OT - Working with a learning disability

[TheDizMom]

At the end of the last school my DD, who is currently in 3rd grade, was diagnosed with a learning disability. She was specifically diagnosed with Learning Disability NOS (315.9). With her learning disability she essentially struggles in math, reading and writing. She has difficulty expressing herself in the written word and verbally (she often times doesn't make sense when she tries to tell you something or explain something), has poor number sense, and is in the low average range for processing and memory recognition.

I am now in the process of working with her principle and the special ed department in her school to work out a 504 plan or IEP. I would love any advice that anyone can give me here. I want to push to get everything I can for her so that she can succeed, but I also don't want her to feel labeled or think she isn't smart. She is however, old enough to know that she just doesn't get things like her classmates do and it bothers her. I have told her that it isn't that she isn't smart, it's just that she learns differently then other kids and because of that she is going to have to work a little harder and that she will take a little bit longer to fully understand things. The doctor recommended that she not take multiple choice test, and she get small group help in math, reading and writing. Her teacher has already agreed to work with me when it comes to homework to accommodate her. Here is where I wonder, do I push for special ed teaching or say I am ok with them giving her help with the math and reading specialist? She has been doing that since 1st grade, I wonder if it's been enough. Do I flat out say that she absolutely can't do multiple choice tests? She recently had to do her first standardized tests and it was very stressful for her and caused lots of tears. I have no idea how they handle those tests with kids like my DD.

Anyway advice from those of you who have been through this would be much appreciated!

 

[laceemouse]

Bump! We have similar issues with my son, the schools would never help us, we pulled all of our kids out to start homeschooling. Every child learns differently, but school in the regular classroom is taught for one type of learner. I hope the specialists at your school will help your daughter

 

[Jdougherty]

As a child I was an labeled LD and placed in special ed. For all the parents let me reassure you that we do succeed because of everything you do. I have a great job, loving husband and an extremely smart DD. Infact I served 8 years active duty operating satellites including GPS.

Suggestions that worked, Do the 504/IEP, it will allow and give directions for teachers and others to help her. She can be given extra time on those standardized test to make them less stressfull.

Tutoring, find her a good tutor in the area's that she needs the most help in. Do this YEAR AROUND! I'm not joking, for both my brother and I this was a key thing that my parents did for us, and after 4 years I was doing well enough to not have to attend a special ed class at a public school.

Make sure she understands that she's not dumb and it's not her fault. Find an area that she excells in and encourage it. For me it was computers and my animals, for my brother it was wood working and sports.

other childern can be very cruel when they percive a weakness beaware and ask the teachers to be mindfull of teasing/harassment.

Good Luck!

 

[StitchFanZ]

One interesting thing I've learned is that many kids with learning disabilities actually have above average IQs. They process information differently and possibly on a different timetable then thier peers. Some of our greatest leaders and inventors struggled with the same issues.

I encourage you to get educated beyond what the school system provides. Those reading specialists may not really have special training in learning disabilities or be aware of the best or current methods for helping your child.
Those standardized tests will be much easier to handle if a plan is in place an appropriate accomodations are made. Don't be afraid to ask and push. Some school districts are limited in what the suggest or offer as once they suggest something, they may be obligated to pay for it and budgets are tight. However, you can ask and they will provide.

Our old school had a great program thru the national institute for learning development. There is some good info on thier site. http://www.nild.net/parents.asp
I attended their training when we moved and I decided to homeschool. It was eye opening when I met the 'specialists' in our current school system and realized that I had more training and knowledge on learning disabilities then they did.

 

[laceemouse]

One interesting thing I've learned is that many kids with learning disabilities actually have above average IQs. They process information differently and possibly on a different timetable then thier peers. Some of our greatest leaders and inventors struggled with the same issues.

I encourage you to get educated beyond what the school system provides. Those reading specialists may not really have special training in learning disabilities or be aware of the best or current methods for helping your child.
Those standardized tests will be much easier to handle if a plan is in place an appropriate accomodations are made. Don't be afraid to ask and push. Some school districts are limited in what the suggest or offer as once they suggest something, they may be obligated to pay for it and budgets are tight. However, you can ask and they will provide.

