I am trying to revise an IEP for my brother. He has never been properly remediated and is now in high school. I am getting conflicting advice and although all the people giving me advice I trust wholeheartedly, it is different advice and I am getting confused!
When writing this IEP, what should I be focusing on. He absolutely must have reading remediation, he is only reading at a third grade level,which is not going to get him far. The school does not offer a specific reading class, he has been placed in a reading remediation. The teacher uses bits and pieces of different programs to help. He had three year of Wilson and that was unsuccesful.
One recommendation is to get as much assistive technology as possible, laptop, inspiration softoware, alpha smart, reading pen, etc. The teachers feel it is important for him to show his writing skills. He is dyslexic and over the summer was diagnosed dysgraphic, his writing is very slow and I feel with typing instruction, he would make better gains with a computer, is this reasonable. I use the computer for everything. They say that he can’t get by without basic writing skills, and to some extent but forcing him to write just to show he can write sound idiotic!
Anyhow, he is doing well but it is in sped classes, I would like to see him move out of sped eventually and into some mainstream classes. He is definitely capable of the work but had such a rough time up until this point, I think it is hard for everyone to see!
Anyhow, thanks in advance!
K.
I am not a professional (OT) yet but from what I have read, I do believe that your brother will definitely benefit from computer use (although it still will take practice and patience). At his age, I don’t see why writing is of utmost importance. He should be learning splinter skills (like signing his name) and get compensatory strategies for the other areas. In doing this, I believe he might increase his self-esteem and motivation to pursue things more. Like I said, I’m not a professional but I do hope this gives you another way of looking at things and good luck!