very tired and some of the testing needed to be repeated the following day.
I find that the older my son gets the less he wants to participate in testing or remediation.
Usually at the University the students are well supervised and spend lots of time, and their own money in providing a stimulating environment for your child even in testing. He will enjoy it. I know most of the children I have done assessments in the university setting have enjoyed it. We make a phone call to find out what the child likes and try to provide that stimulus to get a language sample and do lots of games as reinforcers to help the time pass quickly. It may be fun for him. My daughter has been tested out the wazoo’s too. It is hard but tell him this time it should be different. Call the university if you have any questions about the time involved and what you need to bring.