Our old school had a great program thru the national institute for learning development. There is some good info on thier site. http://www.nild.net/parents.asp
I attended their training when we moved and I decided to homeschool. It was eye opening when I met the 'specialists' in our current school system and realized that I had more training and knowledge on learning disabilities then they did.

Yes, LDs have nothing to do with low IQ. Kids with a low IQ are NOT called LD, they have other terms for them. Everyone understands that ADHD and dyslexia have no link to low IQ, they need to understand the same thing about other LDs.

 

[ERMama]

My son is 8 and in third also. He had an IEP thru the school district from age 3 thru 2nd grade. He is now just on a 504.
Im not sure how the state testing is going to work as it will be next month for us. I do know they have said he can go to a corner in the class or a seperate room as needed and have extra time.

He has issues in math and expressing himself on paper. He cant do math in his head and cant seem to memorize math facts. He does use TouchPoint math techniques which work for him with addition and subtraction. We will see how this year goes as they start multiplication.
I try not to fret too much about the math issues. I too struggled in math. Ive known many who struggled with math who have become engineers.
I do not want to teach my son that its okay to give up or not do things. He HAS to LEARN. He does poorly on timed tests but I focus on getting things correct, not being able to do them fast.
Ive never told him this but in the future a calculator will be his best friend.

As for writing, he has good penmenship and a wonderful imagination. He just cant seem to put the 2 together without alot of encouragement and help. Story "webs" where he puts a bunch of ideas on paper has helped some. But Im honestly still doing alot of the brain work of his writing assignments. I help him with the ideas and sentence structures and he modifies it into his own words.

He went to the reading specialist room 4 days a week for 45 minutes each day when in 1st grade. Several others did too so it wasnt a big deal for him.
Even last year he didnt really care or notice when he went into the sp. ed room or had help come to him.

Good luck.

 

[micheleq]

Get an IEP -- it will be much more involved than a 504 plan. Without knowing the child, I can't make any specific rec's, but just stay on top of it. As the parent, you are your child's best advocate. And I am a former teacher saying that!!

Let the special ed. teachers/evaluators do their testing (it sounded like you had an outside evaluation, the school will do their own as well if they haven't already) and see what they present. Many LD kids function fine in a normal classroom, have a special ed. teacher assigned to them and that teacher will work with the classroom teacher on what needs to be modified and how.

I taught middle and high school and have had children with all forms of disabilities in my classes. It's about working together, parent, child, teacher, special ed. monitor, and any specialists involved. Don't go in demanding anything; make your suggestions and see what the experts (teachers) have to say. Most likely, it will be the same thing!

PS - As for the standardized tests - if they are required by the state, she'll still have to complete them. She would probably get extended time. Many of those tests are required under No Child Left Behind to ensure that your school gets funding for things like special education. Ah, the irony!

 

[TheDizMom]

Thanks so much for the advice. We had the meeting today and I am not happy with the outcome.

First we did try to go through the school for her testing initially, but they said she did not meet all of their requirements to be tested. Our district does not test for dyslexia and processing disorders anyway, therefore we went outside the district.

I have no doubt at all she is smart, her brain just isn't processing the information the way most kids do. I repeatedly tell her she is smart and can do the work, but she has to try a little harder.

According to the special ed teacher I met with today she is still not significantly behind and her scores were still over what they consider in the range for special ed classes. She will continue with the reading and math specialists as she has for the last 2 school years. I wish that I could get her a tutor, unfortunately there is no way I can pay for it even with my husbands full time job and my 2 part time jobs. I would absolutely do that if I could, but I don't know how I would pay the hourly rate and several times a week at that.

