AEH, any thoughts on WHY he is so good with written instructions but misses oral? It's like that at home too, but has not been a problem at school before this time, because the teachers made a point to emphasize their oral instructions for the kids.
His tester remarked that has a good auditory memory but the work needed for written output makes it hard to use his memory. Which is probably why he's always done well just recalling what his teachers have said. Now, I've been forcing him to write down (type) his homework on a sticky note on his computer, and wondering if that is actually messing him up? What tests would figure this out? Would an SLP eval at school be of any assistance?
There could be some value in an SLP eval. It's unclear from what you've described whether he's recalling directions, information, concepts, rote information in his auditory memory. Since measures of auditory memory each sample only some of these skills (or are mixed measures), he may score well on some, but struggle with others. You might also consider a memory eval. Actually, now that I think about it a bit, I think I would start with memory. (That's a psych eval.)
Typewritten output is quite different from handwritten output, even in a dysgraphic individual, as far as memory goes. (See some of the recent research on handwritten note-taking and its impacts on long-term memory.) It may also be that the process of transforming oral instructions into written instructions is "overwriting" his auditory image of the directions before he has a chance to transfer it to long-term memory. (Overwriting with clicking keyboard sounds and the working memory drain of formulating written language.) Perhaps he could try repeating the directions to himself once or twice, quietly, prior to typing them into his sticky note. Or could he record his directions into a voice memo recorder, instead, such as might be found on his phone? Dictate & send the product to himself?
