Third level with no extra language.

Ambient Occlusion

Hi guys.
I'm in sixth year now and one of my friends who has opted not to carry on German from the Junior Cert is now extremely worried that he won't get into any universities because his standard of Irish is so poor. The poor chap is doing foundation level I believe and tells me that he can barely pass that. According to him he's completely unable to absorb anything related to languages which he attributes to his dyslexia (which is severe enough I might add). He says he doesn't want to risk the exemption exam because it is far too expensive for a 25% chance that he will be exempted and that is given that the state allows him to even do the exam.
Does he actually require an extra language to get in or is that something colleges are obligated to put down for matriculation? If I can somehow help him to pass foundation level will he be accepted with that? Is it possible to teach him and subsequently pass foundation level LC Irish with absolutely no knowledge of the subject at the start of the year?
He's horribly depressed over this and I hate to see him in that state. He feels that he will let down his parent as according to him, his brother did. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, even advice consoling him would help.
Thanks very much and if this violated the forum charter, I will gladly copy/paste this OP and move it to a more relevant forum.

blindside88

Does it have to be a university? You don't need to do a language to go to most colleges. A lot of courses require a certain grade in English and maths. For a lot of arts courses you don't even need the maths

Ambient Occlusion

blindside88 wrote: »

Does it have to be a university? You don't need to do a language to go to most colleges. A lot of courses require a certain grade in English and maths. For a lot of arts courses you don't even need the maths

My apologies, I should have specified. He wants to do something with Science (Preferably physics I'd imagine) or Maths, but not accounting or anything like that, mostly science. He does Biology and Physics at higher level now. I think he just wants to go to a half decent science/maths institution in Dublin. He'd make it into one of the big ones if he wanted to, but I fear he doesn't have the sense of urgency that would force him to study or really work for it.

spurious

Why didn't the school assess his dyslexia?

I teach a number of children with specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia who have exemptions from languages.

Ambient Occlusion

spurious wrote: »

Why didn't the school assess his dyslexia?

I teach a number of children with specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia who have exemptions from languages.

He's been diagnosed with it years ago, but insofar as the school assessing it, I don't believe they ever have. He's been talking with our Careers Guidance Counsellor but he (the counsellor) insists that this examination costing €700 is the only way for him to get an exemption.

mberm

If he was diagnosed years ago, who diagnosed him?

Read this http://www.nui.ie/college/entry-requirements.asp and apply for exemption with whatever report you have following the diagnosis.

Ambient Occlusion

mberm wrote: »

If he was diagnosed years ago, who diagnosed him?

Read this http://www.nui.ie/college/entry-requirements.asp and apply for exemption with whatever report you have following the diagnosis.

Thanks very much for that link BTW.
I don't actually know who diagnosed him. He started spilling out stuff a couple of nights ago when he drank himself half to death over the whole thing. According to him he's been diagnosed anyway but I'mma see him in school today and I'll try and get this out of him.

Ambient Occlusion

He wasn't in today because, to indirectly quote him through one of our mutual friends, he "feels like death" after his Saturday night 'drink'. Any other help on this would be appreciated. I'll try to get some information regarding his diagnosis as soon as he becomes contactable again.

MOR66

This is a horrible situation. If seems the school is being slack in efforts to help him.As far as im aware,if he has documentation from an edcational pyschologist that is under 3 years old then the school just sends this in requesting an examination. Obviously his learning disability hasn't been addressed and if the school wont help,he needs to seek help from other resourses.

Please pursuade your friend to phone this service:
http://www.dyslexia.ie/

When he get's further in getting the ball rolling the school should organise the DARE scheme the help him acheive his potential! http://www.accesscollege.ie/

Ambient Occlusion

MOR66 wrote: »

This is a horrible situation. If seems the school is being slack in efforts to help him.As far as im aware,if he has documentation from an edcational pyschologist that is under 3 years old then the school just sends this in requesting an examination. Obviously his learning disability hasn't been addressed and if the school wont help,he needs to seek help from other resourses.

Please pursuade your friend to phone this service:
http://www.dyslexia.ie/

When he get's further in getting the ball rolling the school should organise the DARE scheme the help him acheive his potential! http://www.accesscollege.ie/

Generally it would seem that his dyslexia would go unnoticed for the subjects other than languages (English seems to be ignored because apparently no one knows how to spell anything anymore). He is quite proficient at subjects such as Maths and Physics and where his Dyslexia would, I imagine, affect his intake and learning of languages, I would guess that it isn't noticed because it is simply assumed that he is not making an effort. He no longer does German so it wouldn't be picked up there and I shall just say that Dyslexic or not, the foundation level Irish class is just abysmal (Considering a significant number in my higher level class can barely spell half the words they use) which means that it has been completely ignored.
I'm not sure if he's told any of them and to be honest that last bit was what I've pieced together because he's not exactly one for expressing this kind of thing.

N64

When did he get assessed for his dyslexia OP? I was assesed in 2nd year and the school pulled me both out of Irish and Spanish class and I am able to have a reasonable accommodation in my exam (using a laptop)

Sorry to derail this thread a bit, but is €700 the normal fee for a psychiatric assessment for a learning disability? :eek: I wish to apply for the DARE scheme however my assessment is out of date (the assessment has to be less than three years to apply AFAIK) Do they charge less if is simply for a "check up" if you will?

edit: I was just having a quick look at that dyslexia website, and it states the fee is €450. Still expensive :-(

mberm

My son had a spelling and grammar waiver for his state exams because of his dyslexia. He had an Irish exemption from 5th class.

The resource coordinator in my sons school was great, she organised everything that was necessary with Dept. of Education, I just has to sign the form.

The resource coordinator in the school should be able to give you some guidance.

Ambient Occlusion

I'll update you with information I'll swindle out of him tomorrow, he seems to be in fairly good shape tonight. I have no idea when he was diagnosed and can't be 100% sure if he actually was as when he told me this was the case he was out of his head with alcohol. In hindsight we should have brought him to Naas to get his stomach pumped. Anyway, much appreciated for all the suggestions and advice so far. Thanks.

(Edit) If it makes any difference, I believe he also has mild ADHD

spurious

AFAIK in most VECs and certainly in the City of Dublin VEC schools, there are educational psychologists on staff who assess our kids. It's a lot of money for parents to fork out for a private assessment.

If your friend could move to a CDVEC school he'd be assessed for free, though the time is very tight to get all the reports in to Athlone in time for the 2013 exams. He really should not have had to have had the stress this has obviously caused him for years. The school's special needs co-ordinator needs to take a good look at themselves.