Here is where I could use more help and advice. They are still saying she doesn't need the IEP since she doesn't meet special ed requirements, or 504 because she does not have a medical diagnosis like ADHD. She was diagnosed with anxiety because she gets so stressed out over school. Her doctor and I both knew we didn't want to put her on medication for this, but now I feel like I need to have him make it a clinical diagnosis, not that I would put her on medication anyway! Please explain to me how that could be when she was diagnosed with a learning disorder and a 504 plan was recommended? I don't understand this. I was told to go to her teacher and work with her on ways to help her in the classroom with her issues. I am in an excellent school district, but I feel the ball is being dropped here. Do I insist on a 504 at the very least or work with her teacher? I still don't know how she did on the MAP tests, although apparently the special ed teacher could have brought that information with her and didn't. The special ed teacher hadn't even given the report to her teacher! What do I do now?

 

[micheleq]

Keep at it. If she was diagnosed with anxiety and having a learning disorder, she qualifies for a 504 plan under federal law. If you have to play hard ball, throw around the terms IDEA, No Child Left Behind, and tell the school you will find an educational advocate (e.g. lawyer) who will ensure that your daughters rights are being protected.

There is another thread about epi-pens that I posted on today (must be my teacher advice day!) where I placed a link to the federal government's website that defines 504 plans and who is eligible. Your daughter is if she was diagnosed as LD!

Don't be argumentative, but be firm, and let the school know that what they have presented is unsatisfactory under federal law. It's not your job to work with the classroom teacher on modifications, it's the job of a special ed. teacher. That's why they are there, and they have the expertise to do so.

Good luck!
PS -- I've had students in the past with 504 plans that got straight A's. Just because she isn't falling behind is NO REASON to deny her the services she is qualified for. Oh, now I am fumed for you

 

[stace1214]

I'm sorry that you are going through this with your daughter's school. As a special education teacher, the very best advice I can give you is to not give up. You are your child's best advocate. Unfortunately, in many school districts, the parents who make the most noise get what their child needs. Be loud and make yourself known! On the other hand though, I do know from my experiences, if a child's test scores are not in a certain range he/she can not qualify for special education services. The best your school might be able to do right now may be time with the reading and math specialists. I don't know where you live but in my state, if a parent requests testing for services, the school has 30 days to complete it. I know you just had testing done, but it certainly wouldn't be unreasonable for you to again request that the district test her. The psychologist may find from working with your daughter that there may be a way to get more services for her. Good luck!

 

[ERMama]

My son has adhd and does see a therapist on a monthly basis that is covered by insurance. She specializes in kids like him. Her office sends someone to school twice a year to see how he is doing and gives suggestions to us and the school. For meetings they will send an advocate along to make sure the child is getting what they need.

Maybe talk with your ped to see if theres a therapist they know of that works with LD kids. You may be surprised what your insurance covers. You do not have to share any "diagnosis" with the school if you dont feel it would benefit your child.

Ask around and see if theres any LD support groups or the like. You can bring whoever you want with you into school meetings, even if its just a friend or another parent. If you know someone else you has been thru this, sometimes bringing back up helps prove how serious you are and helps give more confidence to be more vocal.

 

[TheDizMom]

I'm sorry that you are going through this with your daughter's school. As a special education teacher, the very best advice I can give you is to not give up. You are your child's best advocate. Unfortunately, in many school districts, the parents who make the most noise get what their child needs. Be loud and make yourself known! On the other hand though, I do know from my experiences, if a child's test scores are not in a certain range he/she can not qualify for special education services. The best your school might be able to do right now may be time with the reading and math specialists. I don't know where you live but in my state, if a parent requests testing for services, the school has 30 days to complete it. I know you just had testing done, but it certainly wouldn't be unreasonable for you to again request that the district test her. The psychologist may find from working with your daughter that there may be a way to get more services for her. Good luck!

I understand that she is not where she needs to be for special ed and am OK with the reading and math specialist. My problem is that the doctor made some recommendations for her like trying to avoid multiple choice testing, that tests may have to be read to her, working in small groups with reading and math specialists (that appears to be happening), extra time with standardized tests and in smaller groups, sitting near the teacher to help her stay focused (she is considered at risk for ADHD but does not have the actual diagnosis), using signals to let her know she needs to pay attention and taking special attention when giving her instructions to make sure she has processed the directions properly and understands them. Helping her stay organized is another thing. The 504 would be so much easier, I don't want to have to go through this with her teacher every year.

