My son, Cody 12 years old, just started 7th grade, was recently diagnosed as gifted/LD. All his assessments/testing were done last spring - in May, 2004 in northern California. We were living there at the time. Up until he got tested he was getting failing grades on report cards lying about homework, etc. We had tried everything. Unfortunately, putting him at a desk and being totally supervised he did his work fine. So, it looked more like a oppositional problem than a LD. However, after all was said and done he did have a specific LD - a visual processing deficit - specifically he tested [u]very[/u] low in visual closure and visual discrimination.
We relocated to southern California over the summer and of course, my son had to change schools. I really did not understand the IEP process as we were going through it last year. I have been reading more, and trying to make sense of it all, but there is sure alot of info out there. So the new school says I have to wait thirty days before we meet to do his IEP down here. Great, that gives me some time. Well, they call and want to meet and when I request a copy of the complete school file, I am told they don’t have it yet. I ask how they can meet w/out the file…? I am told they were just going to use the paperwork I had given them. Of course, part of me thinks…hmmm…can I use this to my sons advantage..?
I end up meeting with just the special ed teacher. He is very nice, pleasant.. He tells me will meet in a couple weeks for the IEP. I figured. He then proceeds to explain to me that he believes my son DOES NOT have a visual processing problem, because he has read 2 books since school started. Kids w/ VPD don’t do that, he said. He also told he that my son learns visually. I asked him why he thinks this…He just does he said. He gave me some example that made no sense.
I undersatnd that some people learn by touch, others by hearing, some by seeing.
What is a visual spatial learner? Could that apply to my son? Any ideas why this teacher might think what he said?
Thanks,
Kristin
Anyway,
Re: Visual-Spatial learners?
The only way you will find out for sure if your son has visual efficiency problems (which would adversely affect visual discrimination and could adversely affect visual closure) is to get a developmental vision evaluation. Most schools are not in a position to provide this, so most parents do it on their own.
You can find more information at http://www.childrensvision.org and http://www.homevisiontherapy.com .
Developmental vision is not tested in regular eye exams. Unfortunately, a child can have 20/20 vision and still have severe developmental vision delays. A gifted child can often compensate for the vision problems to produce average or even above-average work, but it requires a lot of effort and energy to do so. Understandably, no one likes to work that hard if they can find a way not to. If the underlying visual problem is never accurately diagnosed and treated, the child will likely continue to be an under-achiever.
Schools are normally not clued in to the possibility of developmental vision delays, so it is usually up to the parent to do some research. In my opinion, any educational testing that shows problems with vision should be followed-up with a full developmental vision evaluation by a board-certified developmental optometrist.
Nancy
Re: Visual-Spatial learners?
Do you have a list of his IQ subtest scores? What other tests did they use to diagnose that particular processing problem? Has the new teacher even seen the testing infomation? Without it, he could not possibly make that kind of statement. Well, I take that back. He can say it, but he is speaking in ignorance.
I was typing a reply to this and it disappeared. If two replies turn up, sorry for the confusion.
Last time I heard, northern California and southern California were still the same state. As far as I know from outside, that means the same IEP should carry over. I get a very strong feeling the new school is trying to baffle you with BS.
The whole theory about learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) is one I have some big questions about. It is just a not-very-well-founded theory with little scientific backing; lots of talk, few reputable measurements. While it may be useful as a rough way of categorizing learning styles, it is not an absolute that can be used to diagnose kids or to split up classes.
In fact, when people believe too firmly in this I have seen it become absolutely counterproductive. A student has been told that he/she is a visual learner only and so shuts down and doesn’t even try to listen to lectures and even turns his back and does something else, a student who is convinced that he/she is an auditory learner only and so won’t even look at the graphs in math class — recipes for failure. I believe strongly that students need to learn to work in various styles and expand their learning repertoire, not shut out anything that isn’t their preferred approach.
Your school should be basing their educational judgements on facts and measurements and reputable verifiable testing data, not somebody’s pet opinions. Unfortunately if they are impervious to logic, you are not going to change their minds.
Youu have to bite you tongue and try to work with this person. Try to explain to him that your son is doing well *because* some of his problems have been addressed, and you want to continue doing what has worked well in turning him around. Listen to him babble along about whatever and then ask again — using some of his terms if you can pick up on the jargon he likes — for help that will actually do your son some good.
If your son backslides and his marks drop again, take all the report cards in to the school board office and whoever there supervises special ed, and show him that when he was receiving whatever kind of help he was working up to his potential, and when those services were dropped his performance dropped too. Start polite and resonable, but be firm.
You may also find that you have to do some work at home. Sometimes it;s the only way.