My 9yo son has SID, issues with motor planning, sequencing, memory and next month will have complete neurological testing that will likely turn up dyslexia, dysgraphia and executive function problems. He is gifted so he compensates very well. He reads at a high school level or higher but he can’t spell at all.
His language arts teacher gives a weekly spelling test over 18+ words and has told them that they must pass all the spelling tests or they will fail language arts. I tried to explain that my son would have a difficult or impossible time with this and that I should have documentation regarding his problems soon. To demonstrate how hard it is for my son to learn spelling words I told him that we spent hours each week writing the words, coloring them, making up stories and chanting them. He can look at the word and STILL spell it incorrectly.
He said that he had an idea about something new to try regarding his spelling words. My ears perked up thinking that he was going to give me some strategy to actually help my son learn the words. He continued, “Why don’t you not get involved in XXXX’s homework.”
I was so stunned that I just stood there trying to keep from decking him. I thought that I might eventually be able to let this comment go but it’s not working that way. It’s festering.
So, what should my response be knowing that my son will be in this man’s class for the remainder of the year?
Thanks,
Sharon
Re: What do I say to this teacher?
Well, it doesn’t seem to matter what you say, since he doesn’t hear anyway, right?
I would say forget talking to the teacher and instead talk to your son and then to the powers that be.
First of all, clearly what you are doing, no matter how hard you are working and how well-intentioned, is a waste of time. He isn’t spelling any better, is he? So what good will more of the same do?
Instead, I would say back off 90% of the spelling time. It is only causing failure and frustration and surely you can think of something better to do in the evenings.
Have your son review the spelling words the night they are given and again the night before the test, maybe twenty minutes each time. So when he fails the test — OK, so you don’t want him to fail, but is ne passing now? — when he fails, he can look the teacher in the eye and honestly say “Yes, I studied the spelling list”.
Tell your son clearly — and repeatedly, because the threats are being repeated — that you are dealing with the paperwork to have the spelling tests not counted against him, and no he won’t fail the year just for spelling, and he should work on *learning* things in the class whether or not he gets along with or agrees with the teacher. There’s stuff to learn in those books and the teacher would have to work hard to prevent that.
It would be a good idea to report these threats by the teacher to the head of English department and/or principal and the school board, in writing, with a polite statement that this approach is highly inappropriate, probably against the district’s and state’s curriculum guidelines, and is causing a lot of stress to your son. (It wouldn’t hurt to do an internet and library search to find what the curriculum and professional behaviour guidelines are — nobody fails a year for *just* spelling any more, and threats of failure are not considered appropriate most places) The teacher, if confronted, will probably say he was “only joking” or “only trying to motivate the kids” or whatever, but having the issue in writing will prevent him handing out an F without a lot of justification.
Then take all that time you saved by not doing the same ineffective thing over and over again, and do something productive with it instead. I find that the vast majority of poor spellers I work with, even good readers, need a review of phonics, especially the vowel combinations — level 2-3 or the advanced code. A lot of reading programs teach the simplest one-letter sounds and then drop phonics like a hot potato, before getting into the things that are needed for both spelling and advanced vocabulary learning. You may think your son knows all sorts of things but you may be very surprised — he is likely using his high intelligence and verbal skills to “fill in the blanks” when he is reading, and doesn’t know as much as you (and he) think he knows. Then, in parallel, there are planned developmental spelling programs such as AVKO that *teach* spelling rather than failure.
Especially if he has dysgraphia, and even for most average kids I’m meeting now, handwriting has simply not been taught in an organized fashion. I find that if a kid can’t make a single letter in consistent directionality and form he is extremely unilkely to spell or write words and sentences in consistent directionality and form (does seem to make sense that backwards and upside down parts connect to form a mixed-up whole, doesn’t it?) I am happy to send my handwriting notes on request to [email protected] and there are also programs that many people here recommend such as Handwriting Without Tears.
This is a long-term project, two ot three months to get the first passibg spelling test and six months to a year or more to get his written work up to a level more suited to his reading abilities — but if you keep up the approach you are doing now, where will you be in a year?
Re: What do I say to this teacher?
I would say to ask for a meeting with the principal, the teacher and any other teachers that are involved. Have your documentation together and BE SURE the school gets a copy of the information. I definately suggest getting other powers involved. If nothing else as a mediator for the situation. Also keep records.
Lori
Wow! The teacher may not see the difficulty the child is having. It sounds like the teacher will probably not be your ally,so if you are getting the test results from the school, the psychologist will be the one to let the teacher know what your child’s issues are. Let the psychologist know that there is a problem with spelling and it needs to be addressed, and since the teacher reccommended that you not help with the spelling homework that other options will need to be looked at. Hopefully, the psychologist will intervene and inform the teacher of your child’s trouble and what interventions will be needed for the child to succeed in the class. And- there are many suggestions and techniques for spelling on this line you may want to look into, but you will need to be sure you don’t overload your child with too many spelling words, such as doing other spelling at home as well as school, try to coordinate with the school.(Been there,done that, and still working on it) -Good Luck