I know she can succeed and do well. She has the same issues I had (though was never diagnoses with) and I eventually figured out how to work with my issues and graduated with my AA magna cum laude and my BA cum laude. I know she will be great if I can just get those accomidations made for her. Her teacher today at least said she agreed it was important and will do whatever she can to help her. Thank goodness for that at least.

 

[Schmeck]

I understand that she is not where she needs to be for special ed and am OK with the reading and math specialist. My problem is that the doctor made some recommendations for her like trying to avoid multiple choice testing, that tests may have to be read to her, working in small groups with reading and math specialists (that appears to be happening), extra time with standardized tests and in smaller groups, sitting near the teacher to help her stay focused (she is considered at risk for ADHD but does not have the actual diagnosis), using signals to let her know she needs to pay attention and taking special attention when giving her instructions to make sure she has processed the directions properly and understands them. Helping her stay organized is another thing. The 504 would be so much easier, I don't want to have to go through this with her teacher every year.

I know she can succeed and do well. She has the same issues I had (though was never diagnoses with) and I eventually figured out how to work with my issues and graduated with my AA magna cum laude and my BA cum laude. I know she will be great if I can just get those accomidations made for her. Her teacher today at least said she agreed it was important and will do whatever she can to help her. Thank goodness for that at least.

What in the world is the doctor doing in listing accommodations? Does he/she also have a master's degree in education, or somesuch? Avoid multiple choice testing? There goes college - no SAT for her? That doctor sounds like a quack to me - avoidance (having tests read to her, no multiple choice, etc) is never a good policy, imo, and it sounds like the school has made the effort to give your child the tools she needs to adapt to the real world.

I've seen this situation too many times with students I've worked with - avoidance accommodations are created up the yin-yang, and the child never gets the real help he/she needs, such as learning strategies to be able to take a multiple choice test, decode a difficult set of instructions, and take responsibility for organization and attention.

I've also seen students get what they need and learn how to organize their schoolwork, write a 5 paragraph essay, take tests independently, and learn techniques to compensate for having a learning disability. A lot of kids with IEPs and 504 plans are shocked when they get to high school and they are so incapable of handling a real high school day. They are coddled and sheltered for 8-9 years, and we have 4 years to get them ready to go out into the real world of employment, college, and independence.

So when a parent starts talking about a ton of accommodations for a child in elementary school, especially listing so many avoidance ones, I cringe because I know what can happen to that child many years later. I agree that all children deserve to get the support they need to reach their potential, but what they really need are strategies to work with their disabilities.

For example - instead of giving a student with a disability only half of the vocabulary words the rest of the class gets, I create flashcards of the word and definition and show the student a key part of the word that will help link it to the correct definition. Vacuole = vacuum, as in it sucks up stuff in the cell that is not needed. Cytoplasm = ektoplasm from Ghostbusters - the green slimy stuff they got slobbered with, all the oozy stuff in the cell around the nucleus. The student doesn't get less work - just learns a way to relate the words.

If a child has problems geting the ideas down on paper, graphic organizers are a good tool. So is just scribbling lists on a piece of scrap paper - breaking down the overwhelming project into baby steps. A lot of this can be done at home too - I do it with my overwhelmed daughter almost every night. She doesn't have binocular vision, and struggles with some things at school, especially the new technology stuff our high school seems to be built around. I find ways for her to adapt to the situation - not the other way around.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

