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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,733
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OP
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,733 |
Thank you polarbear! No, it did not feel like you were lecturing! And even if you were - please lecture away ... You really have BTDT with this stuff and you really know what it is like to have a kid like mine  I'd pay for your lectures LOL All of what you and Pemberely and Fwtxmom wrote are exactly what my concerns are! Turns out my concerns are more than valid. I am actually going to draft an email using your posts b/c you all articulately the issues and drawbacks so beautifully and clearly and oppose the proposal. We can discuss at the upcoming meeting meeting but I want to get this in writing and out to them so they know why I am against this. I don't expect any major push back - I think they are trying to help but are still just a bit clueless... Dysgraphia is not well-understood.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 735
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My (dysgraphic sort of) DS 8 gets homework packets which includes worksheet for ELA assignments and also math. We have worked out a system where DS gets to chose to write or type and when he types we just print it out and cut it up and tape it to the worksheet. He does it or i do it. Math has been more complicated. I got an email from his teacher about the problem he had on a math test which if course was on a worksheet. It got so messy because he didn't have enough room to work out the problems, he was literally writing over his own work. Fortunately she cares about actually evaluating him and let him redo it. Teacher tentatively suggested letting him ask for graph paper and i said he will never ask for it, you need to tell him this is what he needs to use. Same with typing in class. He can do much better work when typing but she seems to want him to ask. Finally got her to understand that it puts too much on the child to have to ask for something different. And I also asked her for one question per sheet for him but that seemed to be too much to ask for until this last set of problems (which are getting longer and more complicated) and she had to do it anyway.
Irena I would encourage you to pursue any alternative other than OT in the classroom. Mainly from the perspective of what's the point - will dilute effort in math and in OT. For DS sometimes the OT comes in but my understanding is that is to see him work not necessarily to remediate in the moment.
HTH
DeHe
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Thanks DeHe ... Thanks to everyone. I wrote an email this morning and told them that we are not comfortable with the plan of the OT adding a session of weekly OT to occur during math class. I said in most part: "The conventional wisdom is to completely separate handwriting from substance for children with dysgraphia. The nature of dysgraphia is that the act of handwriting fills up the working memory without room for substantive learning. I am concerned the handwriting/OT instruction during math class will interfere with his math instruction. And I do not think it is appropriate to, in any way, displace his math work with remedial handwriting and OT. In fact, Mrs.[1st grade teacher] tried this last year by making him re-write all his reversed numbers when he finished his math work early in math class instead of giving him more challenging math work. As a result, DS began to hate math class going so far as refusing to go to school. It was a pretty poor trade off and, obviously, did not do anything for his reversals.
At some point remediation needs to give way to accommodation. DS really is not making much progress with remediation (there is no cure for dysgraphia so this is not surprising); I think we, as his IEP team, should focus our efforts on exploring more ways to minimize handwriting with technology. There are lots of great programs and apps to do that, even for math. We can brainstorm about this at the upcoming IEP meeting. However, we do not want DS getting an additional session of OT during any of his classes. During his classes, he should get his accommodations and subject instruction, not occupational therapy. Thanks and we are looking forward to meeting with you all again on [date]." Thank you all. While I was writing it, I realized they basically tried to do this last year... It is a bit weird how they keep trying to sneak in remedial writing in lieu of class instruction. I wonder if the general school of thought is that "well since he is so bright/so ahead he should spend class time working on his disability rather than actually learning more..." I guess it really is the lack of an understanding of learning disabilities - particularly dysgraphia.
Last edited by Irena; 02/12/14 10:09 AM.
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 690
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Thanks DeHe ... Thanks to everyone. I wrote an email this morning and told them that we are not comfortable with the plan of the OT adding a session of weekly OT to occur during math class. I said in most part: "The conventional wisdom is to completely separate handwriting from substance for children with dysgraphia. The nature of dysgraphia is that the act of handwriting fills up the working memory without room for substantive learning. I am concerned the handwriting/OT instruction during math class will interfere with his math instruction. And I do not think it is appropriate to, in any way, displace his math work with remedial handwriting and OT. In fact, Mrs.[1st grade teacher] tried this last year by making him re-write all his reversed numbers when he finished his math work early in math class instead of giving him more challenging math work. As a result, DS began to hate math class going so far as refusing to go to school. It was a pretty poor trade off and, obviously, did not do anything for his reversals.
At some point remediation needs to give way to accommodation. DS really is not making much progress with remediation (there is no cure for dysgraphia so this is not surprising); I think we, as his IEP team, should focus our efforts on exploring more ways to minimize handwriting with technology. There are lots of great programs and apps to do that, even for math. We can brainstorm about this at the upcoming IEP meeting. However, we do not want DS getting an additional session of OT during any of his classes. During his classes, he should get his accommodations and subject instruction, not occupational therapy. Thanks and we are looking forward to meeting with you all again on [date]." Thank you all. While I was writing it, I realized they basically tried to do this last year... It is a bit weird how they keep trying to sneak in remedial writing in lieu of class instruction. I wonder if the general school of thought is that "well since he is so bright/so ahead he should spend class time working on his disability rather than actually learning more..." I guess it really is the lack of an understanding of learning disabilities - particularly dysgraphia. Well done. This letter is absolutely clear. The school really, really, needs to give up obstruction, however well meaning it is.
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 28
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 28 |
Good letter... just want to add
I agree with Polarbear about if there are people out there whose kids still do reversals 2nd and 3rd grade, and you see their writing is so much different than the other kids, take it more seriously. I heard "oh, that's normal" too. We were still making reversals in 4th grade. I wish I would have trusted my instincts and had ds tested earlier. Another red flag that I should have taken seriously is your child's work never up on the bulletin board. All the other kids had these beautiful stories, and I would never see anything, just an empty clip.
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 57
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Irena, I really like your email. I like how you informed clearly while stating what you want.
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Joined: Feb 2014
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Cathy, we have been fighting for this diagnosis for 3 years, dd is now 9 in 4th grade, and had no luck. Not sure if its budget cuts or a bad Principle, but they blame my childs attendance for her handwriting, what? Tomorrow is my last IEP meeting before we call in a lawyer. The administration at our school told me that writing and readining disabilities dont exist...what?
Thank you all.
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,733
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Joined: May 2012
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Mommy, I so hear you. The schools simply will not help. Let us know how your meeting goes. Good luck.
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Joined: Feb 2014
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There is a program called Efofex that is free to students with a diagnosis of dysgraphia. Maybe explore getting a copy and trying that out. It would require that your DS carry a computer to class. A link follows: http://www.efofex.com/empower.phpIf the sw doesn't benefit your student now, it would very likely help in the future. BTW, my dysgraphic son's handwriting has improved some with age. He uses graph paper and a Penagain pencil, so math work is legible. He pretty much types everyting else and has done so since 5th grade. Bessings, h
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Joined: Feb 2014
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Check out the dysgraphia section on the National Center for Learning Disabilities website (NCLD.org). They have some good information.
Also google dysgraphia and "assisted technology" and "apps" - lots out there but I have not yet found one place that lists all that help....I have a list but is limited on the dysgraphia. One friend with it is using the software DRAGON with success. I believe a free version is available for trial.
Hope this helps! MissyC
MissyC
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