Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Attention Issues Interevention

Okay, so I took y'all's advice and we have an IEP meeting scheduled and and some intervention with regard to that underway (despite my dread fo dealing with them and just wanting it all to go away). Some good news and some pro-active steps by the school appear to taking place! We have decided to have an IEP meeting at the end of January to address the attention issues. Prior to the IEP meeting, the school is to "collect data to establish a more precise baseline regarding DS's ability to sustain attention to task. The information will be used in considering strategies and determining reasonable expectation." This is good, no? I mean, seems better to me than just hitting me with "your kid never pays any attention at all; yeah, he does well grade-wise cause he's smart but you need to do... *something* b/c we have no idea"

I hope this means we will get some very specific information as to when specifically his attention begins to fail. Because I KNOW the situation is not that he is NEVER paying ANY attention AT ALL as was reported to me at the parent-teacher conference. I know this because I have volunteered quite extensively (every week last year) at the school and have seen him pay rapt attention at times (e.g., story time, discussion time - not sure what this is called but they discuss something they have learned or read and also disucss whatever problems was presented and how to potentially solve them, reading time, etc.) Also, how could he possibly get 100% on all of his tests if he is "never paying attention at all?"

Last year's teacher reported that he pays attention in "class" but pays no attention when directions to do things are being given like where to go next, what to do with their things, what supplies are needed, etc. She is the teacher whose rating scale came up "at risk" for "attention" and she reported in Basc2 and in interview that DS "has no trouble with inhibition, impulsivity, self-regulation, etc." She told me personally he simply doesn't pay attention to housekeeping items and directions regarding housekeeping items. She specifically said, "I may need to tell him several times to order lunch, put his folder in the box or put his name on his paper. He will often ask what to do right after a direction is given." I personally also strongly suspect is he may be paying no attention when the teacher is teaching math concepts he already knows/understands, etc. (this kind of thing may be worse this year since he does afterschooling in math and is even more ahead). I don't know what that means in terms of ADHD but I think if we specifically break down when attention is failing and put some interventions in at those times it can only help. Also the school doesn't know this right now, but I should have his Woodcock Johnson achievement scores by then. Last year he was well over one grade level ahead - usually 1 1/2 but still relatively average for his age. This time, based off of the few WIAT subtests that were given a few months ago, he is well over 2 grades levels ahead at least in reading comprehension and math problem solving. So, anyway, I have no idea what the achievement scores will be but I am thinking they could possibly line up with the attention issues to some extent (or not) to give a picture of perhaps some higher level work being needed. If not then we(I) know that too ... but, if so, we can discuss it at the meeting I suppose.

So, is there anything I should ask for specifically as they gather the "baseline" data? I want the results of the observations ahead of time so I am prepared (I hate being surprised with regard to my son - it takes too long for me to recover emotionally to be any good so I need as much info ahead of time. That is a feasible and reasonable request right? I'd also like to provide the private ADHD evaluation place with this info.. I assume it can only give help them get a picture of what is happening and help.