DizMom,
In which state do you live. Different states, counties, and districts work in many ways.
Has you DD gone through or is in the process of Response To Intervention?
Make yourself familiar with you DD's diagnosis and your rights.
I agree with Schmeck, students that are allowed many accomodations at young ages can find HS difficult. In most states (that I know of) in order to graduate with a diploma that would be needed to be accepted into a 4-year college the student has to successfully pass the state test like FCAT in FL or ISTEP in IN. Some accomodations are usually allowed, like a teacher reading a math word problem to a student or a teacher writing a dictation/using a computer, but I have never heard of an option to a multiple choice scetion.
Many LD students have help in learning organization and study skills that would include how to study for and strategize for taking a test.
Not every teacher is very familiar with teaching to individual students and all modalities...I know my son's teacher this year wasn't. At the begining of the year I shared the strategies that best motivate him (and he doesn't even have a diagnosis, he's just a kid!). She has gotten better with little things that don't take much more effort or time away from any other student.
School is for learning...it is all a process! Unfortunately, $$ often dictates who receives what services, despite who can benefit from them.
Good Luck

 

[TheDizMom]

What in the world is the doctor doing in listing accommodations? Does he/she also have a master's degree in education, or somesuch? Avoid multiple choice testing? There goes college - no SAT for her? That doctor sounds like a quack to me - avoidance (having tests read to her, no multiple choice, etc) is never a good policy, imo, and it sounds like the school has made the effort to give your child the tools she needs to adapt to the real world.

I've seen this situation too many times with students I've worked with - avoidance accommodations are created up the yin-yang, and the child never gets the real help he/she needs, such as learning strategies to be able to take a multiple choice test, decode a difficult set of instructions, and take responsibility for organization and attention.

I've also seen students get what they need and learn how to organize their schoolwork, write a 5 paragraph essay, take tests independently, and learn techniques to compensate for having a learning disability. A lot of kids with IEPs and 504 plans are shocked when they get to high school and they are so incapable of handling a real high school day. They are coddled and sheltered for 8-9 years, and we have 4 years to get them ready to go out into the real world of employment, college, and independence.

So when a parent starts talking about a ton of accommodations for a child in elementary school, especially listing so many avoidance ones, I cringe because I know what can happen to that child many years later. I agree that all children deserve to get the support they need to reach their potential, but what they really need are strategies to work with their disabilities.

For example - instead of giving a student with a disability only half of the vocabulary words the rest of the class gets, I create flashcards of the word and definition and show the student a key part of the word that will help link it to the correct definition. Vacuole = vacuum, as in it sucks up stuff in the cell that is not needed. Cytoplasm = ektoplasm from Ghostbusters - the green slimy stuff they got slobbered with, all the oozy stuff in the cell around the nucleus. The student doesn't get less work - just learns a way to relate the words.

If a child has problems geting the ideas down on paper, graphic organizers are a good tool. So is just scribbling lists on a piece of scrap paper - breaking down the overwhelming project into baby steps. A lot of this can be done at home too - I do it with my overwhelmed daughter almost every night. She doesn't have binocular vision, and struggles with some things at school, especially the new technology stuff our high school seems to be built around. I find ways for her to adapt to the situation - not the other way around.

A) The doctor who made these recommendations was licensed doctor who specializes in working with children with learning disabilities and testing for them whom my pediatrician sent me to! She is the one who tested her and diagnosed her. Do you honestly think I would send my child to some weirdo off the street for this?

B) If making some of these types of accommodations for her now while she is still trying to figure out what the hell 2+0 is (she has to think about that as a 3rd grader and often gets it wrong) then I will do it! I also don't mean she has to have every test read to her only that some questions may have to be so that she understands them better since she struggles so much with reading. When you can't figure out what a word is, how exactly are you supposed to know how to answer the question?

C) I have no intention of coddling her and every intention of having things adjusted as she improves and begins to get a handle on things. She is not being given different homework or spelling words then anyone else or having assignments in class adjusted for her. I have no intention of saying, "Oh, she can't do this so she shouldn't get it." I have every intention of making her work on it and give it her best attempt. I am trying to give her strategies to work with her issues not avoid them.

