Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional 2e? or just bright and behavior problems

I need help with school!
Since 1st grade my son was tested and noted for "gifted and talented"
But I could see severe difficulties in his executive functioning and memory, not to mention behavior difficulties, easily moody and upset by unexpected events, etc. and after much testing this past year, finally had diagnosis of severe combined type ADHD and PDD/Aspergers.
His WISC-IV scoring for Verbal was 126 (96% percentile) but anything related to working memory, planning, and spatial or visual tests were low, for example working memory was 97 (42 percentile!) Our testing said he had disorder of written expression (came in somewhere around a 3rd grade level) and significant visual/spatial issues.
However, his verbal and math scores, i.e. achievement scores (WJ-III)(forgive my lack of proper terminology, am new to this) were all high in 96-99 percentile,except written expression 6 percentile:

CLUSTER/Test RAW GE EASY to DIFF RPI PR SS(68% BAND)

BROAD READING - 10.1 8.5 11.7 100/90 97 129 (127-132)
BROAD MATH - 9.4 6.9 12.9 99/90 99 135 (131-138)
BROAD WRITTEN LANG - 4.6 3.3 6.3 88/90 46 98 (95-101)
BASIC READING SKILLS - 11.1 8.1 15.5 100/90 96 126 (122-129)
MATH CALC SKILLS - 8.2 5.9 11.9 98/90 97 129 (124-134)
BASIC WRITING SKILLS - 11.7 8.6 13.6 100/90 97 128 (125-132)
WRITTEN EXPRESSION - 2.3 1.6 3.4 53/90 6 76 (72-81)

He continues to have behavior problems in school, can't relate to children, acts inappropriately, won't do work in school because he is bored and it's "babywork"; after multiple issues in gen education classroom, and after our testing revealed the Aspergers/PDD he was put in an asperger's class (public school) this year. Only it doesn't seem to be asperger's class, or he doesn't fit the mold. He has been much worse this year, can' stand the class, the kids are more like HFA then asperger's; their idea of helping with the written disorder is to give them very low-level writing work, while at home he's reading epigenetics, and other above grade level.

But now the behavior's have exacerbated, by his continual lack of appropriate social skills and interaction with adults. I've been trying to tell them, and through multiple reports that if he is challenged and lerning interesting stuff he isn't getting into trouble, but it seems they will not put GT/LD as an option because of recent behaviors (punching walls, saying he isn't going to the stupid class anymore etc.) if he hadn't had an IEP, likely would have been suspended, but instead, I was called to pick him up almost every day for a month! and I am STRUGGLING!

Pulled him out of school, and put him on home and hospital teaching, but I don't know where to turn, or even what is the right placement!! Placements addressing behavior/asperger's don't address his academic/intelligence needs and vice versa.

Any other parents out there? Would really welcome thoughts.

I sent you a private message. Kate

Do you have my kid? (Mine is in 2nd grade now.) We are working on trying to get placement in a non-public school where he can get a lot of social skills/executive function support and differentiated instruction. It's quite a fight with the school system, but we persevere!

Gwen

My first question is - who did the evaluation and testing? If it was school, have you considered having a private evaluation? We've found that private evalutaions are really key both to understanding how to best help our 2e kids, but also can be very helpful in making a plan for best placement and fit at school. An advocate can help with figuring out how to get the services and placements you need in your local school district.


FWIW, my EG ds13 has disorder of written expression, and that is exactly how we've dealt with his writing challenges - he really *did* need to start at square one, and for years he was working specifically on writing exercises that were way below grade level, even though he was reading and comprehending light-years above grade level. And the good news is - it *worked*! Sooo... fwiw, while the specific classroom your ds is in doesn't sound like an overall appropriate placement, I wouldn't discount the value in working on low-level writing if that's what he needs at this point in time.

Best wishes,

polarbear

I did private testing, since I told the school repeatedly he was struggling (but they did nothing). The psychoeducational testing was very useful and that's where they identified the Aspergers. However, in terms of academics the only recommendations where GT/LD program and Asperger's program since the evaluator did not know the elementary level programs (son just turned 11/5th grade). I was led to believe at the IEP meeting (our first IEP by the way) that GT/LD didn't provide the social and behavior support that Khalil needed.

On low-level writing, I understand that they need to start from scratch, and work on basics, but it seems they should be able to work on basic writing (maybe 2nd grade level, meaning two sentences at a time, or however, it's broken down) but using vocabulary and topics that are more advanced? For example the entire HFA class (combined 4th/5th) will spend extended time on writing sentences etc., with vocabulary words like "observe."

And maybe I am just making excuses for ill behavior, but it wasn't like this in 2nd/3rd grade where it was more moderate complaints from him about baby work etc., but at least I had him in the most advanced reading and math the school offered (1 grade above) but it's slowly deteriorated and gotten worse as he becomes I guess a more and more "frustrated" learner. Intellectually, verbally & mathematically very advanced, but unable to make that match on paper with writing, memory and visual spatial problems.

Thanks for all the thoughts, really struggling with what to do next.

This too is something I was thinking... as the behaviors escalated a bit this year, was put him in something like a wilderness type program for 4-5 weeks then try and return him to mainstream with GT/LD supports... (he would be going into 6th grade next year).