Hello, My name is Lorena but my online friends call me Rena. I have a 10 year old son named Tyler. He is going into 5th grade and is classified as Speech or Language Impairment. He has been in speech since he was 3. He has been in Special ed since pre K. He is still at a first grade level for reading and spelling. He is at a 3.5 grade level for Math. Language Arts and Math and Reading is the only subjects he is in Special Ed . In his other classes he has an Aide. He does not require PT , but he has poor writing skills with an ackward pencil grip. He has trouble staying organized, and attention is poor. We have an apointment with the local mental health clinic for him. I am bipolar, and Ty sometimes shows depression phases where he will isolate himself in his room, and has irregular sleep patterns.
My question is if there are anything I can get for him to use in school for help with visuals. He has in his IEP that he needs visuals. I was thinking maybe getting him some computer programs for use at home and in school. I could get him a laptop so he can use it anywhere. Does anyone have any sugestions? Maybe something elce besides software?
Thanks so much in advanced. :D
Re: New and need LD help
Rena,
It is clear that they do not know how to teach him to read. You might want to try to find an advocate in your area to help you try to get some private reading therpay or private LD school for your child since the school has failed to teach him. Visuals are nice, but that is not what he needs to remediate his underlying reading disability. Find out what they use in the special ed. class to teach reading and let us know.
Janis
Re: New and need LD help
Rena,
I agree 100% with what Janis has told you.
There are some very informed people on this board and if you bring them more details they can help you a great deal.
Barb
Re: New and need LD help
I also agree with Janis, they are not teaching him. Visuals is usually used as a catch all phrase ,because they do not know what to do. I would suggest to you that he needs further evaluation. Occupational evaluation to evaluate his handwriting issues,a more comprehensive evaluation into why there has been no progress would be helpful and a huge component is mental health. I would definitely work at getting the mental health eval also.
You may want to double check with your IEP team about what they mean regarding visuals.
I would suspect that since your son is SLI, the intent of visuals is to support his weaker area - the language. What this means is that ALL who expect him to understand spoken language - a message, instruction, directions - should support that language with visuals, such as diagrams, gestures, pictures, schedules, check-lists and so on. It also will help to check for understanding by asking questions or asking him to repeat or paraphrase what was just said.
Best wishes/