Dyslexia

xxfelix

Hi,

My 9 year old daughter has just been tested with Educational Physologist and has dyslexia - reding age of 6 3mts. Not sure how i can help her. I will of course have to wait for the report to be posted to me but my head is all over the place. I will when i get the report and go back to the school to see what i can do to help(they are gonna do paired reading)

Really i would like to hear from parents and experts in this field of what to do - she also suffers socially and have been reffered to clinical phys - ot - and for speak and lauguage accessement and she feels there is a further block

I have read on boards word shark 3 any advice would be great

Thanks in advance

xxfelix

Also - who diagones Aspraxia and asperges - thanks as that was also a worry :-(

byhookorbycrook

I'd need a bit more info.If you want to pm me, do. When you say the school is going to do paired reading-do you mean she will work with a younger child?Is she attending learning support?I take it she is in 3rd?How is she organisationally?An OT can diagnose dyspraxia,a clinical psychologist would diagnose Aspergers.

bootybouncer

Hi dude, I feel you pain, my 9 year old is dyslexic......................it caused alot of grief over the last 2 years and is an ongoing battle, You should get your child excluded from Irish as a start (had a battle with the school over this) if getting to grips with english is hard imagine what irish is going to be like thrown into the mix

byhookorbycrook

Not every child will be entitled to an exemption from Irish and many inspectors are very against any child bein exempted.

bootybouncer

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Not every child will be entitled to an exemption from Irish and many inspectors are very against any child bein exempted.

why not................... is the inspector the father or mother of your child

byhookorbycrook

Because not every child lacks the abilty to learn other languages.

bootybouncer

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Because not every child lacks the abilty to learn other languages.

I very much agree

muckisluck

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Not every child will be entitled to an exemption from Irish and many inspectors are very against any child bein exempted.

The DES circular on this clearly states that a child with dyslexia should have a language exemption given that reading is a basic language skill. The following is taken from the relevant circular (12/96):


Pupils in the following circumstances may be allowed exemption from the study of Irish in national schools:-

Pupils who function intellectually at average or above average level but have a Specific Learning Disability of such a degree of severity that they fail to achieve expected levels of attainment in basic language skills in the mother tongue

Miss Lockhart

muckisluck wrote: »

The DES circular on this clearly states that a child with dyslexia should have a language exemption given that reading is a basic language skill. The following is taken from the relevant circular (12/96):


Pupils in the following circumstances may be allowed exemption from the study of Irish in national schools:-

Pupils who function intellectually at average or above average level but have a Specific Learning Disability of such a degree of severity that they fail to achieve expected levels of attainment in basic language skills in the mother tongue

But not all dyslexic students fail to achieve expected levels of attainment in basic language skills.

Even at that, that quote says "may" not "should" get an exemption.

muckisluck

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

But not all dyslexic students fail to achieve expected levels of attainment in basic language skills.

Even at that, that quote says "may" not "should" get an exemption.

By definition dyslexia is a failing in a basic language skill- that of reading. The circular clarifies that this is correct.
As for the difference in may and should I think any school that refuses such an exemption could be sued. It would be wrong of a school to insist a child must have an exemption against parents wishes but once a parent requests they should be given it.

Miss Lockhart

muckisluck wrote: »

By definition dyslexia is a failing in a basic language skill- that of reading. The circular clarifies that this is correct.
As for the difference in may and should I think any school that refuses such an exemption could be sued. It would be wrong of a school to insist a child must have an exemption against parents wishes but once a parent requests they should be given it.

Dyslexia is a relative failing in language skills but not all are affected to the same level of severity. In my experience the department certainly do not take your view on the matter.

My own personal experience of dyslexia is that I am very glad my parents did not accept the exemption for me. As a second level teacher now I know of four students in my school alone who are now trying to take the language back up as they want to become teachers. They regret taking the exemption. Many others feel stigmatised and hate being marked as different by not doing Irish. A lot of parents jump on the exemption due to their own dislike for the language.

Obviously it is individual to the child and should be looked at on a case by case basis.

tricky D

http://www.dublin-cetc.com/
http://www.idl-literacy.ie/Centres.html

might be worth a look for the OP

muckisluck

You're absolutely right an exemption can be a major drawback but parents shouldn't have to beg for it either when the child is entitled to it. Any exemption granted must be recommended by Psychologist so it's not something to which every child with a weakness in reading is entitled. Dyslexia is much more severe than that. I too have long years of experience dealing with this issue in schools. I always advise parents of the limitations that such an exemption can impose in the future but I would never refuse a child who meets the criteria once the request is put in writing.

Insect Overlord

muckisluck wrote: »

You're absolutely right an exemption can be a major drawback but parents shouldn't have to beg for it either when the child is entitled to it. Any exemption granted must be recommended by Psychologist so it's not something to which every child with a weakness in reading is entitled. Dyslexia is much more severe than that. I too have long years of experience dealing with this issue in schools. I always advise parents of the limitations that such an exemption can impose in the future but I would never refuse a child who meets the criteria once the request is put in writing.