D) I also happened to have nearly every issue she has and I understand where she is coming from. If my teachers had known I had issues that some simple accommodations, like being allowed to take a book home to finish reading a chapter so I could get the chapter questions answered, I might have had a lot less stress. If I had been able to have a little longer on a standardized test I might have done a lot better on them and been a lot less stressed out about them. I spent so much time worrying about how much time I had that I couldn't relax and take the time to read the questions over again for fear I wouldn't finish in time. I learned to find ways over time to help me do well, but it took me until I was a senior in high school. If you think that I don't get that she needs to learn how to find those tools for herself, you are sorely mistaken, but I will also do what I think, and the doctor who tested her thinks, will help her as she tries to figure that out. She is in 3rd grade, she is newly diagnosed, and we as her parents are trying to do what we think is best for her. For you to suggest that I am just listening to some whack job and saying to her' "Oh, honey you don't have to do that it's just to hard for you," is really offensive to me.

 

[TheDizMom]

DizMom,
In which state do you live. Different states, counties, and districts work in many ways.
Has you DD gone through or is in the process of Response To Intervention?
Make yourself familiar with you DD's diagnosis and your rights.
I agree with Schmeck, students that are allowed many accomodations at young ages can find HS difficult. In most states (that I know of) in order to graduate with a diploma that would be needed to be accepted into a 4-year college the student has to successfully pass the state test like FCAT in FL or ISTEP in IN. Some accomodations are usually allowed, like a teacher reading a math word problem to a student or a teacher writing a dictation/using a computer, but I have never heard of an option to a multiple choice scetion.
Many LD students have help in learning organization and study skills that would include how to study for and strategize for taking a test.
Not every teacher is very familiar with teaching to individual students and all modalities...I know my son's teacher this year wasn't. At the begining of the year I shared the strategies that best motivate him (and he doesn't even have a diagnosis, he's just a kid!). She has gotten better with little things that don't take much more effort or time away from any other student.
School is for learning...it is all a process! Unfortunately, $$ often dictates who receives what services, despite who can benefit from them.
Good Luck

I live in Minnesota, and yes she too will have to pass the MCA's in order to graduate and move one even from 8th grade. There is no way she will be able to avoid taking those or have them in any other way but mulitple choice; however, she can be given extra time and have a teacher present to read her a question that she doesn't understand. When it comes to multiple choice tests I am referring to class tests. They tend to confuse her, and when asked the same question in multiple choice and free recall where she has to just give a simple answer, she will get the answer correct with the free recall and get it wrong with the multiple choice.

 

[Schmeck]

Didn't mean to offend - I've been in dozens of IEP meetings, and have never had a doctor "prescribe" accommodations. Perhaps if the doctor attended the meeting and gave some input some of it would be considered, but the accommodations are made by the school, since the school is the one that has to set it up and make sure it is funded. It's kind of like the doctors who write the "front of the line" prescriptions for families going to WDW.

One thing about standardized testing - standardized tests that allow accommodations are no longer validly standardized, meaning if someone is given more time, then the results are not relative to those without accommodations. That is noted on the exam, and is taken into consideration when evaluated and reported. Students who take AP, SAT and state exams have the accommodations noted and that info goes with the test scores, wherever the test scores end up.

 

[syncsk8mom]

First I want to say that I have been in your shoes and I know what you are going through. My DD was ADHD/Dyslexic.

Secondly, not all schools are the same. We tried MANY different educatoinal options for our daughter until we found the right one. Some schools really understood and some wouldn't give us the time of day.

At the end of the day she succeeded and GRADUATED from a school that did not have the support staff to regulate or impliment on IEP. That school though saved her life. What was the difference????

ENVIROMENT!!!

Sometimes environment makes all the difference that an IEP cannot make.

The poster who recommended year round tutoring and other avenues for your DD to succeed is giving you very good advice. And if a tutor is out of reach financially then I would recommend 2 things.....first if you have a local college go there and talk to the Dept. head for Education Majors....I can promise you that there are plenty of special ed majors out there who would benefit from some real world experiance. If that isn't an option go to your local Education Supply Store and invest in workbooks that you can do with your child every night. Set up a ROUTINE...most kids with any form of LD or ADHD will thrive so much more in a highly structured environment.

Best of luck to you and your daughter....be her advocate and support.

PS.....my DD graduted 15th in her class....has gone on to Ole Miss and is an ROTC cadet. It was hard work for all of us, but we couldn't be prouder!!!