You should have said that the first time, instead of this:

muckisluck wrote: »

The DES circular on this clearly states that a child with dyslexia should have a language exemption given that reading is a basic language skill.

which comes across as something totally different.

Miss Lockhart

muckisluck wrote: »

You're absolutely right an exemption can be a major drawback but parents shouldn't have to beg for it either when the child is entitled to it. Any exemption granted must be recommended by Psychologist so it's not something to which every child with a weakness in reading is entitled. Dyslexia is much more severe than that. I too have long years of experience dealing with this issue in schools. I always advise parents of the limitations that such an exemption can impose in the future but I would never refuse a child who meets the criteria once the request is put in writing.

Yes, but my point is simply that having dyslexia is not always grounds enough for the exemption. Parents often seem to be under the impression that it is - the psychologist does not always recommend exemption for dyslexia.

On a personal level from my own experience of being offered the exemption I'm not sure the recommendation is always the right one. I ended up with an A1 in French and in Irish so I don't see how the exemption was the right recommendation.

muckisluck

Insect Overlord wrote: »

You should have said that the first time, instead of this:



which comes across as something totally different.

That greatly depends on how you read it. the circular to which I was referring has many reasons why a child can be granted a language exemption and I was directing the parent who had difficulty with their child's school to the correct part of the circular to show which reason is the correct basis for it to be granted.

byhookorbycrook

Dyslexia is not a language disorder, it is a reading difficulty. ("lexia" meaning reading.)Reading and language are interlinked but dyslexia is not a specific spech and language difficulty.

muckisluck

Dyslexia is not just a reading difficulty. It must be diagnosed by a psychologist (not a parent or teacher) and is is what is known as a Specific Learning Disability. DES do allow an exemption from the study of Irish to students who suffer with Dyslexia and no parent should be put in the position of Booty bouncer where they have to battle with the school to get it issued. We all have free will and noone can be forced to take it either . The circular dealing with it is Circular 12/96 available on the DES website.

bootybouncer

muckisluck wrote: »

Dyslexia is not just a reading difficulty. It must be diagnosed by a psychologist (not a parent or teacher) and is is what is known as a Specific Learning Disability. DES do allow an exemption from the study of Irish to students who suffer with Dyslexia and no parent should be put in the position of Booty bouncer where they have to battle with the school to get it issued. We all have free will and noone can be forced to take it either . The circular dealing with it is Circular 12/96 available on the DES website.

thanks champ, and well said

byhookorbycrook

From the Dyslexia Ireland website (a great organisation)http://www.dyslexia.ie/information/information-for-parents/irishlanguage-learning/


"
A pupil is not allowed to be exempt from the study of Irish simply because he or she is dyslexic, or because they find the subject difficult. Children may be exempted from studying Irish in Primary School if their reading and spelling levels in English are in the bottom 10% of their age group. To secure an exemption, parents must make a written request to the School Principal and must provide a copy of an assessment report from a Psychologist. This report must be less than two years old and the Psychologist must recommend the granting of an exemption. "

So, as stated already not all children need or will get an exemption.

muckisluck

The DES circular overrules all these other organisations. I have already quoted which circular it is and any parent who is having difficulty with their child's school regarding the issuing of an exemption should consult the circular and approach the school accordingly. Byhookorbycrook we will obviously never agree on this one but I will never accept that parents should be made to fight for every resource their child needs even when they have a definite entitlement. There are enough stumbling blocks in this world for children with special needs without schools trying to block legitimate requests.

byhookorbycrook

I am saying not all children need an exemption, I am very familar with the workings of that circular as I am in learning support. Dyslexia,as you know is a wide ranging umbrella, there are different degrees of dyslexia, from mild to extremely severe. By your logic children with dyslexia should not be allowed to attend a Gaelscoil!!I see day to day the struggle schools and parents have to make sure some form of provision is made for children with learning difficulties.

"Pupils who function intellectually at average or above average level but have a Specific Learning Disability of such a degree of severity that they fail to achieve expected levels of attainment in basic language skills in the mother tongue"This is why some children do not qualify for exemption, under DES rules.

bootybouncer

Lets get to grips with the english language first eh chaps, then the language that we never use can come second perhaps

D4RK ONION

Bootybouncer, posts like that are likely to do nothing but annoy people, please read the charter and keep it civil.

Keep it civil

Usual Boards.ie rules apply. No trolling, flaming, trying to get a rise out of people. Remember the Boards-wide rule, attack the post, not the poster.

xxfelix

calling teachers and parents here - hi op here - i am now meeting with the teacher and rescourse teacher and would like to know what i should ask or suggest ways they can help. the teacher to give more time writing or something similar without been seen as the pushy parent!

byhookorbycrook

Less transcribing from the board might help, if your child is to be called on in class to read, perhaps they could be told by teacher what part to prepare the night before.